$75 Million Jobs Plan Not Perfect - NFPs

Victorian Not for Profits have welcomed a $75 million Coalition promise to support businesses employ young Victorians who have been without a job for six months, but have said that the plan does not go far enough.

Victorian Premier Denis Napthine announced recently that if his Government was reelected it would spend $75 million to launch its Youth Employment Strategy.

The plan will offer vouchers of $2,000 each to assist small businesses with recruitment and start-up costs, WorkCover premium rebates to any business that employs an eligible young Victorian for 12 months and payroll tax exclusion for eligible new employees for up to 12 months.

“What young Victorians have been telling me is that they have been rejected from a job because they don’t have any experience, yet the job they are seeking would give them the experience they so desperately want,” Dr Napthine said.

“This comprehensive Youth Employment Strategy will make it more attractive for employers to give young Victorians the experience they need to go onto bigger and better things.”

But CEO of the Victorian Council of Social Services, Emma King, said the plan has its flaws.

“A $75 million plan to support businesses employ young Victorians who have been without a job for six months is a useful incentive scheme to encourage employers to take on young people,” King said.

”However, any employer incentive scheme will need to be matched with programs that work directly with disengaged and unemployed young people to assist them to have the skills, training and experience to be job ready. We welcome the focus on assisting young people into employment but we will need to see further detail on how the programs would work.”

“In assessing promises and policies in the lead up to the State Election, VCOSS is calling on all parties to focus on the early intervention strategies that are most effective in addressing disadvantage and which help build a Victoria without poverty.”

King also welcomed the Government’s announcement that it would provide more welfare officers to Victorian schools.

“The announcement that the Coalition will provide an extra 150 welfare officers for Victorian primary schools gives some reassurance to schools and families at a time when the Federal Government has cut funding to non-religious welfare officers in schools,” she said.

“Given these cuts, Victoria will need to find ways to ensure all children at school can access support for the behavioural, mental health and welfare issues that are part of school life.”