Work for the dole was applied in several small country towns in Australia in 1998. In small towns where the was little employment and the council couldn't afford to employ all of the these workers they were put to work building footpaths,reparing roads, gardening ,cleaning up the streets etc,etc. It was very successful but I think it was curtailed because of pressure from the do - gooders who said that they shouldn't have to work and it's not fair as they can't sleep in until lunchtime every day.