Australia: Return to Work Pathways Program

Deadline: 11-Mar-2024

The NSW Government has launched the Return to Work Pathways Program to support women from focus communities who are experiencing persistent barriers to employment.

Program Objective

• The Return to Work Pathways Program (RTWPP) supports women from focus communities gain increased work readiness and to secure sustainable employment. The RTWPP delivers on NSW Government priorities including the NSW Women’s Strategy 2023 – 2026.
• The primary objective of the RTWPP is to reduce barriers for women to enter or re-enter the workforce.  The RTWPP will address the needs of women experiencing complex and persistent barriers to employment, and support women to gain increased work readiness, confidence and employment.
• A variety of bespoke and tailored projects will be funded to provide wraparound supports including training, mentoring and pathways to employment. Projects will be targeted to focus communities, responding to their specific needs, life stages and circumstances.
• The 2024 RTWPP grant round targets seven focus communities which were less represented in the projects funded under the 2023 grant round.
• This program is funded and administered by Women NSW.

Types of Projects funded under this grant

• The RTWPP will fund a variety of models and funding will vary according to the proposed model and corresponding extent of services to be provided, in response to focus community’s needs.
• Funding for projects will vary within the range of $100,000 – $250,000 depending on the project model, the number of participants to be supported, and the level and intensity of services and supports provided to participants.
• Projects should provide a model delivering some or all the following components, with a minimum of two service components required.  Supports can include, but are not limited to the following:
  • Tailored wraparound supports – Supported referrals to services, career coaching and guidance, other support activities, and programs to build confidence.  Time-limited support following participant’s employment.
  • Mentoring – Provide mentoring using a suitable mentoring model, this may include peer and volunteer mentoring.
  • Training – Provide appropriate training programs in a variety of formats responding to participants needs.  Supported referral to other training and education options as required.
  • Work readiness – Pre-employment training, work readiness skills training and coaching to build participants’ capability and confidence.
  • Pathways to employment – Facilitated employment opportunities using models such as job placement, paid traineeships and other programs that offer established pipelines to employment.
  • Engagement of employers – Partnering with employers to facilitate employment options for participants and for employers to create supportive environments.

Who the grant is targeted towards?

• Focus Communities
  • The target group for the program is women who face enduring and complex barriers to enter or re-enter the workforce.
  • In addition, projects funded under the 2024 RTWPP need to specifically target and support one of the following focus communities:
    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls
    • women of diverse sexualities and genders including those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, queer and/or asexual (LGBTIQA+)
    • women and girls with disability
    • women and girls with mental illness
    • women and girls living in regional, rural and remote areas
    • women veterans
    • women and girls in contact with the criminal justice system
  • Only one application for funding will be accepted per organisation per project.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be a legally constituted Australian-based entity. This includes:
  • incorporated not-for-profit organisations, including community organisations
  • industry bodies and the private sector working in partnership with the community or government on projects directly supporting women and girls
  • local councils and shires, including regional organisations of councils and consortia of councils.
  • social enterprises, defined as a business that trades primarily for a defined social purpose consistent with a public and/or community benefit
• Not-for-profit bodies are organisations that are registered and approved as not-for-profit bodies by NSW Fair Trading, Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) or Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC). They can include:
  • charities, trusts, and cooperatives that are registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC)
  • organisations with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) or Public Benevolent Institution status
  • not-for-profit companies limited by guarantee and registered in NSW (these must have ACNC registration and or DGR status)
  • associations (registered under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009 and with NSW Fair Trading)
  • Local Aboriginal Land Councils
  • religious organisations
  • organisations established under an Act of Parliament.
• Note: Organisations listed on the ACNC Register must have a current and up to date record.
• An application must be made by a single organisation that will accept responsibility for the delivery of the project if the application is successful.

For more information, visit NSW Government.