Eligibility and registration for employment assistance as a Vulnerable Youth (VY) or Vulnerable Youth (Student) (VY(S)) 001-02020040

Assessment as VY job seeker

In order to be assessed as a VY job seeker, a young person must meet all of the following conditions:

• be aged 15 to 21 years
• not working 15 hours or more per week, not studying full-time and not currently receiving an income support payment
• present with at least one serious non-vocational barrier
• have legal rights to work in Australia

Assessment as VY(S)

In order to be assessed as a VY(S), a young person must meet all of the following conditions:

• be aged 15 to 21 years
• be a full-time student
• present with at least one serious non-vocational barrier
• be in crisis, which is defined as circumstances that require immediate intervention to stabilise their situation
• unable to be referred to an alternative local youth service (for example, Reconnect Program)
• have legal rights to work in Australia

Customers who meet the eligibility criteria for assessment as VY or VY(S) can register for services via Services Australia or directly with a provider. They have access to Workforce Australia provider services, which is specifically targeted at job seekers experiencing complex and multiple barriers. Job seekers in a Community Development Program (CDP) region are serviced by a CDP provider. The provider will assess appropriate services available for the job seeker's needs.

If the customer registers with a provider, they have a have a VY or VY(S) flag set by the provider. Within 4 weeks of commencing in Workforce Australia/CDP services, the provider may refer the customer to the agency to:

• test their eligibility for an income support payment
• refer to a social worker to determine if there is an alternative local youth service that is available in accordance with the young job seeker's needs

If the customer registers with Services Australia, they:

• will be registered as Fully Eligible Participants (FEPs)/CDP fully eligible as part of the Participation Interview
• are exempt from the RapidConnect process
• will have a VY or VY(S) flag set and a Vulnerability Indicator (VI) recorded if applicable
• will be referred for an ESAt if appropriate
• will be referred to a social worker for assessment of crisis circumstances. The social worker will refer the customer to appropriate services in their area (if available)

If young customers do not meet the criteria of VY, they may meet the criteria to be registered as Fully Eligible Participants (FEP) by Services Australia.