Asuria Australia News

JVES FAQs: What is a Priority Job Seeker & More

Written by Asuria | Jan 28, 2022 3:43:37 AM

If you’re unemployed, you may have become discouraged if you’ve had a hard time finding a job. Issues ranging from difficulty finding child care to a lack of work experience may be making your search difficult, but Jobs Victoria Employment Services (JVES) can connect you to the help you need.

JVES is one of the newest government programs aimed at helping Victorian job seekers. The following are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about JVES so you can better understand how you can get help through this program.

What is Jobs Victoria Employment Services?

This Victorian Government program helps provide job seekers who are either unemployed for the long-term or at risk of becoming one of the long-term unemployed. It’s part of the government’s 2020-21 budget and builds upon the success of the Jobs Victoria Employment Network (JVEN), in part by making the program more flexible and by establishing stronger relationships with employers.

JVES is completely voluntary and partners job seekers with mentors who help guide them through the process.

What do Jobs Victoria Employment Services mentors do to help job seekers?

Mentors help each person according to their individual needs. Services provided can include:

  • Meeting and talking with job seekers to understand their circumstances
  • Helping with general and specific job training
  • Addressing barriers to employment such as English language skills, health, child care, or drug/alcohol dependence
  • Assisting with interview readiness including travel, clothing, and grooming
  • Engaging with employers to learn about employment opportunities
  • Matching job seekers with job openings they’re qualified for
  • Helping employees and employers after employment is secured.

Who is eligible to receive help through JVES?

You can receive help from this program if you’ve been unemployed for over six months or have barriers to successful employment that put you at risk of becoming unemployed for six months. It’s meant to help people who don’t receive enough support through other services.

Barriers to employment are quite broad and may include issues such as a lack or absence of work experience, not completing secondary education, lack of digital literacy, or personal issues that can negatively affect your ability to find and keep a job, such as drug or alcohol dependency or self-esteem issues.

How do you get help through JVES?

Asuria is a JVES partner, and we provide a Jobs Victoria Mentor to help guide you through the process of gaining employment.

This starts with a face-to-face meeting to discuss your unique situation and to learn more about your qualifications and what you’re looking for in a job. Your Job Mentor will help with any barriers to employment and knows about programs and organisations that can provide additional help and expertise.

We also have extensive connections with employers and can help match you to one that leads to successful employment. Even after you have a job, we’ll continue to follow-up and provide needed assistance to you as well as your employer to help increase your chances of long-term employment success.

What is a priority job seeker?

Priority job seekers are supported by Specialist Services, which complements the Core Services offered by JVES. Core Services must be able to support all eligible job seekers in a region, while Specialist Services will help with increased tailoring of support or connections to other services for job seekers for whom this might be more effective. In addition, businesses that employ priority job seekers may be eligible to receive a subsidy.

Priority job seekers include Aboriginal people and may expand to other groups. Jobs Victoria Fund priority job seekers in the following groups:

  • People over 45
  • People under 25
  • Job seekers who are unemployed for at least 6 months
  • Veterans
  • Single parents
  • Refugees
  • Newly arrived migrants from non-English speaking backgrounds.

These groups of people have been classified as priority job seekers because their job opportunities have been the most severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you’re a job seeker who has trouble finding or securing employment or are a parent whose child is in this situation, fill out our short online form or call us at 1800 773 338. One of our Job Mentors will be happy to help you successfully address your individual challenges so you can find a job you’ll excel at.