NESA Annual Report- 2021/22

The Year
in Review

In 2021-2022 NESA demonstrated its commitment to achieving better outcomes and building organisational capacity for members through:

Representation on all program specific departmental working and advisory groups/committees.

Active engagement in policy and program debate on the critical issues for the sector and for Australia.

Read more about the year in review

Question:

NESA achieved some important outcomes in 21/22. Can you nominate some that you believe will have a significant bearing on creating the future?

Hear from Sally Sinclair

Highlights of
Achievements During
2021-2022

Facilitating the Transition to Workforce Australia

NESA was strongly engaged in representation and advocacy in relation to all aspects of design and purchasing for the New Employment Services Model (NESM) now known as Workforce Australia. NESA gathered member perspectives through a series of virtual and individual member consultation sessions.

Read more on highlight achievements

Greater influence on outcomes
for DES

NESA’s representation and advocacy on behalf of members in relation to Disability Employment Services included a strong focus on both current and potential future arrangements for the program. NESA expects we will have greater visibility of the outcomes of our representation over the next year.

Strong engagement and representation via DSS Peaks DES Strategic Working and Operations Working Groups

Collaborative arrangements with Disability Employment Australia, National Disability Services & Jobs Australia to strengthen cohesive advocacy

Read more

Continued collaboration
with CDP

NESA continued its strong collaboration with and representation of Community Development Program (CDP) providers with activities and achievements including:

A two-day CDP forum with Minister in attendance and delegation arranged with Shadow Minister

Monthly CDP provider meetings with updates on program and policy related matters

Read more on our cdp collaboration

IT enhancements

NESA strongly represented and advocated for members directly and via NESA’s IT Reference and Reports Working Group.

NESA’s strategies enabled intensive regular dialogue with DESE and key staff in relation to all aspects of IT supporting the sector. This led to a myriad of IT enhancements in current systems and design of Workforce Australia Online – Provider including driving new reports such as JRRR/JEHR, Job Matching and Career Profile to enhance members’ work.

NESA developed and led the Right Fit for Risk Community of Practice, with over 300 participants.

Events

Practitioners Conference

Read more

Leadership Forum

Read more

OECD Local Development Forum – Cork Ireland

Read more

CEO Forum

Read more

International Masterclasses

Read more
Innovation
Collaboration
Transformation
Achievements
Summary
About
Creating the future
Innovate
Collaborate
Transform
Facebook Twitter Linkedin

NESA acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the traditional owners of the land throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land and sea. We pay our respects to their culture and to their elders, past, present and emerging.

Copyright © 2022 NESA Annual Report 2021 | All Rights Reserved. | Proudly crafted by Creative Generals | Managed by Dalligator

The year
In Review

In 2021-2022 NESA demonstrated its commitment to achieving better outcomes and building organisational capacity for members through:

Representation on all program specific departmental working and advisory groups/committees.

Active engagement in policy and program debate
on the critical issues for the sector and for Australia.

Driving effective and innovative policy solutions
to enhance the sector’s work.

Assisting organisations to build their capacity through provision of a comprehensive, tailored professional development program for the sector. NESA’s professional development offers diverse programs and activities including National and Practitioners conferences, webinars, coaching programs, workshops, and forums enabling knowledge and skills acquisition
and advancement.

Facilitating opportunities for sector and cross-sector networks to enable relevant connections and foster business ideas and information exchange.

Engaging a strategic media campaign to profile the employment services sector, build and protect its reputation including via refuting misleading and incorrect media stories.

Producing a broad range of communications to provide relevant information, updates, good news stories and articles of interest.

Providing access to resources, tools, products, and services to support members businesses and operations.

Highlights of
Achievements
During
2021-2022

Facilitating the Transition to Workforce Australia

NESA was strongly engaged in representation and advocacy in relation to all aspects of design and purchasing for the New Employment Services Model (NESM) now known as Workforce Australia. NESA gathered member perspectives through a series of virtual and individual member consultation sessions.

NESA represented the sector’s position in a diverse range of forums and direct representations with Government and key stakeholders as well as producing several submissions including Response to the Proposed Licencing Arrangements, Response to the Proposed Funding Arrangements, Response to the NESM Exposure Draft, and Response to Self-Employment Services 2022-27 Consultation Paper.

There were several changes to final proposals for Workforce Australia consistent with NESA’s position including but not limited to:

Release of financial modelling information to support modelling and purchasing

20% increase to the Enhanced Services Engagement Fee

Increase to proposed Progress Fee amounts and frequency of claim eligibility (Proposed variation between moderate and high JSCI removed with all participants eligible for the higher amount of $750 every 24 months rather than majority receiving $500 once only)

Increased recognition of casual and part-time employment via additional
26-week Outcome and Bonus Fees for partial outcomes

Changes to the proposed national market share cap

Introduction of the Capacity Building Fund

Fee for service payments for Employability Skills Training

Initial Panel period of 6 years
(proposed 3-5)

Implementation of a capped market
to ensure provider viability

1st Performance Review at 18 months (rather than 12 as proposed)

100% of market share allocated in each Region (rather than part withheld as proposed)

NESA arranged a member information session on the Indigenous Procurement Policy led by NIAA in support of the Workforce Australia purchasing preparation

Greater
Influence
On Outcomes
For Des

NESA’s representation and advocacy on behalf of members in relation to Disability Employment Services included a strong focus on both current and potential future arrangements for the program. NESA expects we will have greater visibility of the outcomes of our representation over the next year.

Strong engagement and representation
via DSS Peaks DES Strategic Working and Operations Working Groups

Collaborative arrangements with Disability Employment Australia, National Disability Services & Jobs Australia to strengthen cohesive advocacy

Joint Best Practice Study to highlight good practice across the sector

Further development of stakeholder networks to build positive regard for DES, the work of members and counter misconceptions and typecasts

Response to the Formal Performance Assessment Draft Industry Information Papers

Several of NESA’s recommendations
on performance assessment and business reallocation process implemented

Response to the: Inclusive Accessible Diverse: Shaping your new disability employment support program Consultation Paper

Representation on the Disability Employment Advisory Committee
to support development of the Disability Employment Strategy launched December
2021 – Co Chaired by Dylan Alcott and
Simon McKeon

Representation on the DES Reference Group Chaired by Ben Gauntlett, Disability Discrimination Commissioner, to provide recommendations on the future of disability employment services (NESA Chaired Mature Aged Working Group)

Continued
Collaboration
With CDP

NESA continued its strong collaboration with and representation of Community Development Program (CDP) providers with activities and achievements including:

A two-day CDP forum with Minister in attendance and delegation arranged with Shadow Minister

Monthly CDP provider meetings with updates on program and policy related matters

Establishment of several issue specific reference groups (e.g. Payments, Performance, Activation Strategies) with NIAA to bring provider perspectives to service delivery and program adjustments

In response to NESA’s advocacy, delivery of a CDP Outcome Tool by NIAA for use by services in lodging claims for payment

Adjustments to the Provider Performance Framework in response to advocacy to better reflect the CDP service delivery environment

Active, early training support and advice to enable members smooth implementation
of MyGOVID

Policy support and troubleshooting on a broad range of CDP issues (500+ calls over the year)

Practitioners
Conference

Workforce Australia represents the most significant reform in Australia’s employment services since 1998 and this quantum reform was the foundational theme for NESA’s 2022 Practitioners Conference.

Targeted to employment services practitioners, the conference featured informative sessions from the Department of Education, Skills, and Employment (DESE) on topics including the latest transition advice, activation in Workforce Australia Services, the Workforce Australia Services Provider Performance Framework and licensing arrangements, and updates on ESS web 2.0 and the Learning Centre.

The Department also provided an opportunity for practitioners to meet with them to discuss the types of things they would be tracking as part of their compliance monitoring.

Other topics presented by NESA’s stakeholders and partners included strengthening employer engagement, addressing jobseeker barriers through integrating into goals, and the latest research on digitalisation of welfare to work.

Feedback from delegates was overwhelmingly positive and included:

Conference was excellent.

Excellent opportunity to network with people from within the industry. Great to meet with key members of the Department.

There was lots covered on New Workforce which was informative.

Information from all the plenary sessions was beneficial.

Got a lot of details from Department representatives about things they will be paying a close eye on in Workforce Australia.

Leadership
Forum

NESA’s Leadership Forums bring together NESA members’ CEOs and Senior Leaders to caucus on the critical issues impacting on the sector.

NESA’s Leadership Forums are typically solutions-based, focusing on developing future positions that are beneficial for the sector, and its participants, employers, and Australian communities. The outcomes from the caucuses are used in NESA’s advocacy and representation for a strong and sustainable sector.

The Forum program held in 2022 included a briefing on the 2022-2023 Federal Budget and the subsequent impacts for the sector, keynote addresses by departmental leaders, small group, and whole group sessions.

OECD Local
Development Forum
-Cork Ireland

In June 2022, NESA CEO Sally Sinclair participated in the OECD Local Development Forum, providing an Australian perspective on key challenges and best practices needed to create better strategies for stronger communities and strengthened local labour markets. Sally is Vice Chair of the OECD Local Development Forum.

Convened in Cork, Ireland the forum was also a celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the OECD’s Local Employment and Economic Development programme, and was attended by over 300 local leaders, entrepreneurs, social innovators, trade unions, education and training institutions and business leaders from over 30 countries.

CEO
Forum

In 2022 NESA was delighted to introduce a new forum into its suite of sector events.

A prelude to the Practitioners Conference, the CEO Forum was open to CEOs and Senior Leaders from the sector and provided an opportunity for the sector to share thoughts and experiences around transition and the 1 July Workforce Australia implementation.

Delegates heard from highly respected experts including social policy and political science researchers, a demographer, a social changemaker, and a political and national campaigning strategist who spoke on the issues impacting Australia’s economy. The Deputy Secretary Employment and National Workforce Group, Department of Education, Skills, and Employment also addressed the audience providing an overview of Workforce Australia.

The excellent range of speakers and having time to network and be collaborative with colleagues were highlights for delegates.

International
Masterclasses

NESA’s International Masterclasses offer unique opportunities for Australian providers to gain insight into the pathways, approaches, and strategies international organisations are implementing within their own country’s policy parameters and settings to improve labour market disparities.

In 2021-2022 NESA hosted two international masterclasses. Facilitator Miguel Peromingo is a Global Consultant for Employment Services and an expert on global labour markets and employment services.

Mr. Miguel Peromingo

Facilitator

Masterclass

MARKET INCLUSION FOR CLIENTS WITH MULTIPLE BARRIERS

This masterclass provided an opportunity for delegates to hear from Swedish, Swiss, and French Public Employment Services on the specific strategies they were implementing to ensure their clients with complex needs had the opportunity to participate in paid work.

Work-oriented rehabilitation for jobseekers with different health barriers in Sweden

MS. KARIN JOHANSSON
Senior Officer Inclusion, PES Sweden

Digitalisation projects at the Swiss Unemployment Insurance

MS. DORIT GRIGA
Senior Manager International Relations, Swiss Secretariat for Economy

Mr. Davide Li Cavoli

Project Manager Digitization Unemployment Insurance, PES Switzerland

France’s PES experience in the use of digital tools servicing vulnerable groups

MS. ASHLEY WAREING
Senior Officer Benchmarking, PES France

Masterclass

INCLUSION OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE LABOUR MARKET

This masterclass provided an opportunity for delegates to hear from the European Commission on the European Union’s Youth Guarantee initiative and from the Austrian Public Employment Service on the innovative approaches they are implementing which have resulted in Austria achieving one of the world’s lowest youth unemployment rates.

Targeted European Union employment measure for young people: The Youth Guarantee

MR. PABLO CORNIDE
Policy Officer, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission

Successful youth employment policy and practice in Austria

MR. JULIAN HEIBL
International Affairs, Public employment service Austria

Innovation
Collaboration
Transformation
Achievements
Summary
About
Home
Innovation
Collaboration
Transformation
Achievements
Summary
About
Supporting People
With Disability
People with disability in Australia face considerable inequity and disadvantage in realising their human rights and ambitions to live a normal life. For many people living with a disability, economic exclusion is experienced alongside social exclusion.

The Disability Employment Services (DES) program was introduced to support people with disability find and keep a job, and from 1 March 2010 the program has undergone transformation through a range of significant changes. These include those introduced in the 2018 reforms which had the objective of increasing program performance. Continuing with this transformation through reform approach, government in consultation with key stakeholders is developing a new disability employment services program to improve the employment outcomes of people with disability.

NESA has advocated for the design of the new program to be evidenced based to ensure it delivers the best possible outcomes for people with disability, their families and their communities.

United with a shared purpose, NESA has been working collaboratively with the other disability employment peak bodies for the betterment of future disability employment supports and policy and program settings.