The WorkFoundations program provides funding for social enterprises and businesses to deliver paid employment placements for up to 6 months.
About the program
In the 2024-25 Federal Budget, the Government announced a new Paid Employment Pathways Package, in partnership with employers across Australia, that will focus on job seekers with barriers to work who are seeking to connect to job opportunities and achieve sustained employment.
WorkFoundations, one of the initiatives in the Paid Employment Pathways package, will invest $10 million to assist job seekers with complex barriers to employment to build their work readiness, with funding for social enterprises and businesses to deliver paid employment placements of up to 6 months with tailored, wrap around services.
The new program will fund projects that:
- assist job seekers with complex vocational and/or non-vocational barriers to build their work readiness in a nurturing work environment, and
- provide tailored wrap around services to address their barriers to employment; gaining real life experience in jobs that suit their skills, interests and needs; and earning real wages.
Eligibility
The program is available to participants who are:
- registered with Workforce Australia Services, Transition to Work or Parent Pathways,
- face at least one barrier to employment that they are willing to address with support, and
- are willing to accept ongoing work after the placement ends.
Additionally, for those participants registered with Workforce Australia Services, they must have been unemployed for 12 months or more and/or have no recent work experience.
Funding
WorkFoundations is funded as part of the Paid Employment Pathways Package through a competitive grants process.
Grant agreements for this program were finalised in July 2025.
WorkFoundations Businesses
New South Wales
Connect Northern Rivers
Connect Northern Rivers
Connect Northern Rivers
White Box Enterprises
Delivery Location: LGAs located in Sydney NSW
Website: www.whiteboxenterprises.com.au
Contact email: info@whiteboxenterprises.com.au
White Box Enterprises
Delivery Location: LGAs located in Sydney NSW
Website: www.whiteboxenterprises.com.au
Contact email: info@whiteboxenterprises.com.au
Coomaditchie
Delivery Location: Port Kembla NSW 2505
Website: https://www.coomaditchie.org.au/
Contact email: admin@coomaditchie.org.au
Coomaditchie
Delivery Location: Port Kembla NSW 2505
Website: https://www.coomaditchie.org.au/
Contact email: admin@coomaditchie.org.au
Jigsaw
Delivery Location: Frenchs Forest, NSW
Website: https://jigsawaustralia.com.au/
Contact email: hello@jigsawaustralia.com.au
Jigsaw
Delivery Location: Frenchs Forest, NSW
Website: https://jigsawaustralia.com.au/
Contact email: hello@jigsawaustralia.com.au
APY Art Centre
Delivery Location: Darlinghurst, NSW 6005
Website: https://apyartcentrecollective.com/
Contact email: skye@apyacc.com
APY Art Centre
Delivery Location: Darlinghurst, NSW 6005
Website: https://apyartcentrecollective.com/
Contact email: skye@apyacc.com
Coles
Delivery Location: Tamworth Surrounds, Taree and Wetherill Park Industrial, NSW
Website: https://www.coles.com.au/
Contact email: indigenousaffairs@coles.com.au
Coles
Delivery Location: Tamworth Surrounds, Taree and Wetherill Park Industrial, NSW
Website: https://www.coles.com.au/
Contact email: indigenousaffairs@coles.com.au
Kirinari
Delivery Location: Albury surrounds, NSW
Website: https://kirinari.com.au/
Contact email: hello@kirinari.com.au
Kirinari
Delivery Location: Albury surrounds, NSW
Website: https://kirinari.com.au/
Contact email: hello@kirinari.com.au
South Australia
Youth Options
Delivery Location: Adelaide SA 5000
Website: www.youthoptions.org.au
Contact email: hello@youthoptions.org.au
Youth Options
Delivery Location: Adelaide SA 5000
Website: www.youthoptions.org.au
Contact email: hello@youthoptions.org.au
Lighthouse Youth Projects
Delivery Location: Port Adelaide, Adelaide and Murray Bridge SA
Website: www.lighthouseyp.org
Contact email: getstoked@lighthouseyp.org
Lighthouse Youth Projects
Delivery Location: Port Adelaide, Adelaide and Murray Bridge SA
Website: www.lighthouseyp.org
Contact email: getstoked@lighthouseyp.org
Jigsaw
Delivery Location: Adelaide, SA
Website: https://jigsawaustralia.com.au/
Contact email: hello@jigsawaustralia.com.au
Jigsaw
Delivery Location: Adelaide, SA
Website: https://jigsawaustralia.com.au/
Contact email: hello@jigsawaustralia.com.au
APY Art Centre
Delivery Location: Thebarton, South Australia 5031
Website: https://apyartcentrecollective.com/
Contact email: skye@apyacc.com
APY Art Centre
Delivery Location: Thebarton, South Australia 5031
Website: https://apyartcentrecollective.com/
Contact email: skye@apyacc.com
Coles
Delivery Location: Port Augusta, SA
Website: https://www.coles.com.au/
Contact email: indigenousaffairs@coles.com.au
Coles
Delivery Location: Port Augusta, SA
Website: https://www.coles.com.au/
Contact email: indigenousaffairs@coles.com.au
Barunga Village
Delivery Location: Port Broughton, SA
Website: https://www.barungavillage.com.au/
Contact email: headoffice@barungavillage.com.au
Barunga Village
Delivery Location: Port Broughton, SA
Website: https://www.barungavillage.com.au/
Contact email: headoffice@barungavillage.com.au
Queensland
Australian Spatial Analytics
Delivery Location: Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006
Website: https://www.asanalytics.com.au/
Contact email: finance@asanalytics.com.au
Australian Spatial Analytics
Delivery Location: Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006
Website: https://www.asanalytics.com.au/
Contact email: finance@asanalytics.com.au
Yoorana
Delivery Location: Tinana, QLD 4650
Website: www.yoorana.com.au
Contact email: community@yoorana.om.au
Yoorana
Delivery Location: Tinana, QLD 4650
Website: www.yoorana.com.au
Contact email: community@yoorana.om.au
White Box Enterprises
Delivery Location: LGAs located in Brisbane QLD
Website: www.whiteboxenterprises.com.au
Contact email: info@whiteboxenterprises.com.au
White Box Enterprises
Delivery Location: LGAs located in Brisbane QLD
Website: www.whiteboxenterprises.com.au
Contact email: info@whiteboxenterprises.com.au
Jigsaw
Delivery Location: Mt Gravatt, QLD
Website: https://jigsawaustralia.com.au/
Contact email: hello@jigsawaustralia.com.au
Jigsaw
Delivery Location: Mt Gravatt, QLD
Website: https://jigsawaustralia.com.au/
Contact email: hello@jigsawaustralia.com.au
Multiskill
Delivery Location: Mount Isa, QLD 4825
Website: https://www.reddoor.org.au/
Contact email: paul@reddoor.org.au
Multiskill
Delivery Location: Mount Isa, QLD 4825
Website: https://www.reddoor.org.au/
Contact email: paul@reddoor.org.au
Multiskill
Delivery Location: Cloncurry, QLD 4824
Website: https://www.reddoor.org.au/
Contact email: paul@reddoor.org.au
Multiskill
Delivery Location: Cloncurry, QLD 4824
Website: https://www.reddoor.org.au/
Contact email: paul@reddoor.org.au
Coles
Delivery Location: Innisfail, Cairns City, Earlville and Bayview Heights, QLD
Website: https://www.coles.com.au/
Contact email: indigenousaffairs@coles.com.au
Coles
Delivery Location: Innisfail, Cairns City, Earlville and Bayview Heights, QLD
Website: https://www.coles.com.au/
Contact email: indigenousaffairs@coles.com.au
Victoria
Australian Spatial Analytics
Delivery Location: Cremorne, VIC 3121
Website: https://www.asanalytics.com.au/
Contact email: finance@asanalytics.com.au
Australian Spatial Analytics
Delivery Location: Cremorne, VIC 3121
Website: https://www.asanalytics.com.au/
Contact email: finance@asanalytics.com.au
White Box Enterprises
Delivery Location: LGAs located in Melbourne VIC
Website: www.whiteboxenterprises.com.au
Contact email: info@whiteboxenterprises.com.au
White Box Enterprises
Delivery Location: LGAs located in Melbourne VIC
Website: www.whiteboxenterprises.com.au
Contact email: info@whiteboxenterprises.com.au
Jigsaw
Delivery Location: Abbotsford, VIC
Website: https://jigsawaustralia.com.au/
Contact email: hello@jigsawaustralia.com.au
Jigsaw
Delivery Location: Abbotsford, VIC
Website: https://jigsawaustralia.com.au/
Contact email: hello@jigsawaustralia.com.au
Goodsercle (Easy Appliances)
Delivery Location: Reservoir, Victoria 3073
Website: https://goodsercle.com.au/
Contact email: Gauri.S@goodsercle.com.au
Goodsercle (Easy Appliances)
Delivery Location: Reservoir, Victoria 3073
Website: https://goodsercle.com.au/
Contact email: Gauri.S@goodsercle.com.au
Worn Gundidj
Delivery Location: Warrnambool, Victoria 3280
Website: https://worngundidj.org.au/
Contact email: thomas.allen@worngundidj.org.au
Worn Gundidj
Delivery Location: Warrnambool, Victoria 3280
Website: https://worngundidj.org.au/
Contact email: thomas.allen@worngundidj.org.au
APY Art Centre
Delivery Location: Docklands, VIC 3008
Website: https://apyartcentrecollective.com/
Contact email: skye@apyacc.com
APY Art Centre
Delivery Location: Docklands, VIC 3008
Website: https://apyartcentrecollective.com/
Contact email: skye@apyacc.com
Coles
Delivery Location: Wodonga, Vic
Website: https://www.coles.com.au/
Contact email: indigenousaffairs@coles.com.au
Coles
Delivery Location: Wodonga, Vic
Website: https://www.coles.com.au/
Contact email: indigenousaffairs@coles.com.au
Western Australia
Jobs South West
Delivery Location: Peel / Rockingham / Kwinana Regions of WA
Website: www.jsw.org.au
Contact email: info@jsw.org.au
Jobs South West
Delivery Location: Peel / Rockingham / Kwinana Regions of WA
Website: www.jsw.org.au
Contact email: info@jsw.org.au
Australian Capital Territory
Jigsaw
Delivery Location: Dickson, ACT
Website: https://jigsawaustralia.com.au/
Contact email: hello@jigsawaustralia.com.au
Jigsaw
Delivery Location: Dickson, ACT
Website: https://jigsawaustralia.com.au/
Contact email: hello@jigsawaustralia.com.au
Coles
Delivery Location: Palmerston, ACT
Website: https://www.coles.com.au/
Contact email: indigenousaffairs@coles.com.au
Coles
Delivery Location: Palmerston, ACT
Website: https://www.coles.com.au/
Contact email: indigenousaffairs@coles.com.au
Northern Territory
Coles
Delivery Location: Darwin City, NT
Website: https://www.coles.com.au/
Contact email: indigenousaffairs@coles.com.au
Coles
Delivery Location: Darwin City, NT
Website: https://www.coles.com.au/
Contact email: indigenousaffairs@coles.com.au
Tasmania
Coles
Delivery Location: Ulverstone, Tas
Website: https://www.coles.com.au/
Contact email: indigenousaffairs@coles.com.au
Coles
Delivery Location: Ulverstone, Tas
Website: https://www.coles.com.au/
Contact email: indigenousaffairs@coles.com.au