Local Connections to Work in Ipswich

Queensland Media Release
Thursday, 30 September 2010

A new approach to helping the long-term unemployed, vulnerable youth and other people is paying dividends in the Ipswich community.

The new Ipswich Local Connections to Work program hosts 24 community partners all offering services together on a rostered basis in the Ipswich Centrelink CSC.

Ipswich Centrelink Manager Tony Perera said the Local Connections to Work initiative means multiple service partners providing services under one roof. The long-term unemployed, disadvantaged youth and other individuals are already benefiting from better collaboration between service providers and coordination of assistance.

"Local Connections to Work enables people to access a broad range of services and tailored assistance at Centrelink offices. This particularly helps disadvantaged job seekers to get the local support they need to overcome barriers to employment," Mr Perera said.

"People only have to tell their story once to receive a range of services.

"At Ipswich Centrelink, service partners include local employment services providers and community welfare organisations, as well as Queensland Government housing assistance through Rent Connect.

"Medicare services are also now available at Ipswich Centrelink, including Medicare benefit rebates paid via EFT. Customers can register their bank account details with Medicare at Ipswich Centrelink or on 13 2011 or on Medicare Australia's website"

Ipswich is one of four sites nationwide offering Local Connections to Work. Others are at Frankston in Victoria, Elizabeth in South Australia, and Campsie in New South Wales.

Mr Perera said the initiative had only been in operation at Ipswich Centrelink since early June, but they were already seeing results.

"We’ve already conducted about 380 joint interviews with disadvantaged job seekers and our in-house LCTW partners," he said. "And about 800 people have used the Medicare services now available in the Ipswich Centrelink office."

"Early feedback from our customers and our Local Connections to Work partners suggests it’s popular and effective. Disadvantaged job seekers appreciate only having to tell their story once, and feel as though they are really getting somewhere in their quest to break the unemployment cycle.

"We had a customer come in to see us to say thank you for the help in finding a casual job at a local major employer, and he said without the new Local Connections to Work service it wouldn’t have happened. Two other people found work at the recent Brisbane Exhibition through Local Connections to Work too."

Under the Local Connections to Work model, the different providers aim to give disadvantaged job seekers a ‘wrap-around’ experience of service delivery, where they make connections and linkages for the good of local people in need.

"It’s about a team approach – everyone working together to assess a job seeker’s needs and ensure they receive the best support possible in the process of becoming work ready," Mr Perera said.

"The whole team here at Ipswich Centrelink is excited to be at the forefront of an initiative that brings together services providers and acknowledges there can be multiple barriers to employment.

"The whole team seeks to help disadvantaged job seekers better identify and address their barriers through the joint interviews. These interviews adopt a strengths-based approach that helps identify the skills and capabilities of our job seekers.

"It is fantastic to be able to provide alternative service options to our customers, including the most vulnerable, by working with other groups who can also help them."

Mr Perera said that any organisation interested in becoming a co-located service partner should contact him at Ipswich Centrelink.

For more information, telephone the relevant Centrelink media contact.