Generating Recovery, Optimising Workforce Skills (GROW) Project. An evaluation of the. Australia s leaders in Settlement, Employment & training

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1 COMMUNITY SERVICES LTD growing a productive migrant workforce An evaluation of the Generating Recovery, Optimising Workforce Skills (GROW) Project PREPARED BY REAL OPTIONS CONSULTANCY SERVICE Australia s leaders in Settlement, Employment & training

2 growing a productive migrant workforce An Evaluation of ACCESS community services LTD s Generating Recovery, Optimising Workforce Skills (GROW) Project Table of Contents COMMUNITY SERVICES L T D 1. INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT PROJECT OBJECTIVES Employer Broker Program GROW Objectives 4 2. METHODOLOGY RESEARCH AND REVIEW CONSULTATIONS WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS DATA ANALYSIS DRAFT AND FINALISE REPORT 6 Profile Access Community Services Ltd (ACSL) is Australia s leader and specialist in settlement, employment and training support services to migrants and refugees in Logan City, Ipswich City and Gold Coast. We are a community based, not for profit company Limited by Guarantee, originally established in Logan City in We are committed to fostering community development, settlement and employment initiatives and providing support programs to address the needs of disadvantaged community groups including migrants, refugees, humanitarian entrants and temporary protection visa holders. Services Settlement Employment Jobs Service Australia Training Complex Case Youth Access Driving School Business / Social Enterprises Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations This project was funded by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations under its Employer Broker Program 3. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION STAFFING REFERENCE GROUP PROJECT MODEL SELECTION OF PARTICIPANTS TRAINING Group 1 Intake Group 2 Intake OTHER EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT EMPLOYMENT Employer Feedback RELOCATION PROJECT OUTCOMES AND TARGETS TRAINING EMPLOYMENT KEY FINDINGS AND BEST PRACTICE PRINCIPLES CO-ORDINATION AND STAFFING SUPPORT RECRUITMENT OF APPROPRIATE PARTICIPANTS TRAINING EMPLOYMENT RELOCATION Recommendations CONCLUSION 18 Appendix A List of key stakeholders 19 2

3 1. INTRODUCTION Access Community Services Limited (ACSL) is a community based, not for profit company, that was established in 1984 with a view to assisting the most seriously disadvantaged and marginalised, groups and communities in the Logan and North Gold Coast Region. Since 1992, the organisation has focused on providing specialised support and services to newly arrived migrants and refugees. This includes settlement services which assist newly arrived migrants to build self-reliance and integrate into the local community; employment and training programs which assist the target group to access labour market programs and career based opportunities; and family support initiatives which address some of the social and cultural challenges for new entrants to Australia. ACSL is currently the only Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) specific Jobs Services Australia (Jobs Services Australia) provider funded by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) in Queensland. ACSL is also contracted by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) to provide Humanitarian Settlement Services (HSS) to newly arrived refugees and Special Humanitarian Program (SHP) entrants in the South East Queensland region. The intensive initial settlement support provided under this program includes: on-arrival reception and initial orientation case management support information about and referral to other service providers and mainstream agencies assistance with accommodation and basic household goods In 2009 ACSL applied for and was successful in receiving funding under DEEWR s Employer Broker Program to implement the Rural Employment Assistance Program (REAP). REAP was a pilot project aimed at relocating newly arrived migrants and refugees from those areas in south east Queensland experiencing high levels of unemployment (Logan City and South Brisbane) to rural areas of Queensland facing significant labour market shortages in particular industries (Biloela and Rockhampton). The program was highly successful with 100% of clients who were relocated to Biloela and Rockhampton being successful in gaining employment. In light of this success, ACSL applied for funding under the Employer Broker Program to conduct the Generating Recovery, Optimising Workforce Skills (GROW) program. The GROW project was established to address a demand for labour relating to plant propagation in the Lockyer Valley (a region recovering from loss of agricultural crops due to the Queensland Floods) while providing migrant and refugee job seekers with horticultural skills and employment with local produce growers. Under the program, unemployed migrants and refugees from Logan City (which experiences one of the highest unemployment rates in Queensland) will be transported to the Lockyer Valley region to undertake training and gain employment in local nurseries and farms. A secondary component of the project was to include ongoing relocation of employees and families to this region. The Employer Broker Program is a component of Job Services Australia. It is a competitive grants program that aims to ensure that employment services have a strong focus on matching the needs of job seekers with the labour requirements of employers. Projects are funded under the Employer Broker program for a period of one year and are expected to be evaluated in order to share results with other key stakeholders (including other Employer Broker panel members and Employment Services Providers) for future activities or replication in other locations, industries and/or for other disadvantaged groups of job seekers. This report includes a detailed description of the GROW project (process evaluation) as well an evaluation of GROW s outcomes and an assessment of the project s ability to meet the objectives of the Employer Broker Program BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT The Lockyer Valley, situated 60 minutes drive from the Brisbane CBD is a leading agricultural production region in Australia. It is one of the major food supply regions for winter and salad vegetables in Australia and a base for a number of high profile, commercially successful agricultural production operations that serve major supermarket supply chains. The January 2011 southeast Queensland floods which had a major personal toll in the Lockyer Valley also affected the production of locally grown produce. As a result a number of farms and nurseries approached Access Community Services Limited regarding the need for skilled labour to undertake plant propagation in the region. The GROW project was subsequently developed in conjunction with local employers and the Australian Agricultural College Corporation. Under this six month pilot project it was proposed that a total of 24 migrant/ refugee job seekers from Logan City (an area with one of the highest unemployment rates in south east Queensland) would be selected to undertake a certificate II in Rural Operations at Gatton college. It was intended that this would be conducted as two 13 week training programs with 12 participants in each program. Participants would be bussed daily to the college for training. Employers indicated that they had available jobs for participants at the end of the vocational placement. A full-time project Co-ordinator was to be employed to implement the project over the six months of the project. The role of the co-ordinator was to manage the implementation of the program including the provision of relocation assistance to participants who are successful in gaining ongoing employment including assisting with locating housing, identifying settlement needs of family members (school enrolments and facilitating social supports) and providing post placement support for clients and employers. It was proposed that the Co-ordinator would also assist with the delivery of cultural awareness training to employers and sourcing additional regional employment opportunities relevant to the client group, with a focus on the resources and primary production sector PROJECT OBJECTIVES Employer Broker Program The objective of the Employer Broker role as outlined in the Employer broker guidelines is to engage with employers in a skill or labour shortage industry, or a specific location, to broker solutions that meet employers needs and to coordinate and target the efforts of Employment Services Providers to matching the needs of job seekers with the labour requirements of employers. According to the guidelines, Employer Broker activities should focus on assisting employers to meet labour and skill needs while also improving employment outcomes for disadvantaged job seekers. As well as meeting the objective of Employer Broker activities, proposals must: identify an industry or location specific need for appropriately skilled staff target jobseekers who are eligible for assistance through Employment Services involve appropriate linkages and partnerships between employers and relevant stakeholders, for example Employment Services Providers, providers of other services (including Disability Employment Network, Vocational Rehabilitation Services and Indigenous Employment Program), training organisations and local industry bodies identify any support and/or funding the organisation will provide to supplement Commonwealth funding not require ongoing funding and be sustainable at the completion of the activity without further DEEWR funding identify the expected outcomes from the proposal, including clear employment targets, and include a best practice dissemination and evaluation plan to share the results of the activity with relevant stakeholders including other Employer Broker panel members and Employment Services Providers. DEEWR may also undertake an independent evaluation of the activity GROW Objectives The funding agreement between ACSL and DEEWR required ACSL to deliver the following activities under GROW: a) Recruit and appoint a Project Coordinator who will: conduct two information session in Logan City regarding training options and job opportunities in the Lockyer Valley work with employment service providers in the local Logan City area to assess and select suitable migrant/refugee job seekers to undertake training and employment provide transport assistance to job seekers undertaking training work with employers and industry organisations in the Lockyer Valley to identify current vacancies provide relocation assistance for participants and their families who gain ongoing employment in the Lockyer Valley, including assisting with housing, schooling and facilitating social supports provide post placement support for employees and employers to assist in maintaining employment establish local meetings with key stakeholders including Council, AACC, Employers RDA Ipswich and West Morton and key government Departments. source additional regional employment opportunities relevant to migrant/refugee job seekers with a focus on resources and primary production sector. b) Deliver two 13 week training courses in Certificate II in Rural Operations, with 12 participants per course. c) Utilise relocation assistance available to job seekers and employers through the governments Connecting People with Jobs program. d) Provide training for 24 migrant/refugee job seekers and place 20 in employment with agriculture/primary production employers in the Lockyer Valley. e) Deliver cultural awareness training to employers. 3 4

4 f) Develop a detailed evaluation report including project outcomes, stakeholder and employer feedback, best practice and recommendations for replication of project in other regions across Australia. g) Not directly place Participants in its own organisation. Specific project milestones and outcomes for the GROW Project as outlined in the funding contract between ACSL and DEEWR are as follows: Milestone Milestone Due Date 21 November February March June 2012 This evaluation report will therefore: Completion to DEEWR s satisfaction: Project Coordinator appointed Employment services providers, including local providers, engaged Training provider engaged and confirmed 2 Information training and employment sessions conducted Suitable migrant/ refugee job seekers identified to undertake training and are referred to Coordinator Language support and study skill assistance for training participants conducted Job seekers commence Certificate II in Rural Operations Meetings with key stakeholders held Employer and industry organisations engaged Progress Report 1 completed 24 participants complete Certificate II in Rural Operations Employment positions with employers and industry organisations in the Lockyer Valley confirmed Relocation assistance for job seekers and their families provided 20 migrant/refugees placed into employment 2 cultural awareness training workshops delivered to employers Ongoing placement support for employees and employers provided Feedback from key stakeholders, job seekers, employers and training organisations sought Action research methodology to identify lesson learned implemented Final Evaluation report completed. Overall outcomes: 24 training outcomes 20 employment outcomes provide a detailed description of the project processes, assess the project in terms of meeting the DEEWR Employer Broker Program objectives and evaluate the project against GROW s initial stated project indicators 31st February June METHODOLOGY The following methodology was implemented in undertaking this evaluation. 2.1 RESEARCH AND REVIEW The methodology utilised to undertake the evaluation of the GROW Project incorporated an analysis of project records and documentation. This included: a review of the Employer Broker funding submission submitted by ACSL the Employer Broker guidelines, funding agreements, steering committee minutes, Co-ordinator progress reports to DEEWR relevant media reports and data on individual GROW participants and employment outcomes. 2.2 CONSULTATIONS WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS Consultations were undertaken with key staff and JSA managers in Access Community Services Limited including: Feli Lacorte-Gayatt Zoe Robertson Michael Krafft and Mitchell Ryan 2.3 DATA ANALYSIS An analysis was conducted of client employment data including outcomes data, Financial Data (use of Employment Pathways Fund) and non-identifying demographic indicators including age, family composition, age and English Proficiency. 2.4 DRAFT AND FINALISE REPORT A draft copy of the report was distributed to key stakeholders to ensure that the report accurately reflected the implementation of the program. A copy of the final report was submitted to Access Community Services Limited for distribution to the funding body. 3. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION Funding was allocated to ACSL in December 2011, however the program officially commenced on the 3rd January 2012 with the appointment of the project Coordinator. The project was established for a 6 month period only from January to 30 June STAFFING The staffing for the GROW program included a 6 month GROW Co-ordinator based in Logan, But outreaching to Gatton. The role of this staff member as identified in the funding contract was as follows: conduct two information session in Logan City regarding training options and job opportunities in the Lockyer Valley work with employment service providers in the local Logan City area to assess and select suitable migrant/refugee job seekers to undertake training and employment provide transport assistance to job seekers undertaking training work with employers and industry organisations in the Lockyer Valley to identify current vacancies provide relocation assistance for participants and their families who gain ongoing employment in the Lockyer Valley, including assisting with housing, schooling and facilitating social supports provide post placement support for employees and employers to assist in maintaining employment establish local meetings with key stakeholders including Council, AACC, Employers RDA Ipswich and West Morton and key government Departments. source additional regional employment opportunities relevant to migrant/refugee job seekers with a focus on resources and primary production sector. Mr Ataus Samad was appointed to the Position of GROW co-ordinator from 3 rd January However, unfortunately he left the role halfway through the duration of the project to take up a position in central Queensland. It was subsequently decide to share his role between the following staff members Feli Gayat (community consultation), Zoe Parkinson and Heather Seerden (employer brokerage and co-ordination) and Andrew Taban (participant co-ordination), and to utilise a team approach in implementing the remaining project. 5 6

5 3.2 REFERENCE GROUP In order to ensure that the GROW was well known, accepted and supported in the community, project staff attended and linked into the existing Lockyer Service Provider Interagency network and the Lockyer Intercultural Network. Attendance at these two networks provided a key opportunity to get to know other providers, provide information about the project, address issues or answer questions and raise any emerging issues. It also provided an opportunity to ensure that workers relocating to Gatton would be linked into the local community and local services. Meetings were held on the following dates: 31 st January 2012 at Gatton Baptist Church 13 th March at Laidley Community Centre 24 th April at Gatton Baptist Church 5 th June at Laidley Community Centre 17 th July 1t Gatton Community Centre In addition, contact was made with a range of stakeholders including employers, multicultural agencies, church groups and service providers. A list of local stakeholders engaged as part of this project is outlined in attachment A. 3.3 PROJECT MODEL The project model proposed for the program was as follows: Activity or Milestones Performance Indicators Expected Outcomes Recruit project Co-ordinator Prepare position description Advertise externally Identify suitable participants for training Conduct information sessions in Logan City regarding training options and job opportunities in Lockyer Valley assess potential participants and make referrals to project Co-ordinator, Position Description External advertisement Job contract with Co-ordinator 2 x Information sessions conducted Assessment of individual s employment needs, current skills and qualifications, language and commitment to undertake training program Suitable person appointed who has the skills and competence to implement the project Participants selected for training programs. Training 2 x 13 week training provided to job seekers Language support provided to assist with study skills and Employment Assistance Co-ordinator identifies employment opportunities for training graduates Housing identified for relocating families Job seekers and their families assisted to relocate to jobs including access to relocation allowances Cultural Awareness Training and Post Placement Support cultural awareness training workshops delivered to employees Post placement support provided to clients and employees Evaluation and Best practice Feedback sought from clients and key stakeholders including employers and training organisation Action research methodology implemented to identify lessons learned Evaluation undertaken Evaluation report completed which includes details on replication of the model elsewhere 24 job seekers receive a certificate II in Rural Operations Total of 24 job seekers gain employment or traineeships 2 cultural awareness training workshops conducted Participant and client feedback and employment and training outcomes data indicates that the project meets the PI s. Evaluation Report Job seekers acquire appropriate skills to gain employment in the Families successfully relocated and employment outcomes achieved for primary job seekers Employees and employers supported to assist in maintaining employment Evaluation report completed which documents the project and its outcomes. Best practice model developed to assist in replication of model elsewhere The following attached diagram provides a pictorial representation of the model. 7 8

6 activities outputs outcomes GENERATE RECOVERY AND OPTIMISE WORKPLACE SKILLS (GROW) PROJECT GOAL: To contribute in addressing the need for labour in the horticultural industry in the Queensland flood affected area of Lockyer Valley JOB SEEKERS GOAL: To undertake training that leads to securing gainful employment with local agricultural and primary production in Lockyer Valley impact Training: 24 clients trained and completed Certificate II in Horticulture Production and are job ready Suitable job seekers selected to undertake training Training courses in Certificate II in Rural Operations delivered to participants 24 participants completed Certificate II in Horticulture Production Conduct information sessions in Logan area re: training options and job opportunities Work with employment service providers to assess and select suitable migrants/job seekers in Logan City Engage with Training Providers to deliver the Training sessions Provide language and study skill assistance to participants Organisational Management Project Delivery Partnership Access Community Services Ltd is a specialist provider of Employment, Training and Settlement and Support Services to migrants/refugees in Southeast Queensland Region with high levels of unemployment and with an increasingly CALD population. 20 skilled job seekers with ongoing employment positions in Agricultural and Primary Production in Lockyer Valley have been relocated to the area whereby contributing to the labour need of the horticultural industry Employment: 20 or 83% of the 24 trained clients are placed into employment Ongoing support for employees and employers to the entire employment placement spectrum provided Employers subsidy Employees interview and trial employment Cultural Sessions Provide preplacement, placement and post placement support to employers and employees to assist in maintaining employment Deliver Cultural Awareness Training Workshops to employers The GROW Project Team is composed of: Project Manager, Project Officer, Industry Brokerage Team Leader, Project Support Worker and Driver to ensure that the Project is implemented effectively and efficiently. Employment positions with employers in Lockyer Valley for 20 trained clients secured Employment trial facilitated Engage with employers and industry organisations Source additional regional employment opportunities relevant to migrant/ refugee job seekers with a focus on resources and primary production sector Situation Selection and Recruitment of Participants Training Sessions and Support Services Employment Relocation (Rural Resettlement) Research and Evaluation Relocation (Rural Resettlement): 20 clients with ongoing employment are resettled in Lockyer Valley together with their individual family Support assistance for 2-week trial employment of job seekers provided Relocation assistance to job seekers and their families with ongoing employment extended Needs assessment and social preparation to job seekers and their families for their eventual relocation provided Community engagement with service providers in Lockyer Valley conducted and partnerships established Establish local meetings with key stakeholders including Council, AACC, Employers, RDA Ipswich and West Moreton, and key government Departments Engage with local networks especially with Lockyer Intercultural Network and Lockyer Service Providers Interagency Provide relocation assistance for the participants and their families who gain ongoing employment including assisting housing, schooling and facilitating social supports Utilise relocation assistance available to job seekers and employers through the governments Connecting to people with Jobs Program Internal Stakeholders: Access Community Services Ltd Settlement Service, Employment Service, Training, and Community Engagement Program. External Stakeholders: Lockyer Intercultural Network and Lockyer Service Providers Interagency 3.4 SELECTION OF PARTICIPANTS The program was intended to provide training and employment for 24 job seekers. It was therefore decided that there would be two intakes of 12 clients. The first group was recruited and trained during the period 22 February to the 21 May 2012 and the second group trained from the 15 May-01 July Information about the GROW project was circulated among the following JSA providers and assistance was sought regarding identifying suitable candidates for the project. a. Access Community Services Ltd JSA provider. b. Centacare Employment Group. c. Boystown (Woodridge). d. Break Through (Woodridge). e. Campbell Page (Browns Plains). f. Mission Australia (Woodridge). g. Max Employment (Woodridge). Two information sessions were also conducted to inform potential jobseekers. The first one was conducted at 2 Carmody Street on 13 February 2012 which was attended by thirty five job seekers. The second information session was conducted on 24 February 2012 with five jobseekers attending. The key criteria for selecting job seekers to participate in the program were as follows: 1. Willing to relocate to Gatton upon achieving a job 2. Should have reasonably good reading, writing and comprehension skills in English. 3. A good attitude and in good physical health for carrying out farm jobs. 4. Holding an open driving licence was also seen as desirable. All those who expressed their interest were referred to the Coordinator. After consultation with the JSA case officers of respective clients and background checks, thirteen job seekers were selected to participate in the first training program - Certificate II in Production Horticulture training. A large proportion of the clients were of Burmese descent. These clients showed an interest in rural resettlement because for many of them, farming work had been their way of life in their country of origin. 3.5 TRAINING Access Community Services Ltd. consulted a number of training providers such as the Australian Agricultural Training College Corporation (AACC), Metropolitan Institute of TAFE and University of Queensland (UQ) regarding delivery of a Certificate II in Production Horticulture to GROW clients. The responsibility of providing training to our clients was given to AACC considering the training requirement and the ability of the training provider. AACC subsequently subcontracted Heartbeat Training and Consultancy to deliver the training due to their specialty in this field. Initially it was intended that participants would be bussed to Gatton to undertake training at the Gatton Agricultural College. However it was subsequently determined that the same level of training could be provided at a more local venue - the Redland DPI Training Facility Group 1 Intake It was originally intended that the training would include a Certificate II in Horticulture Production; however, changes were made to tailor-fit the course with the needs of the clients who have limited skills in language, literacy and numeracy. As a result, the course was lowered down to a Cert I in Rural Operations and Statement of Attainment in Cert II in Horticulture Production. A total of 13 participants enrolled and 11 successfully completed the 13-week training course. The training was conducted from 22 February to the 21 May 2012 and both theory and practical course Training was delivered at DPI Redlands Research Centre for 4 days, as well as one day at Access Community Services Ltd - Training Centre. In order to ensure a connection with Gatton Training Opportunities, one of the trainers engaged was from UQ Gatton. The one day per week training provided by Access Community Services Ltd was focused on employability training and covered the following topics: 1) Australian Workplace Culture 2) Develop basic Knowledge of Workplace relations 3) Present a positive image in the workplace 4) Communicating effectively in the workplace channels of communication, speaking up for yourself, dealing with conflict etc. 5) The importance of teamwork 6) Basic financial planning understanding payslips, simple budgets etc. Topics covered in the Certificate II training course content were as follows: 9 10

7 Topics For Certificate II in Production Horticulture Training understood more in the outdoor practical training Component RTC2702A RTC2705A RTC2801A RTC2704A RTC2706A RTC2404A RTC2401A RTC2301A RTE2707B RTC2026A RTC2307A Observe environmental work practices Work effectively in the industry Participate in workplace communications Provide basic first aid Apply chemicals under supervision Treat plant pests, diseases & disorders Treat Weeds Undertake operational maintenance of machinery Follow site quarantine procedures Undertake propagation activities Operate machinery and equipment Most of the trainees expressed they liked the tractor operation and few mentioned an interest in grafting and vegetable growing. Almost all the trainees mentioned that they would recommend the training to their friends. In response to the question What would make the course better trainees responded as follows: More opportunity to practice what is learnt. More information on irrigation. Shorter course Following the instruction and asking question. Training provider Feedback Feedback was also sought from the training provider part way through the course and was as follows: RTC2309A RTE2602A RTE2010A RTE2028A RTF2504A Training Visit Operate tractors The students of Certificate II in Production Horticulture visited Joncia Garden ( a garden facility in Logan) under the supervision of the Access Community Services Ltd. trainer. The students had the opportunity to interact with the gardener/ farmer there and learn about related issues. A graduation ceremony for the group 1 participants was held on the 23/05/2012. Participant Feedback Assist with the operation of pressurised irrigation systems Establish horticulture crops Undertake field budding and grafting Determine basic properties of soils/ growing media In order to seek program to seek feedback from participants on the training course, a survey was conducted post completion of the training. Feedback received was as follows: 60% of the students expressed that they learned a lot in the class room while the remaining 40% of students expressed that they understood little in the class. However, about 90% of the students indicated that they understood the instructor. The Majority (70%) of students indicated that they `The first group of GROW client is doing great in the training. Their level of English improved 70% compared to their initial standard. Their writing ability increased significantly and they are now taking regular class notes. They are also able to communicate their views to the trainers. Topics are taught to them in Cluster form, i.e., a number of subjects are being taught together. A lot of importance has been given to subject like OH&S. Two volunteers who have experience in agriculture are helping the regular trainers. Staff at the DPI Training Centre talk highly about the work ethics of GROW clients. Based on feedback from Participants and also advice from employers that they needed staff urgently and did not require full Certificate II qualifications, changes were made to the training for group 2 participants as outlined below Group 2 Intake Learning from the first Group s assessment, the Training Program was revisited and condensed into seven (7) week training for Cert I in Rural Operations and a skill set for Cert II in Horticulture Production. This training was conducted from 15 May 2012 to 01 July As with the first group, the training including 1 day employability skills conducted by Access Community Services Limited. A total of 14 participants were recruited for the Training with all completing the course. 3.6 OTHER EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT Driving lessons and/or driving test bookings were organised for the GROW clients (utilising Employment Pathways Funds) in coordination with their respective Employment Coaches. This further improved the capacity of job seekers to work in farms that were some distance from the town centre and/or accommodation. Pre settlement trips to Gatton/Lockyer Valley area were also undertaken with job participants towards the end of the training period. This contributed significantly to the client s decision and views prior to their employment period and also helped them in determining the travel distance between Logan City and Gatton/Lockyer Valley. It also assisted students in becoming familiar with the local area. Following, the pre settlement trip to Gatton/ Lockyer Valley, nine (9) students out of the first group of eleven (11) decided to relocate to Gatton for work. Two students decided not to proceed with the program due to family issues. EPF payments were provided for appropriate work wear including wide brimmed hats, steel toe shoes, long pants, and long sleeves and the relocation fund was utilised to assist clients to relocate to Gatton. 3.7 EMPLOYMENT Throughout the project period, Access staff undertook continuous contact with local employers to confirm jobs for participants. The Project Team s relationship building and rapport with employers, together with support by way of Employers Wage Subsidy, and post placement assistance have facilitated the placement of the total of all 11 clients from the first group into employment. The following positions were secured. Group 1 Of the 11 participants in Group 1, Nine (9) were offered trial employment for 2 weeks by Brandan Produce (Durham s) and Bauers Organic in Gatton starting 11 June and 12 June 2012 respectively. As this work was for a trial period only, the Gatton caravan park was considered as suitable accommodation, in light of the temporary nature of the job. The proximity to the farm and the idea of being in one place also influenced the group s accommodation decision. Of the 9 individuals who were offered trial employment, three were from the Karen community of Burma and 6 were from the Hmong Community of Laos. The 9 families have a combined total of 16 children of whom 5 are highschool age, 5 are primary-school age and 6 are under five years old. Five of the clients/job seekers have a car and driver s license. Group 2 Of the second group of 14 participants, five were employed at Durham s. The outcomes of the 25 clients recruited throughout the project are as follows: 11 12

8 Group Number Stream Client Details 1 One 2 Age 26yrs Yr 12 equivalent education Married with 5 month old son 2 One 2 24 years of age Yr 12 equivalent education Married with 4 children under 4yrs 3 One 2 24 years of age Yr 12 equivalent education 4 One 3 26 yrs Provisional Driver s 5 One 2 22yrs Yr 12 equivalent education Husband also working at same 6 One 3 29 yrs Provisional Driver s and two sons under 2 7 One 2 48 yrs and 3 children aged yrs Completed training course Employment Position Outcome Durham Gatton Hand/ Durham s Hand/ Durham s Hand/ Bauers organic Bauers organic Bauers organic Bauers organic Hand, Hand, Hand, Hand, Returned to study LLNP in Logan, as family do not want to relocate Following a complaint from another employee, this JS returned to Brisbane and is now furthering his LLNP studies He and his wife are looking for accommodation to relocate to Gatton she and her husband are looking for accommodation to relocate to Gatton However, family do not want to relocate due to children being in school and oldest son employed in Brisbane Group Number Stream Client Details 8 One 2 42 yrs and 2 children aged 14&15 yrs 9 One 2 34 yrs and daughter aged 3 yrs Completed training course Employment Position Outcome Bauers organic Bauers organic 10 One 2 21yrs Bauers organic 11 Two 3 29yrs 12 Two 2 20 yrs Yr 12 equivalent education Lives with Mother, Father and brother 13 Two 3 25 yrs and daughter aged 12 months 14 Two 3 42 yrs Hand, Hand, Hand, Durham s Hand/ Durham s Hand/ Durham s Hand/ Durham s Hand/ 15 Two 3 29 yrs Durham s Hand/ Staying in temporary accommodation with nephew Family do not want to relocate Staying in temporary accommodation in Gatton with his brother Staying in temporary accommodation in Gatton with his brother. Would like to relocate if his brother did Currently staying in temporary accommodation. Due to his wife, not wanting to relocate he would not like to stay Staying in temporary accommodation. He says he would relocate permanently to Gatton if he had someone to share with Working casual hours and staying in temporary accommodation but is also looking for work in Brisbane Commenced employment but resigned from the position due to illness Commenced employed but resigned after a few days stating he found the work too hard 13 14

9 Group Number Stream Client Details 16 Two 3 28yrs 17 Two 3 53 yrs 18 Two 3 50 yrs wife 19 Two 3 50 yrs and adult daughter 20 Two 4 54 yrs 2 adult daughters 21 Two 3 39 yrs 22 Two 3 54 yrs wife 23 One 2 24 yrs wife Completed training course No Employment Position Outcome Returned to LLNP Returned to LLNP Returned to LLNP Returned to LLNP Client struggled with the bending required on the job and decided to return to LLNP Returned to LLNP Returned to LLNP to gain English skills Found alternative employment and did not complete the GROW course 24 One No Found alternative employment and did not complete the GROW course 25 One No Found alternative employment and did not complete the GROW course As the work on the farms is seasonal and can be subject to weather influences including flood, drought or cyclone or other factors such as pest infestations, the employers were reluctant to employ staff on a permanent basis. Although employees are fulltime, they are not on permanent contracts and were therefore reluctant to relocate their families Due to the close proximity of Gatton to Logan (60 minute drive), it was feasible to stay in temporary accommodation in Gatton during the week and to travel back to stay with family at the weekends Accommodation shortages continue to exist due to the 2011 floods and a loss of housing. Those employees indicating they were wanting to relocate were primarily singles or couples without children. For example a husband and wife couple are both employed at Bauer s and want to stay in Gatton, but have not yet found permanent accommodation. 4. PROJECT OUTCOMES AND TARGETS The project will be assessed against the project outcomes as outlined in the funding agreement with DEEWR. 4.1 TRAINING The specified project outcome in the DEEWR contract was that twenty four job seekers will undertake Training in Rural Operations. A total of 25 job seekers commenced training under the program, with a total of 22 completing the training. All of those who did not complete the course were from Group one and they all found alternative employment. The action research methodology utilised by Access and the splitting of participants into two groups enabled the organisation to pilot and assess the training offered in the first group and to amend the second group training based on feedback from stakeholders and also their own findings. Assessment of the first training course, found that the 13 week course was too long as participants were particularly anxious to get a job as soon as possible and employers were also keen to engage staff quickly to meet labour demands. It was also found that some modules were not necessary for the requirements of employers, while the level and detail of the course was also problematic for the students, many of whom had very low levels of English. Subsequently the second training session was reduced to half the timeframe (7 weeks) and a Certificate I in Rural Operations and a skill set for Certificate II in Horticulture Production. Subsequently the entire second group of students completed the course. 4.2 EMPLOYMENT The target for the project was that 20 of the 24 job seekers would be employed. In total 15 of the 22 participants who completed the training course were employed on farms in Gatton. This included 9 job seekers from the first program and 6 job seekers from the second program. Of the seven participants from the second group who decided not to take up employment in Gatton, five were aged 50 years or over and advised that they struggled with the physical demands of the job, especially the constant bending. The remaining two were aged 39 years and 28 years and decided to return to LLNP study and to look for work in an alternative sector. In summary, of the 25 clients recruited, 22 completed the training course, 15 gained employment and 13 remain employed Employer Feedback The Operations Manager of the Brandan Produce (Durham s) advised that they have been dependent on backpackers and transients as their farm employees. With this work arrangement, it costs the employer more in training and re-training of employees and the productivity of the organisation is affected. They are therefore very happy with the GROW program which provides a trained and more permanent labour force. The benefits they saw with the program were: GROW Clients have the skills and qualification in Horticulture Production and Regional Operations (though this skill is not compulsory with the available job in packing/weighing it is an advantage) They have the willingness to relocate to Lockyer Valley and become permanent residents Being Asian (both stature and general work ethic) is an advantage 3.8 RELOCATION Although it was intended that all employed in the GROW project would permanently relocate to the Gatton Lockyer valley area with their families. This has not happened to date. As a result most of the employees stay in temporary accommodation in Gatton during the week, while working and then return to Brisbane for the weekend. The reasons for this are as follows: Particpant working in picker/packer role 5. KEY FINDINGS AND BEST PRACTICE PRINCIPLES While the project just fell slightly short of the training and employment targets, it provided significant outcomes in terms of providing training for 22 clients and employment for 15 job seekers within a fairly short six month time frame. The following factors were seen as having an impact on the project

10 5.1 CO-ORDINATION AND STAFFING SUPPORT The project involved the employment of a full-time co-ordinator, whose role it was to recruit and support participants, co-ordinate training, work with employers to secure jobs, and assist with the relocation, through engagement with local agencies including accommodation providers. Unfortunately the GROW co-ordinator left the project less than halfway through its delivery and implementation. At the time of his departure, Group 1 Training was still ongoing and the selection of Group 2 participants was still underway. Due to the short term project duration, it was considered problematic in terms of the time frame to advertise and recruit a new potential applicant for the Project Coordinator role. Subsequently a decision was made to establish a Project Team consisting of a number of staff with expertise in various areas- employer brokerage, community engagement and client support. It is likely that this project disruption in what is a very short time-frame may have had some impact on the project implementation. 5.2 RECRUITMENT OF APPROPRIATE PARTICIPANTS While it was initially determined that eligibility factors would include English level commensurate to the requirement for Certificate II in Horticulture Production, and driver s licence and car; during the recruitment process it was found that these factors were not necessarily present in those applicants who were most committed towards undertaking the project. Subsequently, the project implemented a number of strategies to support some of the more marginalised job seekers with lower English levels to complete training and gain employment. This included grouping employees around language groups and ensuring that there was at least one employee with good English skills and one or two with a motor vehicle and license. In this way employers hired a group of job seekers, with the capacity for one or more employees to provide interpreting support as necessary and for other employees to assist with transport. For many of the job seekers this was their first job in Australia, so the project has not only helped them to gain employment but has also given them valuable work experience, which is beneficial for future employment. A number of participants selected for the second group were aged 50 years or more. While they presented as being in good physical health as per the selection criteria, the reality is that all five participants in that age group struggled with the high physical demands of the job and provided this as their reason, for not seeking employment in the horticultural sector. Given those issues, it is recommended that future programs be geared towards selection of younger, physically fit job seekers. 5.3 TRAINING Gatton The project successfully assessed and reviewed the training courses based on feedback from trainers, participants and employers. Subsequently the second training course was reduced to almost half the length of time of the first course and reduced the required competencies in light of employer feedback. This resulted in improved retention of participants throughout the second course (100% completion rate) and still met employer skill requirements. 5.4 EMPLOYMENT While discussions were initially held with 15 employers, all 15 placements were with two employers. This group placement of employees worked effectively in regards to offering interpreting support, transport and social support for numbers of employees located in the one work place. Since the completion of the GROW there have been further placement of job seekers by Access Community Services Limited at Durham s. The feedback from employers regarding job seekers employed through this project has been extremely positive and this is reflected in the decision by the employers to continue to employ job seekers from a similar background. While the number of people employed through the GROW project did not meet the target number, this was not due to a lack of jobs for participants. One hundred percent of participants who indicated that they wanted a job in Gatton were employed in local farms. 5.5 RELOCATION As outlined previously both the close proximity of Gatton to Brisbane and the fact that employers were reluctant to engage permanent employees due to the seasonal nature of the work, were factors that resulted in most participants opting to live in Gatton in temporary accommodation while working and return to their families during their days off. Those who have indicated a desire to move to the Lockyer Valley on a permanent basis, tend to be those who are single or a couple, where both are working in the local area. Should permanent relocation be a desired outcome, then the project in future should focus on recruitment of single or couple job seekers. However, it should be noted that the current proximity of Gatton to Brisbane has successfully enabled job seekers to secure full-time employment, while still maintaining weekly contact with family members. 6. RECOMMENDATIONS The GROW Project provided some significant outcomes in a very limited time frame. In terms of implementing similar projects in the future, it is recommended that these be undertaken over a longer time frame of no less than a year in order to provide the lead time to build up stronger links with accommodation providers. Due to the project location being close to Brisbane, it became convenient for employees to return home on the weekends and therefore reduced the incentive to relocate families to the Gatton area. A longer project delivery time would also ensure that the Co-ordinator could have not only sourced suitable accommodation options prior to the commencement of employees, but also enhanced linkages for the family such as with schools and secondary employment options for partners. A further enhancement would be achieved by working more intensely with employers to improve their awareness of models of employability such as traineeships and apprenticeships and to enhance pre and post employee support in order to ensure more secure employment options and to mitigate against the risks of employment breakdown. Other appropriate strategies to attract and retain job seekers to the area include the development of employment options in multiple industries and obtaining casual employment for secondary wage earners. 7. CONCLUSION The GROW project has provided a successful model, for recruiting and training refugees and migrants and assisting them to gain employment in the horticulture sector. A total of 22 marginalised job seekers - nine stream 2; twelve stream 3 and one stream 4 job seeker all completed the training course and for most of the 15 who gained employment, this was their first job in Australia. The Employers have also provided positive feedback about the job seekers employed with their company. The success of the project has evolved through a process of engaging employers in the first instance to ascertain their needs, constantly monitoring and seeking feedback from stakeholders about the processes and outcomes implemented with the first group and providing ongoing support and assistance to employers and employees. While only four employees have indicated a desire to permanently relocate to Gatton, 13 of the 15 job seekers employed through the project, still remain in full-time employment. This project has met a need by employers for a longer term labour force, provided skills development and a job for participants and also provided an employment experience that will support participants in gaining future work in this or other relevant sectors