Community Development Program

The Community Development Program (CDP) is a remote employment and community development service administered by the National Indigenous Australians Agency. CDP aims to support job seekers in remote Australia to build skills, address barriers to employment and contribute to their communities through activities and training.

A new Remote Jobs and Economic Development Program (RJED) will begin in the second half of 2024, as part of replacing the CDP.

As not everyone will be ready to go into a job or may require other support services, a remote employment service will still be needed.

CDP services will continue through an extension of most CDP provider agreements until 30 June 2025.

Where CDP operates

CDP covers 75 percent of Australia’s land mass including over 1,000 communities. It supports approximately 40,000 people.

Local service providers deliver the program and act as the single point of contact for job seekers, employers and host organisations in each community.

To find the contact details of the provider in your local area, you can use the provider search tools on the Australian Government’s Workforce Australia site, which allows you to enter your town or postcode and filter results to show CDP providers.

CDP participants

CDP participants receive personalised assistance from their service provider to help build their skills, get a job and participate to their maximum capacity. Some of the activities available for CDP participants include formal training, with the opportunity to gain qualifications, or foundational skills training, including language, literacy and numeracy and driver’s training.

1,000 Jobs Package

The 1,000 Jobs Package aimed to increase employment opportunities in remote Australia for Community Development Program (CDP) participants.

Applications for the package closed as planned on 30 June 2023.

The NIAA will administer all current 1,000 Jobs agreements through to their relevant end date.

The NIAA is focused on working closer with communities on more effective ways to support local people into jobs.

More information

For enquires about the CDP in your region, contact your local provider or your nearest NIAA Regional Office.
You can contact the Job Seeker Hotline 13 62 68 for general information on employment services and the CDP.
The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, National Customer Service Line 1800 805 260 can help with questions about Workforce Australia, the Government's employment services program that operates outside remote Australia.
Complaints can be sent to complaints@niaa.gov.au