Cape York Employment Cape York Employment (CYE) is the Community Development Program (CDP) provider in Aurukun and Coen (Region 60) and Lockhart River (Region 56 – Central Cape). CDP is a remote community program that prepares jobseekers for work while contributing to the goals of the community. Through integrated case management, CYE tailors a package of assistance for each jobseeker based on their individual needs and readiness for employment, and supports them to realise their goals and aspirations. Our CDP activities are shaped by intensive community engagement so they are designed to support local communities through the development and application of local solutions. They are also responsive to available and future employment opportunities. CYE recognises the limited opportunities currently available within the Cape York economy and also seeks work readiness and employment in areas beyond Cape York by encouraging jobseekers to orbit into employment beyond their communities.
OUR JOBSEEKERS AND STAFF Community members who receive income support payments and are looking for a job, are eligible to receive CDP services. Mutual Obligation Requirements are a condition of income support and there are penalties for not undertaking these obligations. In our CDP regions, these Mutual Obligation Requirements are generally work-like activities, which can include work-for-the-dole activities, community and cultural activities, and undertaking training and other support activities to overcome barriers to employment and increase participation in the community. Men and women who engage with CYE are supported to build the capabilities they need to move away from passive welfare dependency and take control of their futures.
TOTAL JOBSEEKERS
763 jobseekers made up CYE’s caseload at the end of December. CYE’s jobseekers are from Aurukun, Coen, Lockhart River, Port Stewart and other immediately surrounding remote communities. TOTAL CYE STAFF
35 staff members were employed by CYE at the end of December, 49% of whom are Indigenous. CYE is committed to employing
as many local staff as possible. This ensures we have a strong understanding of the cultural complexities of our jobseekers. At the end of December, 14
(82%) of CYE’s 17 Indigenous staff
were based in either Aurukun, Coen or Lockhart River.
Between July–December, CYE operations were significantly impacted by numerous factors, such as community unrest affecting our Aurukun operations, and the mandated gradual phased return to face-to-face activities and Mutual Obligation Requirements. CDP participants were also very mobile and CYE spent a lot of time servicing participants outside of community to ensure they were compliant prior to full servicing resuming in October.
HOW DOES CYE HELP JOBSEEKERS TO BUILD WORK CAPABILITIES AND FIND JOBS? JOBSEEKER CAPABILITY BUILDING THROUGH WORK-FOR-THE-DOLE ACTIVITIES CYE provides a framework and pathway to enable each jobseeker to make a positive contribution to their community and support them to be prepared and able to take up available employment opportunities. Each jobseeker’s pathway is shaped by their individual circumstances, goals, aspirations and the opportunities available to them. CYE’s approach is not about keeping jobseekers ‘busy’—it is about upskilling and building their capabilities so they can move away from welfare dependency and into employment. CYE’s work-for-the-dole activities include, for example: training qualifications linked to real-life job opportunities—not just ‘training for training’s sake’ (e.g. Licencing, workplace safety courses and CPR training); work experience placements, which build jobseekers’ familiarity with work routines and provide on-the-job experience and training; and community projects and job-ready workshops that build jobseekers’ confidence, wellbeing, job-specific skills and routines (e.g. computer skills). Numeracy and literacy skills development is embedded in all of our jobseeker activities.
EMPLOYER PARTNERSHIPS AND JOB PLACEMENTS1 Jobseekers are placed with a range of CYE’s partner employers. CYE also has a number of hosting agreements in place, which enable local community organisations or family and clan groups to provide a workplace for our jobseekers to gain specific work skills while also supporting the work of the hosting organisation or group. CYE’s efforts have resulted in jobseekers finding and staying in employment—some for the first time in their lives. However, like other CDP providers, many of CYE’s jobseekers also frequently move in and out of employment as they adjust to working life. CASE MANAGEMENT Between July and December, CYE provided integrated case management to jobseekers in Regions 56 and 60. Outreach servicing was provided for jobseekers and wellbeing calls to all jobseekers were made throughout the entire COVID-19 closure period.2 ONGOING JOBSEEKER SUPPORT Jobseekers receive ongoing support and advice from the CYE team. This includes: job search assistance; work-like activities designed to boost the jobseekers’ skills and experience; and job and work experience placements. It also includes mentoring and support for jobseekers and employers when a jobseeker gains employment. At the end of December, CYE was supporting
23 jobseekers currently in work to maintain their employment. This support included providing PPE (personal protective equipment) as well as providing assistance and training to their respective employers.
1 The number of jobseekers placed into employment at the end of December 2020 cannot be provided, as there were significant fluctuations in the number of those employed, largely due to the mandated staged return to resuming full CDP servicing. 2 In line with the Australian Government’s response to COVID-19, all face-to-face CDP operations (including Mutual Obligation Requirements) ceased across the country between March to July 2020.
51
