The Community Development stream includes:
- Projects
- Development and Support.
Projects
CDEP providers manage Community Development Projects—previously called ‘activities’, which are designed to:
- ensure community work is consistent with local job opportunities
- build skills through practical experience
- meet community and individual needs
- link community priorities, identified in community plans.
Community Development Projects must focus on local priority needs. However, they do not include state/territory and other program funded projects. As well, Community Development Projects should not displace local jobs and business opportunities.
Development and support
Strengthening local communities
Helping to strengthen Indigenous communities and people so they can better deal with the issues and challenges they face contributes to the success of Indigenous employment programs. Because of this, CDEP providers need to play an active role in helping to build the capacities of local communities, families and individuals.
To assist providers in this role, CDEP Development and Support funds are available to pay for things like employing community development officers, mentors and providing a community support function that links and engages people to services they need.
Linking support to community needs
The amount of funding for each provider depends on how much support they need to tackle disadvantage and disengagement. Above all, funding must reflect community needs and priorities. This means some providers may receive more funding than others, based on need.
Development and Support projects should link directly to a community’s plans. A community plan should highlight a community’s aspirations, needs and priorities.
CDEP providers can work with the community and other service providers to help communities develop their community plans. The plans usually specify population and employment information, and details of community support systems. They can also identify future employment and business opportunities.
Funding proposals
To receive development and support funding, providers will have to show that their proposals will:
- build and strengthen relationships and networks within the community
- boost people’s participation in the community’s economic and social life
- improve people’s connection to the range of support services available
- develop new ways for the community and service providers to work together
- strengthen leadership
- improve governance (that is, the rules that affect how an organisation operates)
- in the long-term, increase people’s financial independence and the community’s economy and social well-being.
Community Development
All CDEP providers are required to support community development. With amounts worked out case-by-case, according to need, funding is available for:
- employing community development workers—to work with the community as a whole, other local services and agencies, to drive the development of ideas for community development Projects. The Projects need to have strong community input and actively involve local people. As well, Projects should take account of local community planning
- employing mentors—to work with individuals and families to help them understand the changed arrangements and participation requirements, and to provide support for them to access the new system.
- providing community support—to offer resources, information and links to other services, and to cover costs like a coordinator, rent and office equipment
Organisational Development and Support
To strengthen the capacity of local organisations delivering CDEP, funding for organisational development and support is available for:
- reviewing and strengthening internal governance—this could include help from the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations
- developing organisational plans and strategies—to assist organisations to take up new opportunities
- employing experts—to develop skills transfer strategies and succession planning.
Funding will be determined in response to the needs of the organisation.