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Community Work Partnerships

What is a Community Work Partnership?

Community Work Partnerships enable non-profit organisations, with the expertise and guidance of Corrections Victoria, to benefit from unpaid community work. Work can be carried out by offenders on community based orders, or work gangs from medium and minimum security prisons. Depending on the type of project, work may be carried out for the organisation inside the prison walls. Community work provides non-profit organisations with much needed resources to undertake a range of projects that may otherwise not be possible.

What are the types of unpaid Community Work undertaken?

Community work teams: Work teams are assigned specific tasks to complete, which may include paving, constructing gazebos, re-vegetation work or ongoing maintenance work. A supervisor experienced in trades and working with offenders leads the team of 10 - 12 offenders. Many teams work on weekends supervised by Community Correctional Services field officers and supervisors.

Education and training projects: In order to complete certain types of work, where available, an element of training may be undertaken at a neighbouring education provider. This enables offenders to take particular modules of a course, for example building and construction or landscaping, to enable the offender to participate in related projects such as building pergolas or rotundas or creating garden beds. The cost to agencies that are eligible for community workers is for the materials only. Once the offender has completed their relevant module, they are eligible to enrol in the rest of the course on their own time.

Individual placements: Community work sites that can cater for offenders working on their own may sometimes offer individual work placements. Offenders may undertake gardening, cleaning, painting, filing, library assistant duties or assisting community agencies with open days or fairs. The agency involved supervises all aspects of the placement including allocation and supervision of work, and provision of tools and equipment.

Offenders with specific needs: Community Correctional Services recognises the need to tailor community work for offenders with special needs. An offender's cultural background may be considered relevant, and any physical, cognitive or mental health issues must be taken into account when assigning community work. Community Correctional Services works to ensure that sites are available that can accommodate offenders with specific needs.

Eligible Organisations

Non-profit organisations should contact their local Community Correctional Services office or prison regarding work programs. Corrections Victoria staff are available to answer any queries and discuss how your organisation might go about setting up such a program.