Local Charities Filling Demand Created by Lockdown

BY LAURA WILLIAMS

Newcastle charities are collaborating for a greater cause, helping to provide a sense of dignity for women leaving prison through the Success Works program. 

The program is part of charity organisation Dress for Success's mission to smoothen the transition from prison, helping affected women to write resumes, gain employment, and in the most practical sense, provide them with something to wear as they leave prison. 

The Sydney lockdowns have created an opportunity for Newcastle to contribute, with charities such as Samaritans stepping up to meet the demand and filling clothing orders. 

Dress for Success operations Manager Shari Bonnette says that often women leaving prison don't have clothing with them. 

"They may not have a lot of family support, if we can offer them some clothing then we can at least provide them with some dignity and a sense that they will fit right in with society." she says.

Dress for Success, which is known for providing disadvantaged women with the resources to gain employment right down to an outfit for interview, is a crucial organisation for the Hunter region, with the region's female unemployment rates well above the national average. 

While the organisation is always accepting donations of corporate clothing for women, their collaboration with local op-shops have allowed them to meet the more niche needs of women re-entering society. 

"Women leaving the prison system don't necessarily want a pair of slacks or a corporate-style shirt, this collaboration has allowed us to provide these women with something more casual and comfortable for when they leave," says Shari. 

"Newcastle has really stepped up."

                                                           Source: Dress For Success

                           

A mixed bag for the Hunter economy

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The latest economic snapshot for the region has been released by the Hunter Research Foundation Centre.

It's a mixed bag, with the June quarter bringing subdued income growth and consumption, improved business confidence despite a decline in household confidence and a fall in the unemployment rate.

Lead Economist DR Anthea Bill says the state of the region's unemployment and employment rates are quite positive.

"The Hunter economy added 4,500 jobs and that was a growth of 1.4 per cent so that's in line with the state and a lot of those new jobs that were added to the economy were full-time jobs and growth was strongest in males and over the quarter male part-time employment actually contracted."

It's good news for first home buyers, but not so good for home owners - there's been a 2 per cent decline in Lake Macquarie and a 5 per cent drop largely in Dungog, Port Stephens and Singleton.

"The median house price across the Hunter declined in the June quarters of 2.4 per cent decline so that's the first time we've had a negative quarterly growth in median house price since September 2015 and that's led to a slowing of the annual growth rate to 6 per cent," said DR Anthea Bill.

However, while there are a few positives, DR Anthea Bill says apprenticeships for young people have been on a steady downward trend since 2012 with a 24 per cent decline.

"I understand there was some removal of employer incentives around that time period and there have also been overall shifts in employment away from manufacturing which has been a very strong provider of apprenticeships and traineeships in the region. I heard commentary also around the wage rate for apprentices and trainees."

Youth Employment Initiative for Hunter youth

BY JAMES WARD

The unemployed youth of the Hunter are urged to get involved in the State Government's new $65 million dollar Youth Employment Program.

The program is part of the Smart Skilled and Hired initiative set up by the government aiming to get more people working aged 15 to 24.

The program also aims to give young people life skills to take into the workforce including being organised, getting to and from work, being interviewed and working qualities that employers look for such as coming to work on time and working hard.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter, Scot MacDonald, has welcomed this new program, "It's about getting those who aren't in work and getting them work ready whilst giving them skills around things like accommodation, transport and health and wellbeing, essential life skills putting them into position for the workforce."

Advanced Personnel Management and The Salvation Army Employment Plus have been selected as the providers for the program for Hunter residents.

"They are really good at just helping young people while they are transitioning out of school and joining the workforce," MacDoanld stated.

The agencies will devise plans based on an outcomes based contracting model and also consider the needs of the local labour market.

Source: coventrytelegarph.net

Worker skills, or lack there of, deterring employers

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The NSW Business Chamber's inaugural Workforce Skills Survey has found employers in the Hunter are reporting high levels of skill shortages holding them back from employing new workers.

The survey measures business attitudes on employment, education and training issues and provides a comprehensive baseline for tracking future sentiment.

There appears to be an increasing inconsistency between what employers expect from their workers and the training they're getting through the education system.

"Businesses have indicated that the main reasons for reluctance sometimes relates to the cost, but also time factors of having key personnel in their organisations available to train the people and also some of the time it takes for some of the training programs and apprenticeships to be completed," said Hunter Business Chamber CEO Bob Hawes.

Businesses in the Hunter are also urging the government to take a serious look into how employees are trained, as there's an increasing lack of skills in new workers and a huge administrative burden on businesses to pick up the slack.

"There's a real need to look at how the pilot programs work, what apprenticeship models are around and whether they are effective and also being able to engage not only just with the young people looking at  the pathways but also the employers, parents and carers, the advisors and the educational institutions so that they can better understand the system of how it works and so we can get it working in practice," said Bob Hawes.

Bob Hawes says the latest Hunter Research Foundation report on the Hunter's economy shows businesses are looking for new ways to better their business, rather than employ new workers.

"It (businesses in the Hunter) had a big increase in its uptake of innovation and that in itself might express that people are now looking at other ways to push their business forward other than employing people which aren't necessarily a good thing in one respect but it is good in another in that hopefully the uptake in innovation will create alternative opportunities."

New Pulse for Anna Bay

Artists impression of The Pulse, Gan Gan Road Anna Bay

Port Stephens council has announced a $19million entrainment complex for Anna Bay.

Located on Gan Gan Road the complex, called ‘The Pulse’, promises to be a world class entertainment venue with areas for artists and musicians as well as a restaurant-style dining area and a play area for children.

The complex also boat three interactive cinema’s with are expected to be a draw card for locals and visitors alike.

“You can get married in Paris, visit Las Vegas, you can go for a spaceship ride,” Port Stephens Mayor Bruce MacKenzie said, “there will be educational facilities for school children and it’s a great addition to our tourist empire.”

Mr MacKenzie said he believes the complex will provide “quite a considerable amount of employment” for locals, particularly young people.

“Anything that creates jobs and provides employment, especially for young people, I am 150% behind,” he said.

As well as the theatres the complex will include merchandise area, food and drink premises and retail outlets.