The Community Development Program (CDP) is the current remote employment and community development service administered by the National Indigenous Australians Agency and operating in remote Australia.
The Australian Government has committed to change the way it delivers remote employment programs and services by replacing the CDP in two stages.
The first stage is the Remote Jobs and Economic Development (RJED) program which is creating 3,000 new jobs over three years until 2027.
It is supporting people in remote communities to move into meaningful jobs that communities want, with fair pay and conditions.
The second stage is the Remote Australia Employment Service (RAES) which will support job seekers with the skills, mentoring and training they need to take up job opportunities. It directly replaces the CDP on 1 November 2025.
A competitive grants process is open between 30 June 2025 to 28 July 2025 for interested organisations to apply for funding to deliver remote employment services.
Read an open letter from the Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Hon Malarndirri McCarthy, for more information about the timing of the RAES grant opportunity.
To assist interested organisations to ask questions directly of NIAA officials during the RAES grant period, there is a dedicated RAES Helpdesk available on 1800 939 500 or RAESHelpdesk@niaa.gov.au. The NIAA is also running two online information sessions on 3 and 9 July about the RAES Grant Opportunity Guidelines and application process, with an opportunity to ask questions. If you register your interest to attend, we’ll send you an invite.
Current CDP services have been extended to continue to support remote job seekers until 31 October 2025, before the RAES begins on 1 November 2025.
There is planning underway to ensure a smooth transition between programs.
Where CDP operates
CDP covers 75 percent of Australia’s land mass including more than 2,600 communities currently known as CDP regions (will be known as Remote Australia Employment Service (RAES) regions). It supports around 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.
Read more about the 1,000 Jobs Package.
Time to Work Employment Service
The Time to Work Employment Service (TWES) is a national voluntary pre-release employment service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It provides wraparound services for prisoners when they exit the prison system.
The service was extended in remote areas until 30 June 2025 to align with the extension of the CDP.
After this, existing TWES providers were offered a grant opportunity to apply for funding to deliver individualised pre-release employment support until 31 December 2025.
This service ensures prisoners can continue to receive support before the Department for Employment and Workplace Relations delivers its new Reconnection, Employment and Learning (REAL) program in 2026.
TWES will finish on 30 June 2025. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can access pre-release employment services with providers funded through a NIAA grant until 31 December 2025.
The service is similar and will still provide wraparound services for prisoners exiting the prison system.
The main difference will be that Services Australia will not be involved until the prisoner has exited the prison and applies for income support (post-release). The remote employment service provider and Services Australia will then commence a formal job seeker assessment.
The Community Development Program (CDP) and its replacement, the Remote Australia Employment Service (RAES) does not include the delivery of pre-release employment support for prisoners.
Once a prisoner has exited (post-release) the prison system they can apply for income support. The employment service provider and Services Australia will then commence a formal job seeker assessment.
If the job seeker resides in remote Australia, they will be supported by the RAES from 1 November 2025 to look for work or get the skills and resources they need to take up job opportunities.
The REAL program will be progressively rolled out into 2026, beginning in a cross-section of facilities across states and territories, expanding nationwide under the second grant round.
The REAL Program, part of the 2024–25 Budget will be available to First Nations people, aged 15 years and older, who are incarcerated, with a known release date, or who are on remand. Support will commence up to 6 months before release and continue for up to 12 months post release.
With a focus on personalised mentoring and support, to help people transition from incarceration into the community by reconnecting with health, housing and other social services, and building better connections to employment, education and training opportunities. In addition, the program will facilitate connection to language, Country and culture where appropriate.
The REAL program is funded by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. Visit their website for more information or send your queries to REALprogram@dewr.gov.au.
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.
- For enquiries about the Remote Australia Employment Service, contact RemoteEmploymentService@niaa.gov.au
- 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