3.5.1.190 Other Suitable Activities (PP)

Participation category

Illustrative examples

Level of participation required

Full-time study

Full-time study in a TAFE or other approved course.

When a PP recipient is undertaking full-time study in an approved course, which is included as part of an EPP, the PP recipient is considered to be meeting their participation requirements in full.

Note: PP recipients who undertake approved study of at least 30 hours per fortnight (including any combination of contact and non-contact hours) are also considered to be fully satisfying their participation requirements.

Part-time study

Part-time study in a TAFE or other approved course.

Part-time study in an approved course, which is included as part of an EPP, will contribute to meeting a PP recipient's participation requirements. PP recipients can fully satisfy their participation requirements by undertaking at least 30 hours per fortnight of study (including any combination of contact and non-contact hours). A PP recipient will be required to meet additional requirements if they undertake less than 30 hours of approved study (including any combination of contact and non-contact hours) per fortnight.

PP recipients who are undertaking approved part-time, less than 30 hours per fortnight, education or training are not required to accept offers of employment if the hours of work conflict with the contact hours of study so long as the education or training is included in their EPP.

If PP recipients are not meeting the required 30 hours per fortnight of participation in approved activities they are required to accept suitable offers of part-time employment where the hours of work would fit around their study schedule. (This must be included in their EPP to ensure compliance.)

Short courses

Full-time and part-time

Includes short courses:

- from providers such as:

• - TAFE,
• - employment services providers,
• - registered training organisations,
• - adult education centres, or
• - private training providers

- covering, for example:

• - resume writing or interview skills course
• - Introduction to computers
• - migrant education courses
• - preparation for NEIS.

These courses can be conducted on either a full-time or part-time basis.

All short courses must have a strong vocational focus.

If the requirement of the short course is less than 30 hours per fortnight (including any combination of contact and non-contact hours), PP recipients will be required to undertake other approved activities in addition to the short course.

PP recipients with a part-time, less than 30 hours per fortnight, short course included in their EPP will only be required to accept suitable work which fits around the timing of their study.

Self-employment

Of at least 15 hours per week and where the income earned from self-employment is equivalent to, or above, 15 hours at the minimum wage.

When this requirement is met, the PP recipient is considered to have met all their participation requirements. Otherwise, a PP recipient will have requirements in addition to this activity such as a job search requirement.

Paid part-time work

Of at least 15 hours per week or 30 hours per fortnight.

When this requirement is met, the PP recipient is considered to have met all their participation requirements. Otherwise, a PP recipient will have requirements in addition to this activity such as a job search requirement.

Voluntary work

Voluntary work that serves as unpaid work experience and skills development, such as:

- sports coaching,

- meals on wheels,

- school based volunteering (such as tuck-shop duties or assisting in the classroom),

- community health services

- country fire service,

- community governance (e.g. local government council member), or

- administration work for a community or sporting group.

In some circumstances, PP recipients under the age of 55 can satisfy their participation requirements by undertaking voluntary work or a combination of voluntary work and other approved activities for at least 30 hours per fortnight. However, the PP recipient must remain connected with their employment services provider and accept any suitable offers of employment. Refer to 3.2.9.130 for more detail.

A PP recipient aged 55 or above can fully meet their participation requirements by doing voluntary work or a combination of part-time paid work and voluntary work of 30 hours per fortnight.

In circumstances other than the above, while voluntary work can fully meet a PP recipient's annual Work Experience Activity requirement, voluntary work will only partially meet a PP recipient's broader participation requirements. At a minimum, an additional activity such as job search will also be required.

Programs recommended by ESAt

Programs such as:

- behaviour management,

- financial literacy,

- addiction or abuse counselling,

- pre-vocational courses,

- rehabilitation courses.

The level of suitable activities required to fully satisfy a PP recipient's requirements will depend on the exact nature of the individual program.

If the total number of hours the PP recipient participates in these activities is less than 30 hours per fortnight they will be required to participate in additional approved activities, such as job search.

Employment services provider

Job Services Australia

As a job search requirement is built into this program, participation in this program can fully meet a PP recipient's participation requirements. JSA providers should include activities as appropriate in the PP recipient's EPP.

Disability employment services

Participation in this program will fully meet a PP recipient's participation requirements. DES providers should include activities as appropriate in the PP recipient's EPP.

Commonwealth, State and Territory Complementary Programs

New Enterprise Incentive Scheme

PP recipients can choose to participate in NEIS training on a part-time basis and remain on PP while participating in NEIS. For these PP recipients, participation in NEIS will fully meet their participation requirements.

National Green Jobs Corps(not available for commencement after 1 January 2012)

PP recipients subject to participation requirements will be able to fully meet their requirements by participating in this program for 15 hours per week. As long as participants continue to satisfactorily participate in this program they will not be required to undertake any additional activity to receive their income support payment.

Participants will also receive a supplementary payment of $41.60 per fortnight to assist with additional costs of participating.

Australian Apprenticeships Access Programme

Participation in this program will fully meet a PP recipient's participation requirements.

Adult Migrant English Program

A PP recipient may need to participate in additional approved activities to meet their participation requirements where they are undertaking less than 15 hours a week of combined contact and non-contact hours in this program.

Language, Literacy and Numeracy Programme

Full-time participation in this program will fully meet a PP recipient's participation requirements. Part-time participation in this program will count towards meeting participation requirements and further approved activity may be required.

Community Development Employment Project

Part-time participation in this program will fully meet a PP recipient's participation requirements if participation is greater than 15 hours per week. If participation is less than 15 hours per week further activity will be required.

Career planning programme

Two-by-two hour sessions - participation will count towards meeting participation requirements.

Work for the Dole

At minimum, a PP recipient may need to meet additional participation requirements.

Basic IT enabling skills programme

Participation will count towards meeting participation requirements.

Queensland: Community jobs plan

Person receives an award wage and can go off income support but will remain a fully eligible participant. On the completion of the program, participants will return to their former employment assistance service.

Another activity that the Secretary regards as suitable for the person that is agreed to between the person and the Secretary

Includes, but is not limited to:

- community service order,

- participation in the armed forces reserves,

- community participation agreement.

While these activities can fully meet a PP recipient's annual work experience activity requirement, they will not always meet a PP recipient's participation requirements in full. At minimum an additional activity such as job search may also be required.

With regards to Defence Force Reserves duty - if the PP recipient is engaged in regular paid Reserve duty for 30 hours a fortnight then they have fully met their participation requirements and they are no longer required to undertake job search or any other activities. If the PP recipient's regular Reserve duty is less than 30 hours a fortnight then they must undertake additional suitable activities to satisfy their participation requirements of at least 30 hours per fortnight.

PP recipients engaged in Defence Force Reserve training are seen to be fully satisfying their participation requirements and are not required to undertake job search activities. Attendance at a programmed training camp or recognised training activity is usually verified by the equivalent of a signed training notice or signal notice. Where a training notice is not issued a reservist must produce authorised documentary evidence of the training activity.