The Strengthening Inclusive Pathways to Employment grant aims to remove barriers to employment for some of the state’s most vulnerable people, with one-off grants of up to $50,000 available for each applicant.

With a total funding pool of $1 million, the grant must go towards initiatives and programs that build skills, confidence, and opportunities for people to gain employment or volunteer experience.

Priority groups for the grant are Aboriginal people, people with disability, LGBTIQA+ people, culturally and linguistically diverse people, people with financial disadvantage, and those in rural or remote communities.

The government gave potential funding opportunity examples, including providing equipment to expand training, contributing to a lease or purchase of a low emission vehicle to help people get their licence, and to build access improvements such as ramps and handrails.

Low priority examples which are less likely to receive funding were listed as wages, utilities, scholarships, emergency relief, and the purchase or lease of land and buildings.

Minister for Human Services Nat Cook said establishing more “inclusive pathways to employment is vital for South Australians” who are struggling to find employment.

“With historically low unemployment, employers and volunteer organisations are calling out for people with better skills,” Cook said.

“We want to ensure organisations have the capacity to deliver initiatives that make a difference and are open to those wanting to learn new skills.

“It’s about diversifying the workforce and tearing down employment barriers to give everyone the chance to succeed.”

Volunteering SA/NT CEO Hamilton Calder said the grant would assist both the volunteering and employment sectors to help people get important skills to gain employment and volunteering opportunities.

“Through our work in the sector, we know disadvantaged and vulnerable community members face additional challenges in accessing programs that help them with the skills required for volunteering and employment,” Calder said.

“This new grant…will increase the capacity of the sector to deliver important first steps to help individuals get started on the pathway to gaining valuable skills,” he said.

“This will not only help the individuals taking part, but in tun will make a difference to the lives of more South Australians.”

To apply, organisations must be Aboriginal community-controlled, not-for-profit, or social traders certified social enterprises.

Applications opened on February 5 and are open until April 3, all applicants must be currently operating in South Australia and be residents of South Australia.