The Local Jobs Program plays a valuable role in supporting communities to strengthen their local labour markets, address workforce shortages and structural or systemic barriers to employment.
Changes to the Program include:
- The implementation of a single $10 million grants-based fund
- The cessation of the Local Recovery Fund and the National Priority Fund on 30 June 2025, which will be consolidated into the single grants-based fund to reduce duplication.
- An increase in Local Initiatives Fund funding from 1 July 2025 – to $50,000 per Employment Region per year.
As part of the Program extension:
- Employment Facilitators are being renamed Job Coordinators. This change aims to better reflect their role in driving activities and working with others to deliver job outcomes within local communities.
The single $10 million grants-based fund will respond to local needs and help progress broader employment service reform objectives. It is anticipated that the new fund will be available in the second half of 2025. Interested stakeholders are encouraged to register their interest in future/forecast Department of Employment and Workplace Relations business opportunities via AusTender and GrantConnect.
No further procurement activity for the Local Recovery Fund or National Priority Fund will be undertaken.
The Local Initiatives Fund, which is a flexible funding pool provided to each Employment Region, has proven to be an effective mechanism for targeted local investments to support the local labour market functioning, including funding local pre-employment and employment projects. Additional investment in the Local Initiatives Fund aims to increase the ability for Job Coordinators to deliver locally driven activities.
Supporting Employment Reform
The Program extension continues the Australian Government's commitment to place-based approaches and maintains support to communities, workers and businesses as the Government works through the next phase of employment services reform.
