Questions raised over new phone-based job seeker management

The government’s new phone-based job seeker management feels a bit like trying to “stretch resources”, rather than “putting in additional resourcing”, a social policy analyst says.

The move, announced by Social Development Minister Louise Upston, was hoped to provide 4000 more job seekers with support.

The service would target job seekers ready for work, aged between 18 to 24 years old, providing them with a case manager to assist them in finding employment.

Phone-based case management began at the start of July with 1500 job seekers, and would expand to 4000 within roughly two months.

Salvation Army social policy analyst Paul Barber told Checkpoint it was “questionable” whether simply having a phone call would make much difference for job seekers.

“Young people have complex lives, especially younger people on the margins struggle with phone contacts, often there’s no money on the phone … they might prefer other forms of technology.

“An appointment over the phone must, at the very least, be seen as one aspect of the many things that need to be done to support young people into employment.”

Barber said it was also important there was a focus on whether there were jobs available for young people to get into.

“We’re really looking for a plausible plan from this government to actually create jobs, we’re at a time where the number of jobs is reducing.”

Green Party spokesperson for Social Development Ricardo Menendez March has hit out at the new phone-based management system.
Photo: Phil Smith

The minister had not announced further funding for this service either, he said.

“There’s questions about, is additional resourcing being put into this process of helping young people to find employment they can keep.

“It does feel a little bit like moving to phone appointments is an attempt to stretch resources a bit further rather than actually putting in additional resourcing.”

Volunteer financial mentor David Werry was cautiously optimistic over the move and said the more MSD could interact with clients to assist them in finding work, the better.

But he was concerned at the threat of further sanctions for those who did not meet their obligations, such as missing appointments.

He also highlighted that in some instances, some people were worse off financially going into employment, depending on other costs and losing other welfare support.

Meanwhile, Green Party spokesperson for Social Development Ricardo Menendez March hit out at the move.

“We know the government doesn’t even know whether work seminars actually help people into employment, adding more excuses for case managers to punish beneficiaries will not result in people getting decent jobs.

“We should instead be focused on providing tailored support and improving work seminars.”

Menendez March said young people on the benefit were paid substantially less than their older peers and they needed liveable incomes.