History and Purpose

Workskills will deliver employment services and provide opportunities for skills development to job seekers while Impact Communities will focus on projects and initiatives of a broader nature where unmet needs are identified. At the same time we will ensure that we are not duplicating any existing services and funding.

Impact Communities aim is to support the following Workskills Incorporated Objects of the Association:

  • Programs of support

    To establish and conduct programs of support, sometimes in partnership with other community organisations, for marginalised people including prisoners, indigenous persons, youth at risk, other disadvantaged people, refugees and other migrant groups.

  • Social & economic needs

    To alleviate the social and economic needs of people and organisations through education and training solutions and to create opportunities to increase their self-confidence, self-esteem and ability to cooperate and work with others.

  • Personal support

    To provide personal support, educational programs and skill training facilities for unemployed people and to prepare those people for referral to employment.

  • Enterprise activities

    To establish and conduct enterprise activities and coordinate with other community groups the provision of such activities for unemployed people.

Community based programs

Over the past 30 years Workskills’ primary focus has been the delivery of government funded employment, training and work preparation programs. Connection with the communities in which we work, and appreciation of their desires and needs, has been a critical factor in our success. In 2010 Workskills employed a Community Liaison Co-ordinator to enhance community collaboration, expand our networks and develop new initiatives. In 2012 the Workskills Community Investment Fund was established to provide support to vital community groups.

Through employment and training services, community liaison and collaboration, we observe circumstances where individuals and groups are either marginalised, isolated or excluded from mainstream community services and opportunities or are not yet ready or able to access them.

These circumstances are also indicated by:

  • Published reports and statistics from government and major community service providers
  • Observations by organisations and agencies with which we collaborate
  • The social landscape in which we work.

Our knowledge and experience therefore tells us that there is a space for Impact Communities to develop and deliver community based programs that are flexible and responsive to identified local need.