What is the Remote Jobs and Communities Program (RJCP)

1. Remote Jobs and Communities Program (RJCP)Community Information and Consultation Sessions May – July 2012Information for stakeholders and potential RJCP providers

2. What is the Remote Jobs and Communities Program (RJCP) Community Action Plan Remote Youth Leadership and Development Corps Employment and participation service Community Development Fund Employer Engagement Community Engagement Participation Account

3. Why will RJCP will be better than current services? • More flexibility to accommodate local conditions • More responsive to community needs • Single provider - for the region • Permanent presence of provider with strong links to community • Ensures that people are actively contributing to community wellbeing

4. Overview – what does RJCP mean for potential providers? • Working closely with communities - Community Action Plan • More flexibility to service people in remote areas based on community needs and local conditions • Service fees and outcome payments - tailored to remote service delivery circumstances • New, flexible Participation Account • Five (5) year funding – option for further extension of up to five years

5. Community-based provider • A key principle of RJCP is community ownership and involvement • Prospective providers must demonstrate strong connections with communities in areas they will service and ability to deliver place-based solutions • Together, communities and providers will develop Community Action Plans • Employment and participation services that suits both the needs of individuals and unique regional circumstances • A local workforce development strategy designed to employ and develop local people

6. Community Action Plans • Community-based plans setting out employment, economic and community development goals • Developed by providers in partnership with communities • Community members determine activities and services needed to strengthen communities and build skills • Will build on existing local plans where available e.g. Local Implementation Plans (LIPs), current CDEP Community Action Plans • Ministerial approval for each plan

7. Community Development Range of activities based on the Community Action Plan that strengthen community capacity and build economic and employment opportunities • Economic and employment activities • Participation and community activities Enhancement of community capacity for self regulation and advancement

8. Community Development Fund • Source of capital grants for larger, systematic, strategic projects that build community capacity • Projects should be consistent with the direction of Community Action Plans • $240 million funding pool • Allocation of funding determined by FaHCSIA and Minister for Indigenous Affairs

9. Employment and Participation Services • Place-based innovative solutions, not a combination of current services • RJCP providers will deliver to individuals a range of services including • Determining the most appropriate assistance for individual job seekers – no streams and prescribed levels of services • Developing Individual Participation Plans • Integrated case management

10. Employment and Participation Services(cont.) • Arranging community-based activities which link to the Community Action Plan • Arranging or providing training to job seekers relevant to local employer/labour market requirements. • Providing assistance into jobs and support to keep a job • Assisting with travel and relocation where necessary • Other individual services

11. Employment and Participation Servicesfor People with Disability • Designing and delivering activities in line with each person’s work capacity • Set of activities supported by the community • Participation Account to fund services for people with disability • Services will include: • Assistance for work-related equipment, modification and services • the Supported Wage System – a workplace relations instrument that allows participants with disability to be paid a productivity-based wage; and • the National Panel of Assessors, which conducts a range of assessments to support workplace modifications.

12. Linking with other service providers Providers will facilitate connection (where available) to: • Australian Apprenticeships Centres • Australian Apprenticeship Access program • Language, Literacy and Numeracy Program (LLNP); and • a range of other vocational, education and training programs

13. Services to employers • Support the employability of individuals over the long term • Appropriate support and incentives for employers to take on job seekers • Support employers to deliver basic on-the-job training • Mentoring and in-job support • Work with employers to up-skill, match and place suitable candidates • Financial assistance to people with disability and their employers for work-related equipment, modifications and services • Facilitate activities that support economic development such as intermediate labour markets and social enterprises • Funding industry specific labour hire arrangements

14. Remote Youth Leadership and Development Corps • A new program for young people under 25 • Will provide 12,000 young people with a clear pathway to employment • 9 to 12 month program - to facilitate a successful transition into employment • Work-experience in jobs in or near the local community • Training at the Certificate II level and mentoring by local leaders

15. Remote Youth Leadership and Development Corps (cont.) • Providers will: • Arrange work preparation activities and work experience • Assist job seekers to overcome non-vocational barriers • Develop links with employers to ensure job opportunities for graduates • Receive $7,700 per placement in the Youth Corps (9 to 12 months)

16. Participation requirements • Job seeker compliance arrangements will be built on the principles of No Show No Pay and immediate income support payment consequences. • Providers will ensure that job seekers understand their obligations • Timely reporting of non-attendance to Centrelink • Ensures job seekers • receive fair and appropriate servicing • meet their participation requirements • Encourages quick re-engagement

17. Payments Providers will receive: • Service level fees at levels that take account of barriers faced by people in remote areas • Outcome payments for people who achieve employment, education and positive participation outcomes

18. Payments – Service Fees For initial registration, initial and subsequent assessments (as needed) and managing assistance for job seekers • $2,750 for each new participant; OR • $2,750 for those who transition from JSA/DES/CDEP on 1 July 2013; AND • $2,200 for each participants on anniversary of commencement

19. Payments – Job Placement Fees • $385 for placement in job of 15-49 hours over no more than 10 working days – for partial capacity to work job seekers or with partial participation requirements • $550 for placement in a job of at least 50 hours over no more than 10 working days

20. Outcome Payments - Employment • 7 weeks employment in a 14 week period • $825 for fully off benefit • $1,100 for participants with partial work capacity working at their full capacity level • 13 weeks employment in a 26 week period • $2,475 for fully off benefit (full outcome) • $3,300 - partial work capacity full capacity level (full outcome) • $550 for 60% off-benefit (pathway outcome) • 26 weeks employment in a 52 week period • $2,475 for fully off benefit (full outcome) • $3,300 - partial work capacity at full capacity level (full outcome) • $1,100 for 60% off-benefit (pathway outcome)

21. Outcome Payments – Education • $275 for commencement in an accredited education/training course • $2,750 for successful completion of approved education/training course

22. Payments – Participation outcome • To support active participation $385 for completion of an intervention to overcome a non-vocational barrier: • counselling to overcome psychological barriers, • drug and alcohol addiction program, • mental illness interventions, • counselling to deal with domestic violence/anger management • All activities must be in the participant’s individual Participation Plan • One payment per job seeker per year

23. Participation Account • A flexible funding pool for each provider • On transition or on commencement • $3,300 – for job seeker with partial work capacity • $2,750 – for all other participants • On anniversary of commencement: • $2,200 – for all job seekers • Funds day-to-day employment and community development activities as set out in the Community Action Plans and Individual Participation Plans

24. Provider Performance • No star ratings • Aimed at building the capability of communities and providers to deliver services • There will be 3 key performance indicators • Community engagement and participation • Employment and education • Quality • The basis of the measures of these indicators are being developed and will be different for each region.

25. Procurement process • One provider per Remote Service Region • An open Expression of Interest process conducted by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations following the principles of • Diversity and competition • Efficient, effective and ethical use of resources • Accountable and transparent assessment and selection processes • Assistance will be available to provide support to organisations applying

26. Selection criteria Selection criteria are being developed an may include: • Demonstrated connection to the local community/region or an established partnership with the local community/region including capacity to • deliver integrated case management services • deliver meaningful community development and participation activities • deliver job outcomes • work in partnership to deliver the best results for communities • capacity to establish on the ground presence in the region • Value for money

27. Timeline for selection of providers August 2012: September 2012: December 2012: • Expression of Interest process (EOI) released on Austender • EOI Information sessions for potential providers • EOIcloses • Announcement of successful providers

28. Contact details for procurement • Email: espurchasing@deewr.gov.au • Hotline: 1300 733 514, 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday (Canberra time) • Website: www.deewr.gov.au/esprocurement

29. IT system • A new IT system will be developed by DEEWR to support the RJCP service • The current Employment Services IT system will be adapted for the new program to ensure it is more accessible in remote locations • Providers will have access to both online and face to face training on the new system before it is rolled out

30. Transition Arrangements Transition arrangements will be carefully managed to ensure: • Timely movement of job seekers from existing providers to new program providers • Minimal disruption to existing participation activities • Timely and effective communication processes about the new arrangements and transition processes • Effective service delivery on commencement by building community and provider capacity

31. How will it affect me as a current service provider? • JSA, DES and CDEP providers will continue to deliver services and projects as contracted or funded until 30 June 2013. • From 1 July 2013 JSA, DES and CDEP will cease in the Remote Service Regions and RJCP will start. • From 1 July 2013, the IEP will cease in remote locations with the exception of some residual activities from pre-existing contracts.

32. Contacts • Email address for questions: remoteservices@deewr.gov.au Website for information: www.deewr.gov.au/rsr • Purchasing email address: espurchasing@deewr.gov.au

33. Thank you Any Questions?