Vision for SA
Targets and strategies
Download the factsheet
Case studies
Tell us your story
Being unemployed, especially for a long period of time, is a major contributor to poverty.
In December 2004, 39,900 South Australians were defined as long term unemployed and the number is increasing. 60% of people looking for work in SA have been unemployed for more than a year. South Australia’s unemployment rate of 5.2 per cent hides an equally large number who have insufficient hours of employment to meet their needs or who have dropped out of the labour market in frustration.
Nearly one in five South Australian children are growing up in jobless households. Children growing up in jobless households are much less likely to participate in education, training and other community activities to the same extent as their peers. This reduces employment and other life opportunities and contributes to social exclusion.
In a changing and increasingly skilled workforce, education and training are the key to poor and disadvantaged people breaking the cycle and improving their life. Working with communities to leverage local knowledge and government resources can create employment, education and training opportunities for the people who need them most.
Vision for SA
SACOSS seeks full and satisfying employemnt for all South Australians, with free access to the education and training required to attain this.
Targets and strategies
The Campaign’s targets and strategies to achieve its visions for South Australia are constantly being developed. The first development, entitled Building on the Blueprint and released in September 2005, can be downloaded here. It is to be read in conjunction with Extending Opportunity to All: a blueprint for the elimination of poverty in South Australia.
Case Studies
Angela’s story
Angela would like to return to work, but has been out of the workforce for 10
years raising her children. She is interested in a TAFE computing course, but
the fees together with travel costs are too high. She would also need to find
and pay for childcare for her three children while she was in class.
submitted 18 march 2005
Helena’s story
I am now doing my first year of a social work degree at Whyalla Uni and love
it. I have a HECS debt that will increase with each year of study but I can pay
that when I have a substantial income. I have done some TAFE studies by
external delivery.
Paying fees can be difficult, and for some people impossible. There are some grants available to pay part of the fees but only if you fall into the right category. I have found out about these grants through word of mouth. Agencies do not tell you. You have to be persistent to battle the red tape to access grants. You will have to make lots of phone calls and must not get put off when you are told you don't qualify. I am sure many people must give up because the process of getting support is difficult.
You need to follow up and check that your fees have actually
been paid or you will be unable to do further studies while there is a debt.
This happened to my friend. She got help to pay part of her TAFE fee. She has
the paperwork to say the fee would be paid and received the study booklets.
This year she applied to TAFE to do a course but can't as the previous fees
were never paid. When she tried to follow the non payment up she was unable to
get information about it.
submitted 11 may 2005
Greg’s story
The federal government's new plans scare me. I was recently diagnosed
with mild Asperger Syndrome. I have never won a job at interview. I have been a
qualified lawyer for the past four years, but in that time have only had three
months employment as a lawyer.
I have been on Social Security benefits for much of the past 15 years or so, and don't see much hope of getting free of them. I need minimal, but crucial, assistance to get a job (I got the three months work while assisted by DisabilityWORKS) and also during the first few months of work to assist myself and my employer in the workplace. I can do the job - I'm an Honours graduate in Science and in Law, with tertiary education in biology, IT, law, and education - but small things lead to misunderstandings.
I'm now hoping to find a paid job in the community non-profit sector, having done volunteer work throughout the past 15 years. I CAN work, but I rarely get the opportunity - and when I do, it's usually not challenging or ongoing work.
Trying to *live* on less than $400/fortnight while trying to
have a meaningful relationship with my son, and trying to maintain *the
appearance* that I might be able to start work tomorrow in a professional
workplace is not easy.
submitted 21sept 2005
Tell us your story
Type your own story relating to Employment, Education or Training in the space below and click the Submit button, to contribute to our case studies file. If you fill in your name and contact details then we can get in touch with you to clarify any issues before your story goes on the website, but we will not give your details to anyone, and your story will remain anonymous with a different name listed on the website.