Rodney Stevens
Five-year funding arrangements Labor plan to introduce if they secure power at the March NSW election will deliver job security and budget certainty for key community service providers who support more than 1 million of the most vulnerable in society.
Currently more than 7800 non-government community service organisations operate in the sector, employing more than 240,000 people to provide essential help to more than 1 million people.
These essential front-line workers are predominantly women who are vital in supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our community, including throughout the pandemic, fires, droughts and floods, as well as homelessness, domestic and family violence, and child protection.
According to a NSW Council of Social Services report, under the current arrangements, one in four community service workers are employed under short term contracts.
Funding arrangements are also short term, with some organisations having to reapply every 12, six or even three months.
As a result, the report found the community service sector had issues in recruiting and retaining staff and organisations are often forced to compete, rather than collaborate, which leads to a race to the bottom on wages and conditions in a sector comprised of predominantly women.
Labor candidate for Clarence Leon Ankersmit said the party will establish a taskforce to engage with the sector on the development of a new funding framework and jobs compact.
The taskforce will work to standardise and streamline reporting, contract management, and establish a whole-of-government prequalification process so that organisations don’t need to repeat accreditation processes.
Plus, it will review funding models to stop the race to the bottom on wages, provide secure jobs and ensure adherence to award conditions.
“As a former CEO of a non-government organisation I know first-hand how difficult it is to retain staff and plan for quality services into the future,” he said.
“We lament the loss of knowledge and skills when workers need to leave because short-term funding contracts come to an end.
“The work involved in applying for a new contract keeps us from doing other important work.
“Longer term funding will mean better services for frontline organisations because it’s more time spent helping people and less time bogged down in paperwork to get funding. “These organisations and workers provide essential support to some of the most vulnerable in our community, from those experiencing natural disasters to domestic violence.
“This is a predominately female workforce and ensuring certainty will also provide economic security for those employed in this sector.”
Shadow Minister for Families and Communities Kate Washington said, “Under Labor, service providers will have the freedom to plan for the future, workers in the sector will have more secure jobs and the sector can focus on service delivery and supporting vulnerable people in our community.”
Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin has also thrown her support behind the plan to deliver longer term job and funding security.
“This is something I know is sorely needed to support our communities through our hard-working community service workers,” she said.