The Victorian Government’s Community Jobs Program (cjp), has funded the first of 45 new projects throughout Victoria aimed at supporting community organisations and government to employ local jobseekers on community projects.
cjp will help unemployed jobseekers to develop their skills so they can effectively return to the workforce.
All participants receive a full award wage and accredited training.
The Mornington Peninsula Shire was funded to conduct two new exciting community projects which include a visitor information centre and an online Business Register, employing 12 people in each of these projects.
For Mornington Peninsula Tourism, this initiative couldn’t have come at a better time.
With funding low and a growth spurt in visitors to the region, tourists weren’t receiving the service they needed. Now however, the Hastings centre for example, can open for seven days rather than two, and visitors needs can be satisfied.
The challenging task of coordinating 12 people over three different Peninsula tourism centres, Dromana, Hastings and Mornington, is going well according to project coordinator, Michelle Scott.
“Working throughout three centres gives the employees a broader knowledge of the whole Peninsula area,” Michelle Scott said.
Mornington Peninsula Shire has also become the sponsor of an online business register, involving 12 participants responsible for the development of individual web pages for up to 400 businesses over a 16 week period.
The online business register will provide a mechanism to facilitate and encourage Mornington Peninsula businesses to source goods and services from other local businesses.
The project will develop a single web page for Mornington Peninsula based business, in conjunction with the development of the Mornington Peninsula Business register, in hard and electronic copy.
Samantha Adam, Economic Development Officer with the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council, said that there is more ownership placed on the participants because they are employees of the Shire.
“This way there is a greater scope for the participants to be guided and trained,” she said.
The visitor information centre is working with cjp, Mornington Peninsula Tourism, Mornington Peninsula Shire, tourism operators from the Peninsula area and Chisholm Institute of TAFE.
The business register is a partnership between cjp, Skills plus Peninsula Inc, the Mornington Peninsula Shire, and the Mornington Secondary College.
Another project funded includes the Better Skills and Training (BST) Consultancy Association Inc. to manage the reconstruction of the Walhalla Railway Station.
Under cjp, BST Consultancy Association Inc. will assist the Walhalla Goldfield Railway in the reconstruction of the Walhalla railway station building to its original specifications.
Twelve participants have been chosen for this 20 week project.
Following a two week induction, in January 2001, the employees began their formal training at the Central Gippsland TAFE in Newborough.
Skills in construction will be learnt and used, when work on the station commences.
General Manager of BST, Tony Carson said that Walhalla is already feeling the benefits of the overall project.
‘Walhalla was connected to electricity in 1998 as a direct result of the reconstruction of the railway,” he said.
“Once the station is established and fully operational, it will be looking at employing train and station staff, caterers and tour guides.”
It is hoped that the reconstructed station will be a major tourist attraction for the tiny Walhalla community of 23.
Over $6 million has already been approved for cjp sponsors, leading to the creation of nearly 600 new job opportunities for disadvantaged Victorians.
Advertisements inviting community organisations and government agencies to apply for cjp funds appeared in metropolitan, regional, suburban and ethnic press on 2 February 2001 with a closing date for applications by 2 March 2001. Applications can be downloaded at www.employment. vic.gov.au/community/cjp.htm and/or for more information telephone the cjp Hotline on 1800 110 109
* Copy supplied by the Community Jobs Unit, Employment Division, in the Victorian, Department of Education, Employment and Training.
