Indigenous Employment Policy (IEP)
The IEP has been implemented progressively from July 1999 in response to continuing high unemployment rates among Indigenous Australians and a demographic profile which indicated that the labour market disadvantages of Indigenous Australians would, in all likelihood, increase further unless special efforts were made.
The IEP is part of the Government’s broader strategy for reducing the overall level of disadvantage amongst Indigenous Australians. The IEP reflects the Government’s commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous Australians and builds on the social coalition between the Government, business and the voluntary sector.
The main objective of the IEP is to improve the employment prospects of Indigenous Australians by:
- increasing the level of Indigenous Australians’ participation in the private sector
- improving outcomes for Indigenous job seekers through Job Network
- helping Community Development Employment Project (CDEP) sponsors to place their work-ready participants in open (non-CDEP) employment; and
- supporting the development and expansion of Indigenous small business.
The IEP has been designed to address the factors contributing to continuing Indigenous labour market disadvantage in a number of different ways. A range of programme elements are available to meet the particular circumstances of individuals, organisations (private, community and public sector) and communities. The success of this approach depends upon the diversity and inherent flexibility of key programme components and has developed to build on three key strategies:
- Boosting the demand in the private sector and small business to improve the level of participation in private sector jobs
- Addressing the supply of Indigenous workers through appropriate and innovative assistance that prepares Indigenous Australians for available jobs, including the provision of accredited employment-based training such as traineeships and apprenticeships
- Improving the matching of supply and demand, particularly through Job Network.
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There are 12 components of the IEP which provide assistance through three major elements:
- The Indigenous Employment Programme;
- Initiatives to support Indigenous business development; and
- Measures to improve employment services and outcomes.
While the main elements of the IEP have not changed since the IEP’s implementation, there have been a number of trials and enhancements which have contributed to its ongoing evolution. These modifications have largely come about in response to the results of a series of formal reports and reviews, particularly the department’s Indigenous Employment Policy Evaluation - Stage One and - Stage Two reports and the ANAO’s Audit Report No. 47 - Implementation and Management of the Indigenous Employment Policy. In addition to these, there has been an ongoing programme of internal implementation reviews which have contributed to a series of administrative changes. The outcome of these reviews has resulted in:
- An increased emphasis on STEP since 1999 while the focus on Wage Assistance and NICP has decreased somewhat. This change reflects the difficulties in initially attracting employer interest in Wage Assistance and NICP and the positive response to STEP’s flexibility, which allows it to be tailored to meet the specific needs of organisations and be used as a vehicle for trialling new approaches;
- A greater emphasis on the importance of economic development particularly in remote locations, based on experience in the COAG trial sites in Cape York and Shepparton. This has led to the introduction of the Indigenous Self Employment Programme trial and the Indigenous Capital Assistance Scheme in recent years.
- Refinements to Job Network, such as the commencement of the Active Participation Model as of 1 July 2003. Under the Active Participation Model all job seekers now have simpler and faster access to services provided by a single Job Network Member for the duration of their unemployment. Assistance is provided earlier for most Indigenous job seekers registered with Centrelink. Indigenous job seekers have the option to voluntary access Intensive Support Job Search Training as soon as they are registered with a Job Network Member, rather than after 4 months unemployment. Job seekers under 21 also have immediate access to Intensive Support Job Search Training. Highly disadvantaged job seekers also have immediate entry into Intensive Support Customised Assistance, which normally commences when the job seeker has been unemployed for 12 months. Job Network Members also have access to a new Job Seeker Account to purchase specialist services or other forms of assistance to help job seekers secure work and encourage ongoing active participation. In a number of remote locations, the Government has also purchased services which are tailored to the needs of individual job seekers, the local community and the local labour market under a fee-for-service arrangement.
- The introduction of IECs, designed to assist more CDEP participants move off CDEP into open employment. IECs were introduced in recognition that many Indigenous Australians participating in CDEP are located in areas where there are non-CDEP job opportunities and that there was limited take-up of the CDEP Placement Initiative in some of these areas.
- From January 2005, IYECs will work with young Indigenous Australians (15-19 years) from both within and outside the Job Network and Centrelink welfare systems and provide linkages to work opportunities or further education and training. IYECs are being introduced to improve the transitions from school to work and to support participation in ongoing education.
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From 1 July 2004, the Australian Government put in place new structures to improve the way services are provided for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities. The Government’s Indigenous programmes are now administered by mainstream agencies under a whole of government approach. These changes will have a significant impact on the employment services administered by the department. The CDEP Scheme, Business Development Programme (BDP), and Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) have been transferred to the Employment and Workplace Relations portfolio providing an opportunity for improved linkages with the department's existing programmes and services, including the IEP.
Indigenous Employment Manager
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
GPO Box 9879
All Capital Cities
To find out more call the Indigenous Employment Line on 1 802 102.
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