Voices

Here are some of the comments made in the submissions to the "questions for consultation":

2. What do you believe should be the basis for determining the size, and consequently, the number of regions?

"The basis for determining the size and number of regions should be geographical distances. It is not considered workable to set up regions as Health have done because each province is uniquely different and what is good for Christchurch is not good for the West Coast of the South Island or Invercargill."
-- Southland Enterprises Inc.

"Regional Commissioners should not just be appointed to cover geographical areas, they should also be appointed to cover specific communities for whom long-term unemployment is an issue ..."
-- NZ Manufacturers Federation

3. On what basis should funds be allocated in the region?

"Enough funds should be allocated to cater for the region's needs and be granted for triennial periods."
-- REAP Marlborough

"Maori and Pacific Islands people should be weighted by an extra factor of 40% since much structural adult unemployment is among these groups..."
-- NZ Catholic Education Office

"Funding should contain a strong element of outcome-based criteria reflecting the needs and opportunities in the region. That is, successful schemes should be expanded in preference to unsuccessful ones..."
-- Federated Farmers of NZ

4. How should funds be distributed?

"A set allocation needs to be available for each region to cover management costs with discretionary funding allocated on population and unemployment levels. A bid for funds on the basis of outcomes could be punitive in rural areas where there are few employment opportunities..."
-- Abel Tasman Educational Trust

"As a baseline, say 70% of available funds, distributed on the basis of general population, weighted by unemployment levels. The balance, say 30% contestable for innovative projects involving identified target groups and reinforcing and building on successful projects..."
-- DPA (New Zealand) Inc

5. Should there continue to be a set of national functions which are delivered by all regions in the same way? If so, what would these be?

"Whether or not the same national functions remain in place, there needs to be some continuation of their focus, for example, the priority risk groups of Maori, Pacific Islanders, women and rural/urban disadvantaged. The administrative/operational procedures of handling job seekers should be nationally consistent. That is, they enrol, interview, report and advance in the same way from one end of the country to the other..."
-- CBT Systems Applied Learning

6. What should be the role of the proposed Regional Employment Committees?

"Research and analysis of submitted schemes, establish systems to assess schemes as they progress, assess completed schemes, prepare local guidelines. Must have control of funding. Should have autonomy to select schemes. Ensure existing workers and jobs are not displaced..."
-- National Council of Women in NZ

"To be the focus for community interest and action on employment and work-related issues. To facilitate the co-operation of agencies of local, regional and central government. To be the sounding board for local ideas, strategies and plans. To set the local agenda for action. To provide the accountability mechanism for the Regional Employment Commissioner."
-- Manawatu Employment Action Group

"We do not agree with the Regional Employment Committees. This is a concept that has been tried and proven to be ineffective under the different schemes such as REAC, STEPS and TAPS."
-- Pacific Island Training Providers of NZ Inc

7. Who should be represented on the regional committees?

"Those who are aware of the community's and the unemployed's needs. Must include those who have experienced unemployment and those who in their daily work are faced with the repercussions of unemployment eg. social agencies. Also representatives of different groups involved in the area of unemployment and employment. Nominees determined by the local community."
-- Maureen Ries of Eltham

""More discussion is needed about the process by which people get appointed to the committee. REAC members were appointed by the government and usually had close connections to the party in government. This is unavoidable to some extent but different sectors should nominate their own representatives..."
-- YMCA

COMMUNITY WORK AND TRAINING

1. Who should be available to engage in Community Work? Who should be available to engage in training?

"The sheer size of the unemployment register means that some arbitrary criteria must be used to try and screen those for whom community work would be the most appropriate. It would probably be appropriate to concentrate on long-term unemployment first. The sheer size of the unemployment register would suggest that within this group it would probably be useful to start with volunteers. People who want to go on such programmes are likely to contribute the most, and gain some benefits from participating..."
-- The Employers Federation

" Community work and training should be mutually interchangeable alternatives, depending upon the identified needs of the person seeking or requiring assistance. Community training should therefore be available to all those who seek this assistance..."
-- The Salvation Army Training and Employment programme

2. Should Community Work be mandatory? Should training be mandatory? If so, for whom?

"Yes, especially for those registered 26 weeks or longer provided appropriate training is available and the work is accessible (eg. travel is available)."
-- Hawkes Bay Community Work Trust

"Our information is that historically, compulsory attendance at either work or training schemes has not achieved a successful outcome for the participant. Further, unwilling participants can often be a disruptive influence or even sabotage the entire programme for other participants."
-- Youth Works

"It depends on the quality and `good fit' of the training. The best option would be to have a client-centred scheme in which local provision offers a wide range of options ..."
-- Department of Social Work, University of Canterbury

3. What types of activity should qualify as Community Work?

"Any activity that will be of benefit or improve the life of people within the community, while at the same time community work should advance the position of those involved. Include school-based, marae-based, sports club-based, church-based work programmes. Should include an element of training/education/upskilling..."
-- Whakaatu Whanaunga Trust

"We stress our view that if funding is made available it would be far more beneficial to offer the work on the open market creating genuine employment and offering considerable efficiencies over a government-administered work scheme."
-- Just Dollars

"Current government funding has made all possible sectors of community work subject to contestable funding. There is a real danger that the introduction of community work agencies will give significant competitive advantage to those employing workers under the proposed scheme. There is no field of social or community work that can be funded without this becoming a problem..."
-- YMCA

4. What types of training activity should qualify?

"Anything that leads to full-time employment."
-- Raukawa Development Trust

"Training should only be introduced that is linked to the NZ Qualification Framework. This is very important if unemployed people are going to gain value for their effort..."
-- North Otago Council of Social Services

"Training under the employment schemes should be linked to and utilise industry training standards set by industry training organisations..."
-- NZ Contractors' Federation

5. What is the best way of ensuring that Community Work does not displace existing or prospective paid work?

"You're dreaming! It is dishonest to suggest this programme will not displace paid work given the lack of funding of the community sector..."
-- Enhancing Potential ITO

"I believe 10-20% of community work will replace existing low skills workers no matter how careful we are. However, extra employment will be created at this level in supervising and administering community work..."
-- Vocational Skills International

"Ensure there are effective monitoring systems in place put the emphasis on projects in the community that targets areas that cannot afford them.."
-- Auckland Central Group LEC

COMMUNITY WAGE

1. Should Community Wage levels be set higher, lower or about the same as comparable benefit levels?

"So long as the scheme is not compulsory, the community wage must be at least the minimum wage otherwise it isn't a wage. The net amount paid weekly to the worker must exceed the benefit at a level which will provide a realistic incentive. The unemployment benefit must remain for people who are out of work."
-- Canterbury Volunteer Centre

"Should be set higher to encourage the job seeker to participate in positive and financially rewarding work experience. Care should be taken not to overly penalise those who are seriously job-seeking and would prefer to spend time doing so rather than community work or training..."
-- Ian Black and Terina Paul

2. Should the Community Wage be more like a wage or a benefit?

"For attitudinal reasons self esteem and dignity the community wage should be seen as a wage paid for valued assistance to people or improvements to the environment where they live. Community wage projects should be conceived and presented as opportunities for enhancing the quality of life of the people in the community and region and those who visit it."
-- Hamilton Workshops and Training Centre

"We do not see the same need to have a higher benefit for participants in training. They are gaining the benefits of qualifications which will help them in the future. The current situation, where students receive an additional travel allowance, works well. Other students have to pay to do training."
-- YMCA

"You pay the person a wage for doing a job. Housing allowances, rent allowance etc should be separate issues but based on the new wage structure."
-- Company Rebuilders Trust

"When unemployed people are required to take up work positions on pain of loss or reduction of benefit (in any sector) such jobs must be full-time and waged. Of course at this point the person is in no longer in receipt of a benefit..."
-- Auckland Unemployed Workers Rights Centre

"The scheme will need to be in the nature of an employment relationship with the government, with the core benefit being characterised as a community wage. Add-ons for dependants, accommodation costs etc will need to remain as part of the welfare system..."
-- NZ Manufacturers Federation

Source "Analysis of Public Submissions on Government Employment Strategy" for the Employment Implementation Steering Group (June 1997) available from EISG at P.O.Box 1115, Wellington

see also The Jobs Letter No.68
and also Feedback on Employment Policies
and also Objectives of Regional Delivery