Employment Related Accommodation. An aim of the NPARIH is to provide access to affordable accommodation in regional centres for Indigenous people from remote communities who want to take up employment, education or training opportunities. This is an important linkage for people from remote communities wanting to take up jobs or education outside their communities, and should also be a critical linkage for RJCP providers. By the end of January 2013, more than 90 facilities were in place across Australia. In some cases, hostels have been constructed in regional centres and in other locations new, family- style housing has been built. As the NPARIH progresses it will important to focus on improving ways of attracting people from remote communities where there has been long-term, multi-generational unemployment and often few role models for education or jobs. In New South Wales and other jurisdictions, the government housing agency is working closely with employers and academic institutions to assist with a smooth transition into education and/or employment1.
Employment Related Accommodation. (ERA) ERA facilities aim to provide affordable accommodation for people from remote Indigenous communities to access education, training and employment opportunities in regional centres across the country. Some of the facilities are at full capacity while others are expected to reach full capacity over time. Additional facilities are planned and as planning progresses governments are focusing on how to better attract Indigenous people from remote communities where there has been multi-generational unemployment and to ensure Indigenous clients get the best results from their experience in the accommodation. The quality of the experience and enabling successful outcomes for the client are a key challenge for the future. Greater focus is needed in the planning stage on issues such as needs analyses to inform the location of regional centres, the type and location of facilities within those centres, number of facilities in each location and the mix of dwelling types. Access to comprehensive support services and related community networks with a good record of working successfully with Indigenous Australians is also important in matching residents support needs with available services. Well-targeted wrap-around services have been important in supporting ERA clients to settle into new communities and effectively access training, employment and other services such as health and child care. Jurisdictions are also considering how to ensure the long-term viability of the ERA model, particularly the ongoing financial viability as the NPARIH progresses. Other key issues for planning additional ERA facilities include: • The range and diversity of locally accessible education, training and employment opportunities, with access to job service agencies and related networks. • Promotional strategies to target potential ERA clients in remote communities. • Evaluation processes to measure outcomes achieved. • Sharing information and lessons learned across jurisdictions.
