Empowering YOUth Initiatives – Applications Now Open for Round Two Grant Funding

The Department of Employment is seeking proposals for round two of Empowering YOUth Initiatives.

Funding of up to $5 million for each idea is available for not-for-profit and non-government organisations to deliver new and different approaches to help vulnerable young people with the skills they need on their pathway to employment.

Empowering YOUth Initiatives aim to help young people at risk of long-term unemployment to find and a keep a job.

A key part of the initiative is to find innovative approaches that have the greatest potential to improve employment outcomes for young people at risk of long-term unemployment with the aim of preventing long-term welfare dependency.

Learnings from the Empowering YOUth initiatives will assist government and organisations working with young people to enhance current and future service delivery.

Empowering YOUth Initiatives was announced as part of the youth employment strategy in the growing jobs and small business package of the 2015/16 budget, with the government investing $55 million over four years.

The Department of Employment is currently funding 19 organisations to deliver Empowering YOUth initiatives to support young people aged 15 to 24 at risk of long-term unemployment under round one and is now seeking applications for round two.

Round two grant applications now open

All not-for-profit and non-government organisations are now eligible to apply in round two. Proposals are sought for new and different approaches to help vulnerable young people with a focus on the following priorities:

• Indigenous young people
• young people in areas of Australia with high youth unemployment
• apprenticeships and traineeships
• creating new pathways to employment, or major improvements to pathways for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

How to apply

The department has developed a flexible two-stage approach to the application and assessment process for round two.

Stage one

Applicants will be required to submit an expression of interest for stage one. Shortlisted applicants will receive written feedback from the department and will then be invited to submit a final initiative proposal in stage two.

Expressions of interest for stage one will close at 5pm AEDT 28 October 2016.

Stage two

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit a detailed initiative proposal from receipt of their written feedback. Therefore closing dates to submit initiative proposal will vary for each applicant.

Closing dates for initiative proposals will range from 5pm AEDT 5 to 19 December 2016.

Empowering YOUth Initiatives grant guidelines and information regarding the application process can be found by visiting the Employment Services Procurement Information website.  

For any questions or clarifications about the grant guidelines contact:

• 1300 733 514 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm Canberra time AEDT, excluding ACT and national public holidays)
• the Employment Services Purchasing Hotline (espurchasing@employment.gov.au).