Activities
Local Initiatives Fund
From 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024, Local Jobs Barwon had access to a flexible funding pool of $30,000 (GST exclusive) to support and deliver small-scale local activities to respond to community priorities that improve local labour market functioning.
The Local Jobs and Skills Taskforce oversaw 9 activities that were funded by the Local Initiatives Fund. The Local Jobs team assessed all activities to ensure they meet the principles of the Local Initiatives Fund before approval, proposals over $2,000 were submitted to the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) for approval.
Activities that were supported during the 2023-2024 financial year included:
- Barwon Healthcare Recruitment Day
- Regional Reconciliation Community of Practice (CoP)
- ParentsNext Family Day
- Visitor Economy Jobs Expo
- Regional Reconciliation Community of Practice (CoP)
- Cultura Jobs Hub
- Early Childhood Education and Care Program
- Apprenticeship and Traineeship Forum
The remaining funding that has been left unspent will be rolled over to the 2024-2025 financial year where Local Jobs programs will have access to another flexible funding pool of $30,000 (GST exclusive).
Use of the Funds must:
- support actions or interventions that contribute to improved functioning of the local labour market, including those that enhance local coordination, collaboration or capacity building.
- align with one or more priorities in the region’s Local Jobs Plan; or an opportunity identified by the Taskforce.
- represent value for money.
- appropriately consider risks and mitigations
- not bring Workforce Australia Local Jobs, Employment Facilitator and Support Officer Services, the department or the Australian Government into disrepute.
The Funds may be utilised for activities that:
- support skills development to meet local employer demand.
- increase individual’s competitiveness in the labour market or are likely to lead to an employment pathway including training, pre-employment and community connection activities.
- engage employers.
- build capability of stakeholders in the local skills and employment ecosystem.
- assists individuals, workers and employers that have been impacted by labour market disruption.
- contribute to other local initiatives or projects that align with the Local Initiatives Fund principles.
Local Recovery Fund Activities
We are excited to announce that Northern Futures have been successful in the Request for Tender process for the Local Recovery Fund 2023-2025.
The ‘Pathways to Building and Construction’ Local Recovery Fund activity is now open. The contract has been listed on AusTender and the activity details are listed below;
Title
- Pathways to Building and Construction
Activity
- The activity provides intensive support for up to 56 disadvantaged youth from the Geelong region to move from a ‘survival mode’ mentality into entry level roles and apprenticeships in the construction industry. Participants will be supported through mentors, industry tasters, accredited training, and job application help.
Objective
- Engage 56 participants to commence in the activity, with 32 participants to successfully complete accredited training and 32 participants to commence employment or apprenticeship.
Cohort/s
Participants must meet the following eligibility requirements to be permitted to participate in the Activity:
- be aged between 16-25 years of age or by department approval if over 25,
- experience disadvantage,
- disadvantage could be from factors such as: housing instability, socioeconomic stress, poor education outcomes, mental health, drug or alcohol dependency and other factors that create barriers to employment
- be referred from a Workforce Australia Provider
- be sourced from the Barwon Employment Region.
Partnering Provider
- Westgate Community Initiatives Group Ltd. (WCIG)
Organisation: Generation Australia Ltd
Partnering Employment Service Provider: Jobfind Australia
Description: This activity involves the delivery of a 7-week online training course to prepare individuals for entry-level roles in the disability care sector.The training course curriculum will be designed in alignment with local industry and employer needs and role requirements. Individuals will receive mentoring and career coaching throughout the training and while transitioning into employment.This activity will facilitate job placements in the disability care sector or opportunities best suited to the individual.
Commencements: September 2022
Places: 40 total
Organisation: Calibre Workforce Pty Ltd
Partnering Employment Service Provider: atWork Australia Pty Ltd
Description: The HOPES program was delivered over four days and involved the provision of three days training and one day of facilitated work trial placement for entrance into the hospitality industry. 30 participants undertook training in customer service, body language and personal presentation and telephone etiquette and completed nationally recognised units of competency in Food Handling and Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA)
Other Activities
Development of an online Trello Board, updated with employment and training opportunities in the Barwon region, all on one web page, for employment service providers to easily access and view the opportunities available for individuals.
The Djilang Alliance have the contract to deliver this project, bringing together construction and design experts McConnell Dowell, Downer, Arup and WSP. The Djilang Alliance have engaged Local Jobs Barwon to connect with employment service providers and individuals, to employ locally and assist in meeting workforce development projects.
Training provider NSTA Central and employer Linfox Armaguard are providing ongoing training to individuals to pathway into employment as Security Support Officers to do Aviation screening of passengers and baggage at Avalon Airport. Local Jobs Barwon has promoted the opportunity to employment service providers and other organsations in the Local Jobs network.
Local Jobs South Coast involved Local Jobs Barwon in a joint presentation to 42 Deakin MBA students regarding the difficulties for minority groups, including people who are long term unemployed and people with a disability, to gaining employment. The Deakin students then presented a 2,000 word response to the issue. Both Local Jobs Programs are now reviewing the responses and determining the possible implementation of these approaches.
Not having a drivers license is one of the biggest barriers preventing jobseekers from gaining employment. The purpose of this activity is to gain an understanding of the programs available to assist people to gain their drivers license, and to upscale these programs, improve their delivery, or create new programs to meet the need of jobseekers.
Creating employment opportunities for Parents Next participants to work in Home Care with Mercy Health.
A ‘You can’t ask that’ event which is divided into two sessions. The first to bring employers, training organisations and community service organisations together to discuss employee and attraction tools and successes. A second day is a recruitment event for people to apply for jobs available from the employers in attendance.
The Influencing the Influencer session aims to provide tools and resources – and importantly, narratives, to Employment Services staff – in their conversations and engagement with participants to positively influence participants to consider entering the care and support sector.
To facilitate an Apprenticeship Support Forum which gives information to individuals (students, parents, other individuals) to take the next step and undertake an apprenticeship/traineeship, and also to inform Small Medium Enterprises and Sole Traders to understand the opportunity to take on an apprentice/traineeship. The two cohorts will have the opportunity to network in the middle of the event (alongside AASN and GTO Providers and employers) to discuss employment opportunities available.
Volunteering Geelong is holding ‘Impacting a Pathway to Employment (IPEP)’, a series of short workshops focusing on job ready and job search skills, presented by subject matter experts. Includes 10-day volunteer placement with mentoring (5 weeks x 2 days). Participants need to be between 16 and 23 years old.
Local Jobs have organised a number of site tours for employment service providers to understand the roles available, to then refer suitable individuals to the employer.
In partnership with mecwacare, Local Jobs Barwon has delivered two mecwacare Recruitment events; one in Torquay in October, and another at The Gordon TAFE City Campus in February. These sessions consisted of an Information Session about mecwacare and the roles available, followed by a one-on-one informal interview with a mecwacare staff member. To date, 11 people have gone through the recruitment process and 3 people have commenced employment, with mecwacare very pleased with the outcomes and local approaches.
With the assistance of Jobs Victoria Funding, the Accommodation Association has hosting two Recruitment Days in the Barwon region to attract individuals to entry level roles in the hospitality and tourism industry. A number of hotels have been involved including the Novotel Geelong, Eden Oak Geelong, and RACV Torquay.
To assist Cotton On with the recruitment of over 400 individuals to fill their Holiday Casual roles at their Distribution Centre from October to December 2022. Local Jobs connected Cotton On with the employment service providers in the region, who benefited from a tour of the Distribution Centre. This led to referrals into this employment opportunity.
TLC Aged Care have three aged care facilities in the Barwon region, and were in need of at least 50 Personal Care Workers (PCWs). Local Jobs worked with TLC Aged Care to facilitate and promote a Recruitment Day in December 2022 at TLC Warralily Gardens to attract qualified PCWs and also non qualified individuals to undertake traineeships. Over 20 people went through the recruitment process and, due to success of this event, TLC Aged Care are now replicating this event in other regions they operate in.
Introducing Go Traffic to each of the employment service providers in the region to fill 50 Traffic Controller roles in the region.
In conversations with a number of stakeholders; employers, education providers, State Government, and peak industry bodies, to understand the issue and create pathways to employment for these jobseekers.
Supporting the Gordon TAFE with a collaborative ‘Think Tank Session’ with Aged Care providers to discuss and develop strategies to address staff shortages in the industry.
To provide information and support to local industry and community stakeholders on the new Workforce Australia program, to be implemented in July 2022. The forum provided an opportunity for over 50 attendees to meet new providers in the region. The session was recorded and distributed to the 73 people who registered for the event. View the recording
Develop a website to be used as a resource for industry and job seekers, to learn about how the Barwon Region Local Jobs Program can assist both industry and job seekers with their employment needs.
A Jobs Fair hosted by Jobfind for all Workforce Australia participants in the region to attend to find out about local employment opportunities. The Jobs Fair will be held on Tuesday, the 28th of March, at the Waurn Ponds location.
A Jobs Fair hosted by atWork Australia for all Workforce Australia participants in the region to attend to learn about local employment opportunities. The Jobs Fair will be held on Wednesday, the 29th of March, at the Drysdale location.
- Employment Facilitator employmentfacilitator@barwonregionlocaljobs.org.au
- 0439 073 310
- Corner of Latrobe Terrace and Gordon Avenue,
Geelong, Victoria
Australia 3220
