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.
The Australian Government is delivering on its election commitment to replace CDP with a new program with real jobs, proper wages and decent conditions – developed in partnership with First Nations people.
As a first step towards a new program, on 31 August the Minister for Indigenous Australians the Hon Linda Burney MP hosted the Remote Employment Roundtable, leading into the Jobs and Skills Summit. At the Roundtable, the Minister announced that CDP providers can re-direct around 25 per cent of their funding to work with remote communities to trial new approaches to securing real jobs for participants. A summary of approved trial pathways is available.
Further information on the development of a new program can be found on the new remote jobs program page.
Further information on the remote job trials is available here.
1,000 Jobs Package
The 1,000 Jobs Package aimed to increase employment opportunities in remote Australia for Community Development Program (CDP) participants. Eligible employers could receive financial support of up to $61,058.36 (GST exclusive) over two years, including retention bonuses, to help them hire a CDP participant in a new, ongoing job located in a CDP region.
Applications for the 1,000 Jobs Package closed on 30 June 2023.
Further information can be found on the 1,000 Jobs Package webpage.
Where CDP operates
CDP covers 75 percent of Australia’s land mass including over 1,000 communities. The Program supports around 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 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.
More information
- For enquires about the CDP in your region, contact your local provider or the NIAA Regional Offices.
- 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 (NCSL) 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
