Indigenous Employment Initiative (IEI) Program

We fund the IEI Program to create employment and training opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers in non-clinical aged care roles.

About the program

The Indigenous Employment Initiative (IEI) Program provides targeted organisations grants for wages and training. The program will:

  • create employment opportunities for First Nations people to help reduce Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander economic disadvantage
  • increase the First Nations workforce
  • help give culturally respectful care for Elders, allowing them to age with dignity in their chosen residential aged care home, or in their own homes.

Wage increase for workers

We are funding the Fair Work Commission’s decision on the Aged Care Work Value case for non-clinical workers. The wage increase will take effect from the employee’s first full pay period on or after 30 June 2023.

IEI Program grantees will receive extra funding for each subsidised position. This will be applied through a variation to the 2023–24 grant funding agreements. We will offer variations in the first quarter of 2023–24 for the pay increase from 1 July 2023.

Find out more about the wage increase, or email IEI.2020-2023@health.gov.au for more information.

Who we work with

We develop and manage policy for the IEI Program, conduct grant rounds and organise funding for the program.

Funded aged care service providers recruit the First Nations workforce and arrange training.

The Department of Social Services Community Grants Hub is the main contact for funded service providers.

Apply for funding

We advertise funding rounds on Grant Connect. To get automatic emails about new grant listings, register as a Grant Connect user.

Contact

Indigenous Employment Initiative (IEI) Program contact

Aged care service providers can contact us with questions about the Indigenous Employment Initiative (IEI) Program.
Date last updated:

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