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On Wednesday 10th March over 50 people from the youth, employment, and settlement sectors across Australia joined MYAN online for our first national sector meeting for 2021 - a consultation on Employment and Job Security.
There were some incredibly valuable insights shared on how COVID-19 is impacting insecure and precarious employment for young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds.
This included discussion of the long term implications, recommendations for government and sharing of best practice responses.
Some key points raised:
- Though there have been varied responses to COVID-19 across Australia, the impacts of COVID-19 on employment have impacted young people’s financial stability, their employment and educational aspirations, and has ongoing implications for their general well-being.
- Young people’s employment experiences have been more disruptive dependant on the state/territory they reside in. For example, some states like WA have experienced a boost in casual employment due to travellers returning home, while others, such as those in VIC, have been forced out of casual employment for an extended period of time.
- Job insecurity is on the rise due to COVID-19. This instability has seen a rise in precarious employment and exploitative work practices e.g. young people being paid in cash and under award wages, young people with concerns about their physical health, safety and rights lacking the confidence to exercise their work rights for fear of losing much needed employment, lack of flexibility in terms of hours-feeling unable to say no to more shifts which impacts studies and other opportunities like volunteering, and also having hours cut dramatically and finding themselves underemployed.
- New groups of young people are experiencing insecure work resulting in increased stress, widespread reduction in household income, and increased family responsibilities- requiring them to put on hold their own education or employment aspirations.
- Young people are experiencing a reduction in meaningful work experience opportunities and a lack of real world opportunities such as networking, which increases the risk of long term unemployment. There are also implications for young people’s wellbeing, with young people reporting reduced confidence, motivation and employment aspirations.
- There are opportunities for training and employment initiatives and collaborations that respond effectively to these challenges, and incentives for industry to capitalise on this.
This discussion will inform MYAN’s submission to the Select Committee on Job Security, a committee established to inquire into and report on: the impact of insecure or precarious employment on the economy, wages, social cohesion and workplace rights and conditions.
If you would like to contribute to MYAN's submission please contact our Policy and Advocacy Officer - Shannon on shannon@myan.org.au by 5pm Monday 22 March.
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