As the peak bodies* representing Tasmania’s community services industry, our vision is for all Tasmanians to have the opportunity to contribute to rebuilding their communities as resilient, healthy, safe and economically vibrant places to live.

The community services industry is integral to Tasmania’s social and economic recovery from COVID-19. The vital services our industry provides through our paid workforce and volunteers have supported the wellbeing of almost all Tasmanians at some point in their lives.

With the full effects of the pandemic yet to be felt it is vital that we strengthen our community services industry now.

The community services industry is one of the largest employers and fastest growing industries in Tasmania and at present, we require an additional 4,000 jobs by 2024 just to meet this escalating community need. This demand is going to be felt across all sectors of the community services industry, with a need for a targeted response for specialist workforces and priority groups.

With a total of 14 Tasmanian job seekers for every advertised job — this presents the next State Government with a significant opportunity to ensure we attract, recruit and train local people to fill these projected job openings.

We urge commitments from all political leaders to the following priorities within the first 100 days of forming government:

• Partner with the Tasmanian community services industry to deliver the projected 4,000 new jobs needed to address workforce and community needs by 2024.
• Support the development of a Community Services Coordination Group which is tasked with identifying and recommending funding for community led, place-based recovery activities in response to areas of community need.
• Implementation of a minimum five-year funding models for Tasmanian community service organisations which are designed to support transparent, adaptable, community led and place-based solutions and service delivery.

As the community services industry peak organisations, we are all working together to support Tasmanians at vital times in their lives. Priorities for each of our specialist cohorts can also be found here.

* Aged and Community Services Australia, Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs Council (ATDC) Tasmania, Carers Tasmania, Council on the Ageing (COTA) Tasmania, Families and Children Tasmania, Health Consumers Tasmania, Mental Health Council of Tasmania, Multicultural Council of Tasmania, Neighbourhood Houses Tasmania, Shelter Tasmania, Tasmanian Council of Social Service, Volunteering Tasmania and Youth Network of Tasmania.