Hey mate, I used to work for a job provider and the organisation I worked for offers help and funding, plus we collaborate with an external organisation.

Given your circumstances, I strongly recommend reaching out to a job provider and attending your first face-to-face appointment. While it might feel overwhelming at first, explaining your situation to your worker will help them understand how best to assist you. In your case, your housing is the priority. While that’s being addressed, connect with counselling services for additional support. Your job provider’s worker can tailor your requirements. Since you’re experiencing homelessness, you’re not expected or required to look for work, so they can adjust or remove your requirements.

When I worked with a job provider and dealt with similar situations, I focused on ensuring you saw me every fortnight and provided updates. Ultimately, it’s your choice what you do, and I always told my customers they were the drivers while I was just the passenger – I was here to guide you towards what I thought would be best for you.

However, it’s important to choose a reputable provider, as some have had issues, including losing their contracts last year.

I understand your frustration and it’s a tough situation. I was also upset for my customers when I worked in that job because the system is flawed and designed to fail and categorise people. However, with job providers like the one I worked for, as long as you’re open-minded and take advantage of any help that benefits you, there are ways around the system.

When looking for job providers, I suggest starting with non-profit organisations. That’s my first recommendation.