Sally Sinclair - Regional rural and remote employment strategies the Australian experience

IMPLEMENTING CHANGE:

A NEW LOCAL AGENDA FOR

JOBS AND GROWTH In co-operation with the EU Presidency, Irish Government and Pobal

26-27 March 2013, Dublin-Kilkenny, Ireland

9th Annual Meeting

PLENARY SESSION II: LOCAL EMPLOYMENT STRATEGIES IN RURAL AREAS

Sally Sinclair CEO, National Employment Services Association, Australia

Regional, Rural and Remote Employment

Strategies – the Australian Experience

Presented by:

Sally Sinclair, CEO

National Employment Services Association

27 March 2013 OECD LEED 9th Annual Meeting - Dublin

NESA is an industry association and the peak body for the Australian employment and related services industry

Australia has a fully outsourced employment services delivery model

NESA represents and advocates on behalf of contracted providers to ensure that we achieve:

Continuous improvement to design, delivery and performance of employment services for stakeholders, and

A sustainable and vibrant industry.

NESA is the voice of the Australian

employment services industry

Personalised, individualised services

Targeted resources – geographical areas, target groups, specific eligibility, demand-led initiatives

Partnerships & collaboration – wrap around servicing, co-location, case co-ordination

Outcomes focus

Social inclusion

Matching skills and labour demand and supply

Communication – government websites, use of intermediaries and employment services provider networks

Key Elements of Policies & Programs

The contracting arrangements of Australian employment services support a dynamic and responsive policy environment. The purchaser maintains the right to vary DEEDs and supporting guidelines to include new initiatives and respond to changing circumstance and priorities throughout the contract period.

Complementary Programmes:

Targeted Industry Support

Structural Adjustment Packages

Cohort Focused Initiatives

Mature Age Workers

Early school leavers

Long term unemployed – Wage Connect Subsidy Program

Indigenous Employment Program

Responsive Policy & Service Framework

Geographically Targeted Initiatives

Local Connections to Work

Priority Employment Areas

o Local Employment Coordinators

o Jobs and Skills Expos

Disaster Response Packages

Connecting People with Jobs

Regional Development Authorities o Regional Education, Skills and Jobs Coordinators

Skills Focused Initiatives

Apprenticeship Kick Start Initiative

Responsive Policy & Service Framework

Geographic Remoteness at a Glance Geographic Remoteness at a Glance

Activation

Access to employment assistance

All unemployed and significantly underemployed people of working age are eligible to receive assistance through Australian Employment Services.

Early engagement

All new income support claimants are connected to employment services on first contact with Centrelink

Appointment with employment services providers scheduled for a time within 2 working days through an electronic diary

Granting of income support subject to commencement with employment services provider

Additional direct registration pathways for voluntary (non activity tested) job seekers

Activation – Mutual Obligation

Australia has strong mutual obligation policies that promote the responsibilities of job seekers in return for unemployment benefits

Foundation Activity and participation requirements:

Be actively looking for paid work and/or be participating in another approved activity, and

Be willing to take any suitable job that you are capable of doing, including full-time, part-time and casual jobs.

Requirements are recorded in an Employment Pathway Plan

Job search requirements

Referrals to employment services providers

Paid work

Referrals to specialist assistance, and

Other approved activities that job seekers will undertake to improve their chances of finding work.

Australian Employment Services Framework

Centrelink

Social Security

Employment Services Gateway

Job Seeker Compliance

Framework

Complementary

Programs

National Employment Services Data Base

National Performance Assessment Framework

Commonwealth Department of

Education, Employment & Workplace Relations

Policy & Program Administration, Development & Implementation

Purchasing & Contract Management

New Enterprise Incentive Scheme,

Harvest Labour Services,

Experience +

Youth Connections,

Language, Literacy & Numeracy,

Indigenous Employment Programs

Long Term Unemployment Risk Assessment

Job Seeker Classification Index Factors

Tailored Service Provision

More intensive assistance for those at relatively

more risk

Tailored Service Provision

Job Placement

Services

•Job Search Support

• Employer Services

•Job Search Facilities

• Skills Assessment

Individual

Case Management

• Employment Pathway Plan

•Community Linkages

•Access to resources to support interventions

•Post Placement Support

Work Experience

•Range of Activities

•Work for the Dole

•Training

•Volunteering

•Work Trials

Complementary Programs

New Enterprise Incentive Scheme, Harvest Labour Services, Experience +, National Green Jobs Corps, Youth Connections, Language, Literacy & Numeracy, Indigenous Employment

Programs

Flexible, Tailored Service Model

enables integrated wrap around

service assistance to address

individual needs and local

circumstances

Flexible pool of funding to purchase assistance to help job seekers get and keep a job, such as:

Vocational & Employability Skills Training

Work related clothing and safety equipment

Licences & certificates

Short term travel costs

Relocation costs to commence employment

Other personal support services, including dental, health and housing assistance

Employer Assistance – Wage subsidies, on-the-job training and mentoring for job seekers.

EPF credits are attached to job seeker commencement but not to the job seeker.

A notional bank and reimbursement model

Employment Pathway Fund

3 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

o KPI 1 – Efficiency

o KPI 2 – Effectiveness

o KPI 3 - Quality Assurance Framework

KPIs 1&2 assessed on the basis of performance measures and weightings = Star Ratings

KPI 3 ensures providers deliver the services contracted and that job seekers receive quality services

Star Ratings are used by:

job seekers to assess the comparative performance of providers in their local area

providers to measure their contractual performance

DEEWR to measure performance and allocate business share to providers

Statistical regression analysis used to allow comparison of provider performances across Australia

o Job seeker characteristics

o Labour market characteristics

Period of performance assessment six monthly milestone periods that conclude at the end of June and December

Performance Framework

New Remote Model Key features of the Remote Jobs and Communities Program:

Remote Employment and Participation Activities

Individualised, tailored assistance

Participation Account

o Funding to address vocational and non-vocational barriers

Remote Youth Leadership and Development Corps (Youth Corps)

o Tailored mentoring and training support

Community Action Plan (CAP)

o Employment, economic and community development goals

o Local stakeholder partnerships

Workforce Development Strategy

o Regionally focused and demand-led strategies

o Employer collaboration to address skills and labour shortages

Community Development Fund (CDF)

o Initiatives to build community capacity

New Remote Model

OVERVIEW MAP OF 59 REMOTE REGIONS Overview of Map of 59 Remote Regions

The National Broadband Network will:

Provide high-speed broadband access to all Australian homes and businesses through a mix of three technologies:

o Optic fibre

o Fixed wireless

o Next generation satellite

93% of Australian homes, schools and businesses will have access through optic fibre

Optic fibre is capable of providing broadband speeds of up to one gigabyte per second

All Australian homes and businesses to be connected to national broadband by the end of the10 year roll out

National Broadband Network – Future

Strategies

Some Resources Department of Education, Employment & Workplace

Relations

http://deewr.gov.au/

Priority Areas

http://deewr.gov.au/priority-employment-area-initiative

Demography and Population

http://www.sarrahtraining.com.au/site/index.cfm?display=143626

Families in regional, rural and remote Australia

http://www.aifs.gov.au/institute/pubs/factssheets/2011/fs201103.html

Some Resources

NESA

Level 8, 20-22 Albert Road

South Melbourne, VIC 3205

Australia

Phone: +613 9624 2300

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.nesa.com.au

Contact Details Contact Details