Course Participation Assistance
Overview
Course Participation Assistance provides non-taxable, non-recoverable financial assistance towards the actual and reasonable costs for clients participating in a short-term employment-related training course or programme. These courses or programmes are generally less than 12 weeks long. When courses are over 12 weeks long, Course Participation Assistance can only be considered if the course doesn't qualify for Student Loans or Student Allowances.
To receive Course Participation Assistance, clients must:
- be receiving a main benefit or be on stand-down for one
- meet asset and income tests
- be attending a short-term employment-related course or programme
- have specific costs because they are participating in that course or programme.
The following factors are also taken into account:
- whether the client would be unable to participate in the course or programme without Course Participation Assistance
- if the course or programme is appropriate to the client's personal situation and skill development needs
- whether the course or programme is in line with the client's service plan and is a progression towards employment
- whether the course or programme is likely to improve the likelihood of the client gaining employment.
The course or programme that the client is attending must be either:
- provided and approved by Work and Income
- supplied by a provider contracted to Work and Income
- attached to a specific vacancy listed by Work and Income, and Work and Income considers it appropriate to match the client with the vacancy (eg Work and Income list a vacancy for a truck driver, and the client needs their heavy trade licence to apply), or
- specifically recognised by Work and Income in conjunction with a partnership initiative (eg Job Partnerships with Industry).
The income and asset limits for receiving Course Participation Assistance are shown in table 3.48.
Table 3.48 Income and asset limits for Course Participation Assistance (applicable from 1 April 2008)
| Client status1 | Income limit2 | Asset limit |
|---|---|---|
| Single, 16-17 years | $420.72 | $921.08 |
| Single, 18 years or over | $483.54 | $921.08 |
| Married, with or without children | $702.30 | $1,534.76 |
| Sole parent, one child | $586.74 | $1,534.76 |
| Sole parent, two or more children | $618.16 | $1,534.76 |
Notes
- "Married" includes clients who are married, living as married, or in a civil union.
- Income limits shown are weekly income, including tax paid.
Course Participation Assistance may be paid to cover course or tuition fees, transport, childcare or care of other dependents. Maximum levels have been set for assistance with each of these costs, and are shown in table 3.49.
Where clients are receiving assistance with both transport and caring costs, the combined amount of Course Participation Assistance paid toward these costs can't exceed $80 per week.
Table 3.49 Maximum payments of Course Participation Assistance (available from 1 April 2008)
| Purpose | Maximum payment1 |
|---|---|
| Tuition and enrolment fees | $200.00 |
| Transport costs | $60.00 |
| Caring costs2 | $80.00 |
Notes
- Maximum weekly payments available from 1 April 2008.
- May be available to cover costs of formal or informal care arrangements for children, disabled people or older people. Childcare costs covered exclude any costs met by Childcare Subsidies, OSCAR Subsidies, or Child Disability Allowances.
Trends in the number of people receiving Course Participation Assistance
Over the year ended June 2008, 3,624 payments of Course Participation Assistance were made, to a total value of $653,000. Fifty-five percent of these payments were made to clients receiving an unemployment-related benefit, and 21% to clients receiving carer's benefits. This compares with 445 payments totalling $74,000 which were made in the three months ending June 2007.
