3 Overview of monitoring data
Employment and training
Commencing in 19 July 2007 and finishing 23 November 2007, 5830 Job Capacity Assessments (JCAs) were undertaken in remote Indigenous communities to support the removal of Remote Area Exemptions (RAEs).
As a result of these JCAs, 48% of job seekers were referred to Job Network, 7.5% to the Disability Employment Network (DEN), 10.2% to Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS), 30.6% to the Personal Support Program (PSP), and 3.5% to Job Placement, Employment and Training (JPET) services.
The number of income support recipients (this includes Newstart Allowance, Youth Allowance, Parenting Payment, Partner Allowance, Widow Allowance, Mature Age Allowance and Sickness Allowance) in NTER communities (including town camps and outstations) rose from 18,692 on 21 June 2007 to 20,370 on 27 June 2008. The number of Newstart recipients rose from 6,735 to 7,654 over this period. In other words the rise in the number of Newstart recipients accounted for around 55% of the overall increase. Much of the increase in the number of income support recipients over this period reflects the transition of former CDEP participants onto income support.
The announced closure of the CDEP program in July 2007 resulted in just over 2,000 individuals moving away from the program17. Around 62% of these individuals were on income support on 27 June 2008. Most of this group had moved onto Newstart (64%). It is important to note, however, that while most CDEP participants in the transition group live in the NTER communities, some of them may not.
DEEWR continues to employ Community Employment Brokers to coordinate childcare, education and employment programs and services in communities.18
In addition to the Northern Territory Jobs Package jobs, mainstream employment service providers (i.e. Job Network members) have brokered 982 job placements since the start of the NTER.
Out of 1185 STEP and STEP ERS commencements, there were 162 employment and 317 training commencements occurring in CDEP transitioned communities, compared to 98 employment and 608 training commencements in non-transitioned communities.
Since the NTER commenced, there have been a total of 80 Work for the Dole activities delivered across the NTER. Of these, 55 have been delivered to 42 of the NTER communities, 23 to town camps, and two to outstations. There have been a total of 1,373 commencements against these activities.
Twenty-one clients in the NTER communities have participated in the Language, Literacy and Numeracy Program out of 809 referrals. The factors contributing to this low commencement to referral ratio are multifaceted but include coordination and logistical barriers such as distance and the availability of teachers and high ‘no show’ rates. DEEWR is working with providers and residents to boost this ratio.
A further 138 Indigenous people in NTER communities have commenced workplace literacy and numeracy training with three Registered Training Organisations delivering training for five employers across business, mechanics, building and construction, forestry, land and sea management, hospitality and tourism, mining and the entertainment industry.
Most GBMs report an increase in employment and training opportunities since they arrived in their communities. However, some GBMs note issues with the removal of RAEs, arguing that in some communities there are no jobs to apply for.
Negative effects include:
- Looking for work in order to get payments is considered unsustainable by some due to limited work opportunities in more remote areas. It is also important to note that many job seekers are not ‘job ready’ and face multiple barriers to finding and keeping employment.
- Some feel the introduction of fortnightly forms is stretching the literacy and numeracy skills of claimants.
17The last scheduled transition day before the moratorium surrounding further CDEP transitions of 10 December 2007, was 16 November 2007. Since that date there have been no more providers transitioned
18It is also important to note the role of Community Employment Brokers. Whilst not a separate NTER measure (they are a sub-measure of the Welfare Reform and Employment measure), Brokers co-ordinate DEEWR childcare, education and employment services and programs within communities. They work closely with communities and GBMs in all facets of their work.