From July 2006, the Government is providing additional funding for 2,900 places in the Language, Literacy and Numeracy Programme at a cost of $8.2 million. These places will be targeted to parents, disabled and mature aged jobseekers who have new obligations to seek work.

The Government is providing an additional $28.9 million over the period 2005-06 to 2008-09 to the Programme for a total of around 10,200 additional programme places. This brings total funding for the Programme in 2005-06 to the record level of $49.7 million. Some 2,900 of the new places are associated with the Government’s Welfare to Work initiative and a further 7,300 places, over the four years from July 2005, will be targeted to migrants who need English language training in order to obtain ongoing employment.

The places provided as part of the Welfare to Work initiative will be allocated to contracted programme providers across Australia.

The places provided for migrants will be allocated to programme providers operating in areas of high migrant settlement.

Yes. The funding provides an additional 7,300 places for migrants over 4 years at a cost of $20.7 million. These new places will broaden the pathway between the Adult Migrant English Programme (which provides tuition in functional English) and the Language, Literacy and Numeracy Programme. This will help more migrant job seekers acquire the English language skills they need to be competitive in the employment market.

The Programme provides training to eligible jobseekers that leads to a measurable improvement in the participants’ language, or literacy and numeracy competencies. Face to face training is available at sites across Australia.