Voices of Unemployment: Result of an ACOSS survey of jobactive service users

We report here the findings of an online survey of users of the jobactive service, the main employment service for people who are unemployed, conducted by ACOSS between 7 and 22 July 2018.The survey was conducted in order to inform our response to the Government's 'Future of Employment Services' discussion paper. ACOSS welcomed the decision to conduct a thorough review of employment services well in advance of the end of jobactive contracts in July 2020, and to consult with an expert panel and users of employment services (unemployed people and employers) to inform this work. Our proposals for reform were recently released.It is absolutely vital that governments and employment services, and peak bodies and advocates such as ACOSS, listen to the voices of people who are unemployed when redesigning employment services. These services can make a crucial difference to people's prospects of securing paid work, especially for people facing disadvantages such as long-term unemployment. The way in which employment services, Centrelink, governments and the media treat people - especially in monitoring compliance with activity requirements - also makes a huge difference to people's experience of unemployment. Responses came in quickly. Despite the short time-frame (two weeks) and limited sources available to us to attract responses (Facebook, Twitter, and our networks of community service providers and organisations representing unemployed people), we received 311 responses. ACOSS would like thank all who responded for sharing their experiences in an open and generous way.