Summary of Innovation Fund projects
Table of contents
Table of contents 1
Disadvantaged job seekers 5
Access Community Services Limited (formerly Assisting Collaborative Community Employment Support Services Incorporated): Business and Social Enterprise (BASE) Project 5
Anglicare Canberra and Goulburn: Home to Work 5
Australian Training Alliance Pty Ltd: Intensive Support Workforce Preparation Program 5
Box Hill Institute of TAFE: Our Patch 5
Brotherhood of St Laurence: Yarra Centre for Work and Learning 6
Coffs Harbour Employment Support Service Inc (CHESS): Coffs Coast Community Farm Program 6
Encompass Community Services Inc: Pathways to a Brighter Future, A Northern futures initiative 6
Hanover Welfare Services: The Big Issue Community Street Soccer Program (CSSP), known as Street Soccer 7
Job Futures Ltd: School for Social Entrepreneurs Australia – "People Powered" Job Creation in Disadvantaged Communities 7
Mission Australia: Changing Places – A Neighbourhood Social Enterprise Demonstration Project 7
Mission Australia: Working Futures Initiative 7
O Group Incorporated: Tasmanian Pulp and Forest Workers Assistance Project (formerly Burnie and Wesley Vale Assistance Project) 8
TAFE NSW: Establishing Home-Based Businesses That Can Provide Specialised Child Care Services 8
Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, trading as Catholic Care – Centacare: CONNECT 200 8
Twin Rivers Community Care Association Inc: The Eagleby Community Garden Project 9
ACE North Coast Incorporated: Fresh 2 U Tomatoes 9
Job seekers with disability and/or mental illness 9
ACE North Coast Incorporated: Lived Experience Project 9
Ballarat Community Development Centre Cooperative Limited, trading as BEST Community Development: Catering For All Abilities 10
Better Training and Consultancy Pty Ltd: TOOL MIX Wood Work Job Opportunities Project 10
Disability Employment Australia: DES Employment Practitioner Capability Framework and Training Program 10
Disability Employment Australia: A Guide to Employer Engagement – From the Employer’s Voice 10
Disability Works Australia Ltd: Disability Employment Manager hosted by the Australian Football League (AFL) 11
Disability Works Australia Ltd: Sustaining Employment Economic Development (SEED) 11
Interwork Limited: Youth Mentorship Programme 11
Job Futures Ltd: IMPACT WorkEngine 11
Jobsupport Incorporated: Evidence-Based Training and Technical Assistance 12
MAXNetWork Pty Ltd: Wellness through Work 12
Melbourne Citymission Inc: Intowork 12
Mission Australia: Featherweight 12
ORS Rehabilitation and Placement Services Pty Ltd: Fit For The Job Clinic - Bankstown 13
Ostara Australia Limited: Staying Well 13
Pathways Rehabilitation and Support Services Limited: The Madcap Cafe – Geelong 13
Pathways Rehabilitation and Support Services Limited: Pathways to Open Employment 13
Social Firms Australia Ltd: Local Employment Access Partnerships (LEAP) for job seekers with Mental Illness 14
Social Firms Australia Ltd: Software Testing Social Firm 14
STEPS Disability Qld Inc: AllAbilities Labour Hire 14
TAFE NSW: The Shoalhaven Skills Garden - Growing capabilities 14
WorkFocus Australia Pty Ltd: What it DOES take – better employment outcomes through stronger linkages 15
Yooralla: Community Cafes – Social Enterprise Development & Linkages Project 15
Culturally and linguistically diverse job seekers 16
Adult Multicultural Education Services: Green Works Social Enterprises start-up phase 16
Association for Services to Torture and Trauma Survivors (ASETTS) Incorporated: FIRST STEPS PROJECT 16
Job Futures Ltd: Growing Towards Employment 16
Migrant Resource Centre (Southern Tasmania) Inc: African and Emerging Communities Employment Support Services 16
Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre: Time for Coffee 17
The Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church of the Archdiocese of Sydney: Mamre Refugee Transition to Work and Enterprise 17
WISE Employment Ltd: Incito Maintenance 17
Indigenous job seekers 18
AMA Services: Good Health – Great Future 18
Desert Peoples Centre Incorporated: Kelmwerr Ampwa Anewakerr (Good Life for our Elders) 18
Industry Education Networking Pty Ltd, trading as ITEC Employment: Men's Skills Shed Millingimbi 18
Jaragun Pty/Ltd: Indigenous Training and Employment in the Aquaculture Industry 19
Job Futures Ltd: Development of an online Indigenous cultural awareness training module 19
Kimberley Land Council Aboriginal Corporation: Kimberley Aboriginal People Accessing Entry to Mainstream Employment 19
Kimberley TAFE: Community Employment & Training Officers (CETO's) 19
Murdi Paaki: Wilcannia Radio Station 20
STEPS Disability Qld Inc: Building Capacity through Art – The Meeting Place 20
TAFE NSW: Marambul Yuganha 20
Disadvantaged young people 20
Anglicare WA: Foyer Oxford Interim Foyer Project 20
BoysTown: Fresh Start Literacy 21
BoysTown: Northern Adelaide youth enterprise partnership 21
Community Bridging Services (CBS) Inc: Youthinc Employment Project 21
Community Colleges Victoria Inc.: Making Trax 22
MAXNetWork Pty Ltd: Reconstructing Lives 22
Pow Wow Consulting Pty Ltd: Connecting Youth to Career pathways 22
Southern Youth and Family Services Association Incorporated: The Foyer and Case Management Project 22
Stepping Stone Foundation (was Fifteen Foundation Australia): Stepping Stone Foundation - The Kitchen Cat 23
The Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church of the Archdiocese of Sydney: Educational and Motivational Program of Activities Targeting Homeless Youth (EMPATHY) 23
UCA Assembly Ltd on behalf of Wesley Mission Sydney: Best Options Youth Mentoring 23
Homelessness and people at risk of homelessness 24
Australian Community Support Organisation Incorporated: McAuley Works-Employment Program for Women 24
Community First International Ltd: Prospect House 24
TAFE NSW: Promising Futures – Partners in Learning And Community Enterprise (PLACE) 24
Youth Futures WA Inc (formerly Joondalup Youth Support Services Inc): Youth Matters 25
Pre-release prisoners and ex-offenders 25
Extra Edge Community Services Inc: Companion Animal Service Employment Centre (CASEC) 25
Jesuit Social Services Limited: Kitchen Social Enterprise 25
Job Futures Ltd: Adult Voluntary Post Release Support Service 26
Outcare Incorporated: Stay Connected – An early intervention and unemployment prevention strategy 26
Task Force Community Agency Inc: Money for Jam 26
United Synergies Ltd: Smarter Choices 26
Jobless families 27
Job Futures Ltd: Kwinana Families Community Partnership 27
Sarina Russo Job Access (Australia) Pty Ltd: P.A.T.H.S- Providing Assistance Through Holistic Services 27
Work Savvy Parents: Parent Mentoring Program 27
Support for social enterprises 28
Job Futures Ltd: National Social Enterprise Development Support 28
National Employment Services Association Limited: Connecting Social Enterprises 28
Social Firms Australia Ltd: Creating jobs for people with mental illness or disability through social enterprises 28
Disadvantaged job seekers
Access Community Services Limited (formerly Assisting Collaborative Community Employment Support Services Incorporated): Business and Social Enterprise (BASE) Project
Logan and Beenleigh, Queensland
The BASE project developed local enterprises to respond to needs in the community. The enterprises provided a diverse range of services. Enterprises involved in the project included gardening and home maintenance in public housing estates, organic garden producers, removal businesses and aged care and child relief work agencies. Income from the project was reinvested in the enterprise to generate local solutions for the community, such as providing job seekers with the opportunity to gain accredited training, work experience and develop skills for future employment.
Anglicare Canberra and Goulburn: Home to Work
Braddon, Campbell, Reid, Turner, Australian Capital Territory
This project provided integration of support services, such as skills development and training, for participants living in public housing in the ACT. Participants in this project increased their capacity to find and maintain employment through easier access to support services. The project had a strong focus on collaboration across jurisdictions and sectors, with a citizen-centric service delivery model being trialled. The project assisted Commonwealth-funded services (Job Services Australia and Centrelink) and ACT-funded services (public housing, crisis and support services) to work together to provide continuity of service provision to participants.
Australian Training Alliance Pty Ltd: Intensive Support Workforce Preparation Program
West Lakes (servicing Southern, Northern and Western suburbs of AdelaideSpencer Gulf and Eyre Peninsula/Ceduna regions), South Australia
This project provided severely disadvantaged job seekers with a 12 week workforce preparation program. Participants were from the Southern, Northern and Western suburbs of Adelaide, as well as the Spencer Gulf and Eyre Peninsula/Ceduna regions of South Australia. The preparation program addressed personal development and work readiness issues, and ensured participants were socially included, through the provision of training and achievement of employment outcomes.
Box Hill Institute of TAFE: Our Patch
Doncaster, Victoria
This social enterprise project developed a community garden in Doncaster, Victoria. Participants were engaged in the growing and selling of organic plant and vegetable produce. The project engaged participants through skill development training in hospitality and horticulture. It linked in with the local community through events hosted by participants, including cook-outs and other fundraising events. The project targeted a range of disadvantaged job seekers including people with disability, Indigenous people, youth at risk and those from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse background.
Brotherhood of St Laurence: Yarra Centre for Work and Learning
Fitzroy, Victoria
The Yarra Centre for Work and Learning (YCWL) was a demonstration project that promoted work and learning opportunities in public housing neighbourhoods in Fitzroy, which have a high concentration of unemployed people. A basis of employer demand and job seeker supply was used by the YCWL to coordinate the efforts of Job Services Australia providers, employers, enterprises and industry groups, training organisations and community and government support services. The project worked closely with participants from public housing areas to offer them access to pre-vocational training, including English literacy and financial training. YCWL engaged with community projects to create work experience opportunities for participants.
This project was reviewed as part of an evaluation of 12 selected Innovation Fund projects. The full report is available by visiting www.deewr.gov.au and searching “Innovation Fund”.
Coffs Harbour Employment Support Service Inc (CHESS): Coffs Coast Community Farm Program
Bonville, New South Wales
This program assisted highly disadvantaged job seekers living in the Coffs Coast/Coffs Harbour region and addressed their barriers to employment through training, then obtaining and sustaining employment. The project established a farm program and developed programs to improve service providers’ and employers’ understanding of the needs of highly disadvantaged job seekers. The project also incorporated a training referral service, with participants being offered training modules covering off work readiness, including practical job seeking skills and interview preparation.
Encompass Community Services Inc: Pathways to a Brighter Future, A Northern futures initiative
Corio, Norlane, Victoria
Pathways to a Brighter Future was a collaborative partnership between the Northern Futures initiative, local industry, local government, employment service providers and education and training providers which provided a flexible, tailored training program for Geelong’s 3214 postcode community.
The project relied on industry expertise and knowledge in its development and delivery, and met local industry needs by addressing skills shortages in aged care, hospitality and transport and logistics. It also provided intensive on-call support to high need long-term unemployed individuals within the Corio Norlane area to effectively manage them through a tailored education pathway and into sustained employment.
Hanover Welfare Services: The Big Issue Community Street Soccer Program (CSSP), known as Street Soccer
Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Perth, Hobart, Darwin, Canberra
The Street Soccer project was a place-based initiative that engaged the community through sport as an effective means to address barriers to employment for disadvantaged job seekers. Street Soccer reduced disadvantage, promoted social inclusion and assisted disadvantaged job seekers to address barriers to obtaining and sustaining employment by: providing opportunities to create positive personal outcomes; building social networks; increasing participation; developing pre-vocational skills; linking to vocational training skills; and encouraging employment outcomes. The project assisted disadvantaged job seekers across Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, Darwin, Perth, Adelaide and Hobart.
Job Futures Ltd: School for Social Entrepreneurs Australia – "People Powered" Job Creation in Disadvantaged Communities
Chippendale, New South Wales, Southbank, Victoria
This project provided learning and development opportunities to people with a passion for social change and the entrepreneurial drive to make a real difference in their communities. Participants from highly disadvantaged communities were identified as social entrepreneurs and supported to create sustainable initiatives and enterprises that met an identified social need and served to boost local employment.
Mission Australia: Changing Places – A Neighbourhood Social Enterprise Demonstration Project
Darwin, Palmerston, Northern Territory; Inala, Ipswich, Logan, Queensland; Banyule, Darebin, Victoria
This project researched and provided seed funding to large scale social enterprises in Banyule and Darebin, Darwin and Palmerston and Brisbane, Ipswich and Logan to enable them to become sustainable in the long term. Changing Places created transitional employment and work experience opportunities for highly disadvantaged job seekers. An evaluation was undertaken during the project and lessons learnt were shared. The project provided insight into a replicable model of social procurement for social enterprise development.
Mission Australia: Working Futures Initiative
Melbourne, Victoria (social enterprises were primarily engaged from Melbourne, among other localities, and the project was delivered from multiple locations nationally)
This project provided an evidence base to inform options on how the capacity of social enterprises, operating as intermediate labour markets, could be supported to employ highly disadvantaged job seekers on a sustainable basis. A financial contribution was provided towards the costs of employing and training highly disadvantaged job seekers in social enterprises. This project operated from a number of sites, focussing on Victoria, but also operated through interstate social enterprises.
O Group Incorporated: Tasmanian Pulp and Forest Workers Assistance Project (formerly Burnie and Wesley Vale Assistance Project)
Burnie, Devonport, Tasmania
This project focused on assisting disadvantaged job seekers made redundant due to closures of pulp and paper mills in Burnie and Wesley Vale, and the restructuring of the Tasmanian Forestry Industry. The project was delivered state-wide with particular focus in the North West/Northern Tasmania priority region, where entrenched disadvantage is already a major issue faced by the population. The project assisted these job seekers through a rapid response approach, incorporating three phases:
· information and personal evaluations
· coordinators and Project Officers providing Intensive personal support
· ongoing support for job seekers.