Workfare is a government scheme in which unemployed people have to do community work or learn new skills in order to receive welfare benefits.
workfare in British English
(ˈwɜːkˌfɛə)
noun
a scheme under which the government of a country requires unemployed people to do community work or undergo job training in return for social-security payments
Word origin
C20: from work + (wel)fare
workfare in American English
(ˈwɜrkˌfɛr)
US
noun
a government program requiring employable recipients of welfare to register for work or work training