(image via Department of Social Services)
Australians are being asked for ideas to prevent welfare dependence with regard to young parents, carers and students under the federal government’s new approach toward ending welfare dependency.
As the first tranche of its $96.1 million Try, Test and Learn Fund, the government is asking Australians to submit their ideas for initiatives to help break the cycle of welfare dependency for three critical priority groups:
- Young carers who are aged under 25 and are in receipt of Carer Payment or at immediate risk of going onto payment.
- Young parents who are aged under 25 and who claimed Parenting Payment when they were aged under 19 and are still receiving an income support payment.
- Young students, who are aged under 25 and who are at risk of moving from study to an extended period on an unemployment payment.
Part of the government’s priority investment strategy announced during the last budget in which it seeks to direct investment into priority areas in order to assist as many people as possible to break free from welfare dependency, the new fund represents a ‘ground up’ approach toward identifying ways in which to improve workforce participation or capacity to work within the selected target groups.
Under the initiative, ideas can be submitted any time until February 24, after which time the Department will work through proposals and develop a short-list.
The short-listed ideas will undergo a period of co-development which will include consultation with the priority groups themselves and with other stakeholders, before the most promising proposals are chosen for funding.
Those submitting ideas are encouraged to pursue collaboration in idea generation, and the Department is arranging a Policy Hack in Melbourne on February 10 in order for participants to work alongside other to workshop and develop their ideas.
The approach is referred to as a Try, Test and Learn Fund as those programs which are funded will be evaluated in order to document lessons learned.
According to the Department, each of the aforementioned groups face barriers in terms of moving away from welfare dependency.
In relation to young carers, for example, it says these including missing school because of caring responsibilities, limitation on opportunities because of commitments relating to their caring role, and physical or emotional well-being challenges associated being a carer.
Young parents, meanwhile, face challenges associated with time involved with parenting commitments impacting their ability to work or study as well as the physical and emotional demands associated with parenting whilst pursing work or study.
Of the $96.1 million allocated within the current budget for expenditure on the program over four years, $80 million will be available for programs delivery and evaluation whilst the remainder will go toward other implementation costs such as IT and data analytics.
