Youth Activities to satisfy mutual obligation requirements 001-09070080

If a YA job seeker customer is enrolled in a course of study which would qualify them under the rules for YA as a full-time student, then payment as a YA (student) should first be considered.

However, if a YA job seeker is participating in sufficient hours of suitable requirements or programs, these can fully satisfy their mutual obligation requirements.

The approved requirement 'Youth Activities' can be applied where other activities that fully meet requirements, such as paid work, study (for principal carers) or short courses, are not appropriate for the job seeker.

If Youth Activities is approved by Services Australia, (the agency), the job seeker is not required to look for work. They will be managed by the agency and not have to be referred to and participate in Employment Services.

When approving Youth Activities, the primary focus is if the activities will improve the job seeker's:

• skills and qualifications
• prospects of gaining employment
• work capacity, and
• increase their social participation

Examples of Youth Activities include, but are not limited to:

• a part-time vocational training course
• unpaid work experience or voluntary work
• paid employment or self-employment (meeting the Sufficient Work Test)
• measures designed to eliminate or reduce any disadvantage the person has in the labour market
• a self-employment development opportunity
• training for Aboriginal program placement
• an approved literacy course through TAFE/Adult Education Providers
• a rehabilitation program, including a vocational rehabilitation program
• a program of assistance as recommended by an Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) or Job Capacity Assessment (JCA)
• National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) work focussed activities

To have Youth Activities approved, the YA job seeker must be undertaking a 50 to 74 per cent study load (in a suitable vocational course of study, as per normal course approval policy) or a combination of requirements/programs for a minimum number of hours per week. The minimum hours required will depend on the job seeker's participation category:

• Principal carers Parents - 15 hours per week
• Partial Capacity to Work job seekers - 15 hours per week
• Other YA job seekers - 25 hours per week

Where a CDP job seeker in receipt of YA participates in Youth Activities, these requirements are voluntary.

For all CDP job seekers, including YA job seekers:

• CDP providers consider each job seeker's assessed capacity and individual circumstances when negotiating Job Plans
• minimum hourly requirements do not apply, and
• there are no specific requirements for CDP job seekers based on their age group or participation category

See Community Development Program (CDP) for information on mutual obligation requirements for job seekers in CDP.

Note: job seekers participating in CDP are not subject to points based activation See Community Development Program.

NDIS work focussed activities can be approved as 'Youth Activities' for YA job seekers. These job seekers have no job search or other compulsory requirements, as participation in this will fully meet their mutual obligation requirements.

Job seekers who have started or are due to start NDIS work focussed activities within 8 weeks of applying for YA, need to have Youth Activities included as an approved requirement. They are not required to undertake any other activities before starting NDIS work focussed activities.

Note: to complement and build upon the help they are receiving through the NDIS, young job seekers who are in their final 6 months of participation in NDIS work focussed activities can directly register with a DES provider as an eligible school leaver to start receiving DES assistance.

They do not need to have an ESAt for the purpose of accessing DES. The DES and NDIS providers should work together to support the participant to:

• start work with a suitable employer, and
• help them maintain the job

To be eligible to participate in DES and NDIS work focussed activities concurrently, a participant must:

• be in their final 6 months of NDIS work focussed activities, and
• meet eligibility requirements for DES as an eligible school leaver, and
• be able to:
• benefit from DES, and
• participate fully and effectively in both programs at the same time

Note: job seekers participating in DES are not subject to points based activation. See Referring a job seeker to Disability Employment Services (DES).

Unemployed people participating in Drug Court programs may be able to use this activity to meet their mutual obligation requirements.

Youth Activities (YAC) should be recorded on the Activity and Exemption Summary (AEX) screen in Process Direct as the job seeker's approved activity for no more than 6 months at a time.

A Job Plan should be updated every 6 months and take into consideration:

• the person's individual Drug Court program obligations, and
• their ability to look for and take up work, or undertake study, if appropriate

Once accepted into the program, participants will be required to follow an individual case management plan which sets out the requirements of the program. This program will be strictly monitored by the court and any deviance may result in the imposition of sanctions and in the last resort, expulsion from the program.

If a person is participating full time in a state government training program and is receiving a Training Wage, they should be considered as employed rather than unemployed. They do not need to satisfy mutual obligation requirements as they are not eligible for YA (job seeker). If the job seeker is participating on a part time basis and receiving YA (job seeker), the Training Wage they are paid whilst in the program should be treated as earned income.

Note: an Australian Apprentice (apprentice or trainee) claiming YA is not subject to an Activity Test.

YA job seekers, who are identified at the Participation Interview stage as potentially eligible for the approval of Youth Activities are exempt from RapidConnect and have an automatic 6 week deferred referral to:

• Workforce Australia Employment Services
• Workforce Australia - Transition to Work (TtW), or
• a Community Development Program (CDP) provider

YA job seekers will only be referred to Workforce Australia Employment Services, national Workforce Australia - Transition to Work (TtW) or a CDP provider at the end of the 6 week deferred referral period if they have not commenced in Youth Activities.

Youth Activities can continue for a maximum of 52 weeks.