Making it work: promoting participation of job seekers with multiple barriers through the Personal Support Programme

This report presents findings of an evaluation of the Personal Support Programme (PSP) by the Brotherhood of St. Laurence, Melbourne City Mission and Hanover Welfare Services.

Personal Support Programme (PSP), funded by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and delivered by non-government and private contractors, provides two years’ intensive case management to job seekers facing multiple personal barriers.

The research found that after involvement in the program participants had somewhat higher levels of economic and social participation and less interference from barriers. Many elements of the PSP model are consistent with best practice overseas, but two serious weaknesses are the lack of integrated employment support and the severely limited funding restricting access to specialist services for participants.