Federal Member for Throsby Stephen Jones says Shellharbour is set to share in a $6 million funding package over two years from the Federal Labor Government, to help local people get work-ready and secure a job under the Better Futures, Local Solutions initiative.

Minister for Human Services, Senator Jan McLucas today announced funding for thirteen strategic projects in 10 regions around Australia, including three in the Shellharbour Local Government Area.

The region has been granted $440,000 to fund a Skills and Networks for Job Seekers project at WEA Illawarra, $412,500 for Future Education and Care project at Illawarra Area Childcare and a share in $500,000 to allow the Local Advisory Group to reflect and improve their model, said Jones.

These projects are all about breaking down the barriers that are making it tough for local people to get into work.

They tackle issues like helping parents gain access child care and connecting young people and the very long term unemployed with local businesses to find suitable training and employment opportunities.

This is the Labor Governments recognition that place-based approaches really work in addressing local barriers to employment and education.

To date the Local Solutions Fund has committed over $1.6 million in funding to help improve education, training and employment opportunities in Shellharbour, Jones said.

Some of the projects already in place include a retail employment training and mentoring project run by the Salvation Army and a program that re-engages youths with education run by the Shellharbour Aboriginal Youth Association.

Ive seen some fantastic outcomes from projects like these in previous rounds, so I welcome todays announcement of more than $900,000 for the Shellharbour community.