To inform the design of the new Remote Jobs and Economic Development Program (RJED), there are three job trials happening in remote communities – Community Development Program Trials, New Jobs Program Trial, Ngaanyatjarra Lands Trials.
New Jobs Program Trial
In the October 2022-23 Budget, the Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Hon Linda Burney MP, announced the New Jobs Program Trial to support more trials in selected communities. The government announced further investment in the 2023-24 Budget to extend the New Jobs Program Trial to October 2024.
The Trial opened in September 2023. Grant funding was available for community organisations and local government bodies to create up to 200 local jobs. The 2024-25 Budget increased the New Jobs Program Trial from 200 to 300 jobs to meet demand until the Remote Jobs and Economic Development Program opens later in 2024. CDP participants that volunteer to participate in the trial are employed at the National Minimum Wage. They are provided with leave, superannuation and other entitlements.
The Trial operates in the following targeted CDP regions:
- Eyre (SA)
- Far West (SA)
- East Kimberley region (WA)
- Ngaanyatjarra Lands (WA)
- Mid-West West region (WA)
- Goldfields, incorporating Kambalda/Norseman and Yaaliku regions(WA)
- Palm Island (QLD)
- Barkly (NT)
- and the surrounds of Alice Springs (NT).
View a map of where the trial is taking place.
Applications closed on 30 October 2024. The end date was extended to 30 June 2025 so that existing NJPT employers could complete their projects.
Total funding for the trial is up to $35.661 million.
Community Development Program Trials
At the Remote Employment Roundtable on 31 August 2022, Minister Burney announced that current CDP providers could re-direct around 25 per cent of their funding to trial new approaches to securing real jobs for participants in remote Australia.
The CDP Trials comprise of Phase 1 which ran from November 2022 until 30 June 2023; and Phase 2 which began in July 2023 and will continue until 31 October 2024. Under the CDP Trials, providers are working with remote communities to implement projects that help move participants into real jobs, capture learnings and insights, and further strengthen community-led approaches. These projects offer a range of opportunities to job seekers, including:
- paid jobs with community organisations to build skills and experience
- subsidised work trials to encourage organisations to employ job seekers with barriers to work
- development of local community enterprises in areas such as hospitality, art, agriculture, care services and construction
- new and more intensive approaches to addressing barriers to employment such as transport, licences and clearances
- use of incentives to engage job seekers.
Early progress is promising, with over 1,600 participants being directly placed in jobs and overall job placements increasing by 15% as a result of the trials (as at 31 October 2023).
A Synthesis of early learnings from the first phase of the CDP Trial ‘Trialling Pathways to Real Jobs’ is available at the Resource Centre.
A summary of approved trials is available at Community Development Program (CDP): Trialling Pathways to Real Jobs and the CDP Trials Quarterly Progress Updates.
Ngaanyatjarra Lands Trials
The Ngaanyatjarra Lands Trials (in CDP Region 3) will trial new approaches to remote employment services to test ideas and understand barriers to employment in very remote regions of Australia that are a significant distance from a regional centre.
Commencing 1 July 2023 the Ngaanyatjarra Lands Trials include both the Ngaanyatjarra Engagement and Employment Trial which runs from 1 July 2023 until 30 June 2025, and the Remote Engagement Program Trial which runs from 13 July 2023 until 30 June 2024. Both trials allow the development of tailored approaches to remote employment, including a co-design process and trialling an incentive for eligible participants to build skills, supporting them to find and maintain employment, and contribute to their community.
The arrangements for the Remote Engagement Program trial are outlined in Part G of Annexure 1 to the Head Agreement for the Community Development Program 2019‑2024 in place with Ngaanyatjarra Council Aboriginal Corporation and Paupiyala Tjarutja Aboriginal Corporation.