Job Futures - Policies & Projects

Completed Projects

Our research projects give valuable insights into how best to engage disadvantaged job seekers and get them into long-term, meaningful employment.

Why can't the Very Long Term Unemployed Get a Job?

Job Futures is always working to better understand the needs, profiles and challenges of our most disadvantaged job seekers. To this end we have recently completed a research project on our Very Long Term unemployed (VLTU) job seekers. The project included a literature review, caseload analysis and a series of focus groups conducted with VLTU job seekers. The focus group study highlighted some important issues particularly that many job seekers felt that they were not getting the support and individualised assistance they needed, and that often their consultants were more focussed on compliance than getting them a job.

The study report - Why can’t the Very Long Term Unemployed get a job? - was presented at the Australian Social Policy Conference in July 2007, the Jobs Australia conference in October 2007 and the Centre of Full Employment and Equity (CofFEE) conference in December 2007. The report was also distributed to key ministers and information from the report was used to inform Job Futures’ submission to the Commonwealth Government’s ‘Review of Employment Services’. The report has also been distributed to our member organisations to inform better practice when working with this high needs group.

Impact of New Employment Services Policy in Remote Communities

In 2007 Job Futures engaged The Cultural and Indigenous Research Centre (CIRCA) to conduct research into the impact of the Government’s new employment services policy in remote areas. This was done with assistance from Job Futures member Tangentyere Job Shop (Tangentyere Council). Qualitative research was conducted in three communities into the experience of employment service providers and communities faced with changes to remote employment services. The main finding of the report was that communities felt that they had not been consulted about the Commonwealth Government’s Northern Territory Intervention and that they were being left behind. The commissioned report The Impact of Changing Employment Services Policy in Remote Areas, was completed and released in February 2008. The report was distributed to relevant ministers and other stakeholders.

Ongoing Projects

Employment retention and Advancement Pilot - ERA

In April of 2008, we worked with Djerriwarrh Education and Employment Services (Djerriwarrh) to develop an employment retention pilot project. Together we were successful in receiving a grant for $50,000 from the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust in Victoria. This pilot project has been developed in response to the growing proportion of the case loads of Job Network (JN) Providers that comprise long term unemployed (VLTU) job seekers, and the inadequacy of the current system to meet their needs. In addition, this project seeks to work closely with employers who are currently struggling to fill positions and so it also aligns with the Commonwealth Government’s Skills agenda.

Experience from Employment Retention and Advancement (ERA) pilot programs in both the UK and US have shown that a major failing has often been the propensity of case workers to concentrate on meeting job entry targets (as is the focus of most current employment programs), with too little focus on the goals of employment sustainability and progression. This Employment Retention and Advancement (ERA) pilot will allow us to provide intensive and targeted support and training both pre and post employment, with a focus on career advancement and skill development in employment.

The ultimate aim of this pilot will be to provide Government with a practical and successful example of a program that can achieve meaningful and sustainable employment outcomes for some of the most disadvantaged and socially excluded members of our society. The pilot will also involve close collaboration with industry and employers and aim to develop training partnerships and meet current recruitment needs.

The project commenced in July 2008 and will run for 12 months – with the hope of finding extra funding to extend it.

Social and Environmental Accounting

The Social and environmental accounting process is a systematic and holistic way for organisations to analyse and report on their performance against their mission and values. Social accounting is about proving and improving our performance in delivering positive outcomes for the communities in which we work.

In 2005 Job Futures developed its first set of social and environmental accounts. Last year Job Futures developed a social and environmental audit tool kit for members. This tool kit will make it easier for member organisations to develop their own social and environmental accounts. We were able to draw on the experience of Job Futures member IMPACT Make Your Mark, who have just completed their second social and environmental audit and have found this process immensely valuable for their organisation, staff and clients.