[Sub ID 4336] Job placement and mature aged mentors (COTA ACT)

Submission ID: 4336
Organisation name: COTA ACT
Contact name: Ms Jenny Mobbs
State: ACT
Contact email: jmobbs@cotaact.org.au
Contact number: 0262823777

Which priority group of the Try, Test and Learn Fund does your idea support?
Young carers, Young parents, Young students at risk of long-term unemployment

What need or issue are you trying to address?
We know from the research that young parents and carers find it diffucult to get and maintain a regular job and from recent work we have done at COTA ACT and from the Hon Susan Ryan’s Willing to Work – National Inquiry into Employment Discrimination against Older Australians and Australiaas with Disability, May 2016, we also know that mature workers who want to work cannot find suitable employment. We think that there needs to be flexibility and support in employment to allow integration of younger people with caring and parenting responsibilities and the support from a mature aged person to work in a job and learn new skills could ensure thyat each young person feels and is supported to hold down a steady job and earn money (a mentoring model).

What is your idea?
The object of the proposal is to place young carers, young parents and young people who are at risk of longer term unemployment into specially selected real employment in small businesses across the ACT and region. The role of the mature aged worker is to provide the support and life skills learning to the younger person, acting in a role of work mentor. This will also give the mature worker real employment opportunities and will provide the employer with the skill set that does not have to be taught – thus reducing the need of business owners to take valuable work time out of their business. Employment arrangements must be flexible in work hours to meet with the demands of a younger carer and younger parent.

In the spirit of the aims of the program the proposal requires subsidies or financial support for both the younger and older workers with both groups being considered vulnerable and needing to gain meaningful employment.

A Manager of training with suitable and relevant qualifications and experience along with knowledge of the small business market in Canberra, will be involved in both the work place and in any home or life issues.

Local small business employers will be approached through the Canberra Business Chamber and a jobs board will be established. Each young person and each mature aged person will have tailored training and an individual work plan.