Increased our impact in the community through the Working for Victoria initiative
Through the state government’s Working for Victoria Initiative we employed 102 jobseekers and increased our capacity to deliver services to the community.
The Victorian Government’s Working for Victoria (WfV) initiative was introduced in 2020 to create job opportunities during the pandemic while helping organisations like ours to respond to the pandemic. The initiative ran from June to December 2020 and saw 102 staff join BSL for up to six months of employment. These individuals contributed to strengthening BSL’s support of people experiencing disadvantage, while building their own skills and work experience. Many were entering community sector work for the first time.
Of the 102 staff BSL recruited, 50% were from disadvantaged backgrounds and 35% were from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds, with 30 languages spoken. Many of the WfV staff brought with them unique expertise they had gained from work in other sectors and countries.
By the end of their time with BSL, 74% of our WfV employees believed they improved the skills required to be hired into their next role. 39% were considering a permanent career change into the community sector and 29% viewed the experience at BSL as a step up in their career journey. Of the cohort, 46% transitioned to either extended short term or permanent roles within BSL, while a further 25% secured employment elsewhere at the conclusion of their contract.
Work in the community sector
Shanshan He’s story illustrates how the WfV program helped her to transition into work during the pandemic and to recognise the value of work in the community sector.
Shanshan came to Australia 21 years ago from China. She became an Australian citizen and had two children. Having studied at Monash University, Shanshan had ten years’ experience working in accounting, customer service and logistics, but stopped work to look after her children. She began looking for work again when her youngest child was five years old. Shanshan said, ‘I like my children to be proud of me. That’s why I started looking for a job in February 2020.’
Finding it difficult to gain employment like many others during the crisis, Centrelink referred Shanshan to ParentsNext. She was then connected with the WfV program at BSL, where her accounting and logistics skills were recognised, and her contribution was valued, despite her lengthy time out of the workforce raising children. She was engaged as a BSL Community Organiser, as part of the Community Strengthening team. When the WfV program ended in December 2020, Shanshan continued her employment at BSL in the Jobs Victoria Advocates program.
My new goals are to stay in community area. I want to say thanks to BSL. It’s different from corporate. In community it’s about relationships and it’s good that you can help people. You must have a generous heart and respect people regardless of their background.
Through the WfV initiative, BSL was able to provide an opportunity for job seekers experiencing disadvantage to transition to employment, to increase their skills and employability and recognise the opportunities in the community services sector.