If you need to speak to someone about the impact your job situation is having on you and/or your family, reach out to a service listed in the Looking after yourself section below.
Employment Support
The Australian Government provides a range of free supports and services for any worker who loses their job.
The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations hosted two Virtual Information Sessions for Ventia employees to provide information on the available supports. If you were unable to attend one of the sessions, the link to the recording will be circulated to you by email.
Help with finding work
Immediate assistance is available to all retrenched workers to help you find a job, access training or help you decide on your next steps.
Below is a list of the types of support available to help you find work as quickly as possible.
Free support with:
| Workforce Australia is the Australian Government’s employment service. If you have been retrenched, you and your partner can access immediate support up to 3 months before and up to 6 months after your retrenchment date. You don’t need to be eligible for Income Support payments to access this support. | Find a provider - Workforce Australia Enter your location and select “Workforce Australia Provider Services” from the left-hand side menu to find a Provider near you. |
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Specialised employment support
| Support for people aged 45 years and over | Personalised assistance and practical support with job searches and applying for a job, identify your existing skills and how they can transfer to a new job or industry. Build your confidence, improve your computer skills, and identify the job opportunities in your local area. | Career Transition Assistance |
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| Job support for Young People aged 15-24 | Support for young people aged 15-24 to find work (including apprenticeships and traineeships), training and local community services. | Transition to Work |
| Job support if you’re living with Disability | A Disability Employment Service (DES) Provider can help you find suitable work. | Job Access Call: 1800 464 800 |
| Employment Services National Customer Service Line | Call or email if you need help with finding a Provider or have questions about programs or services. | Call: 1800 805 260 |
Information about resumes, job applications and interviews
In most cases, you will need a resume to apply for a new job.
Links to tips and information about creating or updating your resume can be found below. If you are not comfortable creating a resume yourself, or you don’t have a friend or family members who can help you, contact a Workforce Australia Provider in your local area.
| Resume tips | Learn how to create a resume that shows how your skills and experience suits the job. | Resume 101: What needs to be in them (and what stays out) – Workforce Australia Online learning module |
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| Write a cover letter | Learn how to write an effective cover letter that will get you noticed. | Write a cover letter Writing a cover letter – Workforce Australia Online learning module |
| Tailoring job applications | Find out about the different ways that employers recruit and how to apply for jobs correctly. | Job applications 101: What goes into one and what it says about you – Workforce Australia Online learning module |
| Prepare for a job interview | Prepare for job interviews by practising responses to common interview questions. |
Financial assistance and advice
| Financial assistance | People older than 22 and below the pension age may be eligible for income support payments. * A copy of your Letter of Termination (or Consultation Letter) and your last payslip will be required. | Apply online or call: 132 850 |
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| Financial Information Service | Services Australia’s free Financial Information Service is available to everyone. | Call: 132 300 (Say “Financial Information Service” when prompted). |
| Financial counselling | If you feel concerned about your financial situation, speak with a financial counsellor as soon as possible. | National Debt Helpline Mob Strong Debt Helpline, for Indigenous Australians |
Redundancy and entitlements information
| Advice for anyone that has lost their job | Information and links to redundancy information and services available to anyone experiencing job loss, including redundancy. | What’s Next? |
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| Redundancy pay and entitlements | The Redundancy Information Statement (RIS) outlines your rights and entitlements when you’ve been retrenched. | Redundancy Information Statement |
| Tax and Retirement | ATO information about redundancy payments. | ATO – Redundancy and Early Retirement |
Emergency Relief
| The Salvation Army NSW | Access financial assistance and support if you are having trouble paying bills, buying food or you feel overwhelmed by your financial situation. | The Salvation Army Australia Call: 02 8775 7988 |
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| Wesley Community Services | Wesley Emergency Relief is available to individuals and families experiencing financial hardship. Contact the Wesley Mission’s head office or your local provider of Wesley Financial Relief. | Emergency relief | Help for essentials The Canopy: 107 Northlakes Dr, Cameron Park NSW 2285 Maryland Neighbourhood Centre: 207 Maryland Drive, Maryland NSW 2287 |
| Foodbank | Find food relief in your area by entering your postcode. | Find Food |
| OzHarvest Australia | Food Relief For Individuals |
Looking after yourself
| Health and Wellbeing | Losing your job can be a difficult time. Talk to someone about taking care of you and your family’s mental health. | Beyond Blue |
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| Support for young people | Mental health support for young people aged 16-25 years. | Headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation |
| Support for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders | 13YARN is the first national crisis support line for mob who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping. They offer a confidential one-on-one yarning opportunity with a Lifeline-trained Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter who can provide crisis support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 13YARN empowers their community with the opportunity to yarn without judgement and provide a culturally safe space to speak about their needs, worries or concerns. | Call: 13 92 76 24/7 Crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders |
| Mental Health Line | NSW Health’s 24/7 statewide and free phone service which links people with NSW mental health services. | Mental Health Line Call: 1800 011 511 |
Other helpful resources
| Mature Age Hub | Information on services and supports specifically for mature aged workers looking for work or wanting to upskill. | Mature Age Hub |
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| Search Job Vacancies | Search Workforce Australia’s current job vacancies. | Workforce Australia for Individuals - Job Search |
| Changing careers | Help with identifying careers or jobs that match your skills and experience. | Job Switch |
| Training and job options | Advice on looking for work, finding training or exploring other job options. | Your Career |
| State government support | Supports available in your State. | Skills NSW |
Contact
For any enquiries about employment supports and programs and other services, please email the Retrenchments team at the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations at retrenchment@dewr.gov.au.
Please consider any personal or sensitive information you include, as it may be shared with another government agency or authorised parties.