Work and Development Orders for host organisations.

Neighbourhood Centres of Bellingen Shire can support eligible people to reduce fine debt through the Work and Development Order (WDO) scheme.

Under the scheme, approved host organisations can help people clear fines by participating in suitable activities, including unpaid work. WDOs are designed for people experiencing hardship, and sponsors are responsible for assessing eligibility, keeping records, and reporting participation through the Revenue NSW Self-Service Portal.

Get in touch

If your organisation is interested in becoming a WDO partner organisation with NCoBS, please contact us to discuss the type of volunteer work you can offer and whether the placement would be suitable under the WDO scheme.

Phone 02 6655 1239 or email wdo@ncobs.org.au

How it works

Host org requirements

Host organisations play an important role by providing a safe, practical and supervised volunteer placement.

If your organisation would like to host a person completing WDO activity through volunteer work, there are some practical requirements we need to have in place before we can refer anyone to you.

This includes organisation details, the name and contact details of the person who will supervise the WDO participant and confirmation that your organisation holds current volunteer insurance.

Volunteer hours

When planning hours, it is important to remember that the maximum amount that can be cleared through a WDO is $1,000 per month, and unpaid work clears fine debt at $30 per hour. This means that, in practice, only around 33 hours per month can count towards the WDO, which is generally no more than about 8 hours per week excluding breaks. A participant may choose to do more volunteer work than this, but only the approved hours up to the monthly cap will count towards reducing their fines.

This helps us confirm that the placement is appropriate, properly supervised, and supported by the right insurance arrangements.

All WDO sponsors are required to keep proper records, report participation in a timely way, and securely retain WDO records for five years. Sponsors are also expected to make decisions fairly, manage any conflicts of interest appropriately, and ensure their details remain accurate and up to date.

Reporting requirements

If a placement goes ahead, your organisation would need to provide a written timesheet each month showing the participant’s hours, including months where no hours were completed.

The reporting period runs from the 15th of one month to the 14th of the next, and the completed timesheet should be sent to the WDO worker at the Neighbourhood Centre as soon as possible after the 15th.

WDO Host Registration

Thanks for your interest in becoming a WDO host organisation with Connecting. This form helps us gather the basic information we need to assess whether your organisation is suitable to host a Work and Development Order participant, including your organisation details, supervision arrangements and volunteer insurance. Once we receive your form, we will review the information and contact you about next steps.