The Personal Development and Employment Plan
The Personal Development and Employment Plan process involves the development and implementation of a plan to assist the client in moving toward employment, and therefore toward economic and social participation in society. The planning process involves:
- assessing client circumstances, strengths and needs
- developing and implementing a plan based on that assessment.
The assessment of client circumstances, strengths and needs aims to identify:
- any features of individual circumstances or parenting responsibilities that may affect their ability to obtain employment
- any specific constraints on the client's ability to obtain or retain employment that arise from the client's individual circumstances or parenting responsibilities
- any practical assistance that the client may need in order to support themselves through employment
- the client's skills and experience (including those developed through unpaid work) that are relevant to helping them find the most effective path to enable them to obtain employment.
The plan should:
- include provision of information and financial assistance by Work and Income
- consider the following aspects of the client's circumstances and needs:
- financial
- accommodation
- health
- employment
- personal needs
- education and training
- social participation
- include realistic dates by which action points are to be achieved.
The client is expected to:
- contribute to the development of their Personal Development and Employment Plan
- contribute to an annual review of progress against their plan, and to the amendment of their plan if changed circumstances require it
- demonstrate commitment to fulfilling the goals of their plan.
Case managers may, with the agreement of their manager, waive the requirement that the client participate in the Personal Development and Employment Plan process:
- permanently in some restricted circumstances (terminal illness, residing overseas)
- for up to three months after consideration of:
- the ability of the client to co-operate in planning for their future
- whether it would be reasonable to expect the client to participate in the planning process at this time
- the client's individual circumstances (eg bereavement, mental health issues, birth of a new baby, recent or difficult separation).
If a client is required to participate in the Personal Development and Employment Plan process but persistently refuses to do so, they may be sanctioned by benefit reduction or suspension.
