The community and health frontlines are a critical part of the ACT human service system and community wellbeing.
Every year thousands of Canberrans seek support within the health and human services system. Services include but are not limited to homelessness services, child and family support, legal advice, statutory care and protection, family safety support, mental health, services and support for alcohol and other drug dependencies.
It is an annual ACT Government investment of over $200 million for 250 essential services delivered through 140 different non-government organisations. Underpinning this investment and delivery is more than 320 contracts or deeds and 35 small grants programs.
Now there is an extra $2 million over 4 years through indexation to support community sector organisations’ to provide job security and stability for their workforce and in turn, deliver increased wellbeing for the community.
This funding will address changes to indexation across community sector organisations contracted to provided services by ACT Health, Canberra Health Services, Community Services Directorate and Justice and Community Safety.
The funding recognises that most costs for the community sector are related to the wages and salaries of their highly valuable, skilled, and qualified workers. The funding increase, provided by indexation, can maintain the wages of sector workers, and will help to address known cost of living pressures.
[Formula = Wage Price Index (WPI) or Award Wage changes (whichever is higher) to 80% of the Community Sector Indexation Rate with the remaining 20% based on Consumer Price Index (CPI)].
For more information: to understand the detail on indexation and the formula watch the Counting the Costs Response February 2023
Page updated: 28 Feb 2024
