The Albanese and Malinauskas Labor Governments are partnering to invest in two key projects to tackle disadvantage across South Australian communities.
More than $8 million in Commonwealth funding will be matched by the South Australian Government over the next four years under the first investments of the Outcomes Fund initiative.
The Young Parent Project will be one of the recipients of the funding and will support at risk young mothers aged under 25 – with a focus on those who have been in, or are at risk of, contact with the care and protection system.
Ministers Rishworth and Cook will today visit the Young Parent Project at the Hackham Community Centre.
The program aims to increase parenting capacity, improve children’s development, improve family functioning and wellbeing while also creating employment pathways for participants through a 16-week in-person coaching program. It will demonstrate how effective early interventions targeting young parents can disrupt intergenerational cycles of disadvantage.
The second recipient of the funding will be the Workplace Program which aims to improve outcomes for young men that would otherwise exit custody to homelessness.
It will be the first dedicated post-release accommodation service in South Australia, addressing the key risk factors that can lead to reoffending such as homelessness and unemployment, by providing dedicated accommodation and wrap around support services and will support around 600 formerly incarcerated people.
The Workplace Program will particularly assist First Nations members of the community and helps address Target 10 under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap – to reduce the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults held in incarceration by at least 15 per cent.
Along with State and Federal funding, the Workplace Program will also receive support from the Investment Dialogue for Australia’s Children partnership. The partnership provides an opportunity for philanthropy representatives to provide support to the Outcomes Fund and specific projects.
The Outcomes Fund will give flexibility to service providers to adapt and innovate their services, so they are tailored to the needs of communities and their families and children, with services providers paid when agreed outcomes are achieved.
These are two of the first projects to be funded under the $100 million Commonwealth Outcomes Fund which aims to empower local communities to implement place-based solutions and create stronger accountability for results compared to traditional funding mechanisms.
The Outcomes Fund is part of the Albanese Government’s $200 million Targeting Entrenched Disadvantage package.
Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth:
“These South Australian projects are perfect examples of frontline, community-led programs which seek to benefit their target cohorts while simultaneously working with government to improve capability in outcomes based contracting.
“For the Young Parent Project in particular, we know investing in the early years of a child’s life provides the best chance to positively influence later life outcomes and disrupt intergenerational cycles of disadvantage.
“This is also the critical time to empower parents and caregivers with the skills, resources and capabilities they need to give their children the best start in life.”
Treasurer Jim Chalmers:
“We’re passionate about these projects because too many young Australians are trapped in the cycle of intergenerational disadvantage.
“The best way to solve issues communities face is by listening to them, developing solutions led by local people.
“These two innovative South Australian programs will support people at their most vulnerable, making sure they’re connected to the services they need to get back on their feet and stay out of the care, protection and prison systems.”
South Australian Minister for Human Services Nat Cook:
“This is a fantastic opportunity to expand a South Australian program through social impact investment, to improve the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in our community.
“The Young Parent Project works people aged under 25, to increase parenting capacity, support with children’s development, improve family functioning and wellbeing, and support employment pathways.
“This innovative program, originally established as a 3-year pilot, has successfully helped to disrupt contact with systems, including child protection, homelessness, and unemployment.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with the Federal Government to expand this program, helping to change the course of more young lives over coming years.”
For more information contact [email protected]