Evaluation of the Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) program

The Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) program is an Australian Government funded initiative for unemployed Indigenous people in select locations of Australia. The initiative provides activities to develop participants’ skills and to improve their employability. The overall aim is to improve opportunities for Indigenous Australians to secure long term employment and to achieve economic independence. The Office of Evaluation and Audit undertook an evaluation of CDEP, administered by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA). The objective was to assess the efficiency, effectiveness and appropriateness of the CDEP program to Indigenous participants and communities in achieving the outcomes of real jobs and viable business enterprises. The evaluation focused on the period 2004-2008 and on remote and regional areas where the labour market was underdeveloped and considered the efficiency and effectiveness of CDEP in: preparing participants for mainstream employment; developing skills that enable participants to gain off-CDEP employment; creating incentives for participants to complete education and training; establishing and maintaining linkages to mainstream employment programs to promote job outcomes; and incubating businesses to become viable.

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