Not Just Any Job - the Right Job in a Sustainable Community

By Sheridan Dudley

This paper looks at the transformation of the employment services market over the past decade from a focus on simply placing people in jobs - any jobs - to one of getting increasingly disadvantaged people into employment for life in sustainable communities

It explores the way in which successful employment services models have moved away from a - one size fits all - basis and have become increasingly flexible, tailored and connected to the community in response to the changing social policy positions that have driven this transformation. The paper draws on a wealth of data collected throughout the three Commonwealth Government Employment Services Contracts and uses case studies drawn from Job Futures, the largest network of community-based, employment services providers in Australia.

In particular, it explores how programs such as Green Corps can deliver "Triple Bottom Line" outcomes of employment, environment and community building which enhance sustainability, especially in regional Australia.

The paper contends that there will be growing tensions between the Government's increasingly holistic and integrated policy framework and the evidence that future service delivery models must be multifaceted, and embedded in community if they are to be successful and sustainable.

Unless these tensions are resolved, the gap between the official policy position and successful service models is likely to impede the delivery of sustainable employment outcomes, especially in regional Australia.

(Paper presented to Australian Social Policy Conference; Looking Backward, Looking Forward, University of NSW, 20-22 July 2005)