Work and Income New Zealand Regional Plans - Regional Plan for Nelson 3/4

Steve Maharey Social Services and Employment

Work and Income New Zealand Regional Plans
Regional Plan Nelson - -

OBJECTIVES AND KEY TASKS -
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STRATEGIC OUTCOME 1

Increase people's capacity to participate in community life through
providing income support and other assistance to eligible people.
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Ensure at least 95% of clients receive their correct benefit entitlement in a timely manner.
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  • Ensure an accurate assessment of benefit entitlements is completed at the initial meeting.
  • Provide clients with information on the full range of additional assistance available on an ongoing basis.
  • Undertake monitoring activities on a regular basis to ensure quality service is provided.
  • Undertake exit interviews with clients moving into full-time
    work to ensure they are assessed and low income earners receive full
    information on assistance available.
  • Ensure reviews of decisions which are benefit-related are dealt with in an appropriate and timely manner.
  • Provide case management to all clients, ensuring individual needs are assessed.

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Maintain a minimum level of 80%client satisfaction.
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  • Ensure clients are seen within 48 hours of requesting an appointment,or sooner if necessary.
  • Provide specialised assistance for NZ Superannuitants and Invalids Benefit clients.

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Increase and maintain the competency of all staff, enabling them to deliver a full range of services.
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  • Recruit people with the right skills and attributes to meet the needs of our clients.
  • Provide new staff with five weeks intensive training on the programmes and services administered by the Department.
  • Provide ongoing training sessions for all staff as required.
  • Ensure all staff have a training plan as part of their Performance Management Agreement.
  • Maintain staff levels through timely recruitment processes.
  • Continue to develop the competency of all staff to ensure they
    have the skills and knowledge to deliver a full range of services.
  • Foster confidence and passion within staff.

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STRATEGIC OUTCOME 2

Increase the movement of job seekers into employment,particularly Maori, Pacific Peoples and people with disabilities.
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Increase knowledge and
awareness of the labour market to maximise appropriate client referrals
to employment,ensuring 4,030 placements.
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  • Identify labour market trends together with existing and future employment opportunities.
  • Update our profile of economic growth sectors and their recruitment and/or training programme potential.
  • Improve strategies around managing seasonal employment
    opportunities to maximise stable employment outcomes and meet peak
    employment demands throughout the year such as from the pipfruit,
    viticulture and seafood processing industries.
  • Develop positive partnerships and initiatives with key
    business leaders,agencies and the community to support clients into
    employment.

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Purchase appropriate and targeted programmes to meet the needs of 2,653 clients.
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  • Regularly monitor and evaluate all training purchased to ensure it meets the needs of our clients.
  • Actively encourage job seekers to attend relevant training programmes in order to enhance their employment potential.
  • Work in partnership with Skill New Zealand and other training
    providers to ensure training provided meets the needs of clients within
    the region such as utilising industry-specific training to meet
    regional labour demands.
  • Develop and contract sector-specific training that is targeted at potential job growth areas.

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Young people under 19
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  • Continue specialised case management for young people under 19 years of age.
  • Actively participate in youth networks in each community.
  • Develop closer relationships with secondary schools and youth training providers.
  • Assist and work collaboratively with other key agencies in the development of an integrated youth strategy for the region.
  • Develop an information package for youth to ensure they are aware of all options available prior to leaving school.
  • Purchase 194 activities or interventions with a youth focus.
  • Develop a community programme complementary to Start Smart for students intending to move into employment.
  • Support 100% of clients under 19 to participate in education,training or other activities.

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People with disabilities
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  • Provide specialised case management for clients in receipt of the Invalids Benefit.
  • Continue or establish relationships with providers and
    agencies representing mutual clients in order to provide a co-ordinated
    approach to assisting people with disabilities.

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Sole parents
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  • Provide specialised case management to 750 sole parents through the Compass programme.
  • Purchase training or development opportunities specifically for 129 sole parents.
  • Ensure sole parents are fully aware of assistance available for childcare.
  • Continue or establish relationships with providers and
    agencies representing mutual clients in order to provide a co-ordinated
    approach to assisting sole parents move towards independence.

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Long-term unemployed
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  • Provide 255 places into Work Action for job seekers registered 18 months to four years.
  • Apply intensive case management to all job seekers registered for more than four years.

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Pacific Peoples
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  • >Support Pacific Peoples by placing 35 into employment, five of which are sustainable jobs.

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General
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  • Provide 150 places into Work Track for newly registered job seekers.
  • Analyse potential to mobilise Work Track across the top of the South Island.
  • Secure community work activities for 652 job seekers.
  • Provide other programmes and activities such as career counselling (industry-specific) for 1,500 job seekers.

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All clients will be supported during and/or after course completion.
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  • Ensure course
    participants receive a follow-up interview with their Case Manager on
    completion of raining or activity to discuss further support and
    direction.
  • Provide further support and direction at completion of raining or activity.
  • Actively profile and support participants to access suitable opportunities.

    Assist 4,030 clients to achieve appropriate employment by increasing
    access to local labour market opportunities with 1,420 of these
    placements to be sustainable employment (employed for more than three
    months).

    • Provide individualised case management by Case Managers and Work
      Brokers that will enable job seekers to be actively and positively
      profiled as credible job applicants.
    • Establish industry-specific joint ventures targeted at job growth areas.
    • Provide 654 wage subsidies across the region to assist clients to secure stable employment opportunities.
    • Establish three joint ventures/partnerships with employers, key agencies and community groups.

    Provide relevant support to clients placed into employment.

    • Provide ongoing support to at-risk clients after placement into
      employment to encourage sustainability,for example Maori, long-term
      unemployed and subsidised placements.
    • Develop staff training package for income assistance to low-income earners.
    • Provide post-placement support to employers to ensure placement is appropriate and sustainable.

    Provide opportunities and support job seekers to become self-employed.

    • Provide elementary business skills training for job seekers who desire self-employment.
    • Assist 168 job seekers by providing access to the Business
      Training and Advice Grant to help with the assessment of a new business
      venture.
    • Provide access to he Enterprise Allowance for 115 job seekers to assist them into self-employment.
    • Encourage new and innovative business ventures.

    STRATEGIC OUTCOME 3

    Close the economic and employment gaps by establishing partnerships with Maori for developing self-determining solutions.

    Strengthen relationships with iwi and Maori organisations,community and people to identify how best to meet the needs of Maori.

    • Develop a relationship agreement with each iwi with emphasis on employment, training and service provision to Maori.
    • Develop, with iwi, a strategy that focuses on and supports
      Maori communities and groups towards self-determination and
      independence.
    • Establish iwi-based Maori Local Employment Co-ordination
      across the top of he South Island to develop and implement short and
      long-term strategies to enhance access to training and labour market
      opportunities.
    • Work with Te Puni Kokiri,other Government agencies and iwi to
      ensure resources and priorities are identified to achieve more
      effective outcomes.
    • Complete feasibility study of Maori case management options (Maori staff working with Maori clients).
    • Form effective alliances with other key Maori organisations
      and community to seek opportunities and achieve positive outcomes for
      Maori clients.

    Participate in developing joint initiatives with Maori- based
    organisations to increase Maori participation in the labour market.

    • Collaborate with Skill New Zealand to purchase training for Maori clients to improve employment outcomes.
    • Assist in developing initiatives that enable Maori to participate and contribute to social and economic development.
    • Identify Maori service providers and assess capacity to assist Maori in moving towards local work opportunities.
    • Work with Maori service providers to assist in developing their capacity to maximise their ability to deliver services to Maori.
    • Ensure Maori will participate in 14% of education and training
      opportunities, in proportion to the percentage of Maori represented as
      active job seekers.
    • Purchase 200 training and development opportunities to meet the needs of Maori clients.

    Maori clients are supported to access appropriate and sustainable employment opportunities.

    • Ensure Maori clients are fully aware of all assistance and receive adequate support when moving into employment.
    • Proactively profile and support suitable Maori clients into appropriate employment.
    • Actively promote the Enterprise Allowance as an opportunity for Maori to develop and own their own business.
    • Ensure all Maori clients completing developmental activities are actively case managed and supported to achieve employment.
    • Place at least 620 Maori job seekers into employment of which 260 jobs will be sustainable employment opportunities.
    • Ensure 14% of wage subsidies are made available to Maori across the region to assist in securing stable employment.
    • Assist and support social,economic and community development
      by working in partnership with local iwi, community and key agencies.

    Maximise the use of staff resources to enable them to deliver an excellent service to Maori.

    • Work with Te Puni Kokiri, iwi and Government agencies to ensure
      resources and priorities are identified to achieve more effective
      outcomes.
    • Investigate and develop a training strategy to enhance staff awareness of Treaty of Waitangi, Te Reo,and Tikanga Maori.

    STRATEGIC OUTCOME 4

    Close the economic and employment gaps by strengthening priority communities through inter-sectoral and community partnerships.

    Strengthen participation in Government, local authority and community networks.

  • Work co-operatively with key business leaders,
    agencies,community organisations and support groups and adopt an
    integrated approach to developing solutions.
  • Continue representation in the community and at community support group meetings.
  • Review networks to ensure advice and information on the full
    range of services available from the Department of Work and Income are
    provided to all groups.
  • The Department of Work and Income is an active participant in
    the Strengthening Families strategy across the region through
    management participation at local level and a collaborative case
    management approach to at-risk families.

    Consult and involve appropriate Government agencies,local authority
    and community networks in developing initiatives that increase clients' access to community and labour market opportunities.

    • Facilitate and participate in forums to identify and develop
      solutions and strategies for all clients, in particular priority client
      groups.
    • Local Employment Co-ordination committees continue to promote
      co-ordination,analyse employment conditions and promote local solutions
      to local employment problems via their strategic plans.
    • Work in partnership with Skill New Zealand and other training providers to ensure training provided meets clients' needs.

    Provide a forum that enables key agencies and community groups to
    channel relevant information about service delivery and client needs.

    • Work actively in co-operation with community support and advocacy groups.
    • Review key liaison roles at service centres for all community
      groups and service providers to ensure liaison protocols are in place
      and well maintained.

    Strengthen and progress partnerships with priority groups to identify how best to meet the needs of priority clients.

    Pacific Peoples

    • Form effective alliances with key agencies and community groups representing Pacific Peoples.
    • Identify an appropriate communication mechanism to promote services and relay information to Pacific Peoples.

    • - nformation to Pacific Peoples.