Overview
Community services include organisations and programs that provide specialised support to help people manage barriers to employment and feel more included in the community. Community services and specialist providers can work alongside an employment service by offering extra support the employment service may not provide, creating a more complete support network for the person. Assistance sought may include housing, legal support, food or emergency relief, and pre-employment supports such as driver licences, industry licences or work clothing.1
A key benefit of working in partnership with community services is that it can help create sustainable support systems that can continue to be drawn upon even once the person starts work.
Once barriers to employment and conditions for success are identified, the person should be connected to services that meet their needs. This may include referrals to housing, legal support, food or emergency relief, and pre-employment supports such as driver licences, industry licences or work clothing.
Evidence shows that well-coordinated support improves employment outcomes by helping people access the right services and manage barriers to work.2
Key strategies for success
Support planning is ongoing and changes as a person’s needs, goals and circumstances change. Planning early can reduce challenges when starting work and improve job retention and career development.3 Some strategies to successfully coordinate support services include:
- start support planning as early as possible, use a community mapping tool to guide the planning process
- support the coordination process – share information and encourage communication between services
- build-in supports into employment services and employment programs
- adapt the approach as the person’s needs and goals become clearer.