Oranga Mahi - Budget 2023

Continuing to support disabled people and those with health conditions to enter and remain in employment - Wellbeing Budget 2023.

This initiative provides funding for health and employment trial services that support disabled New Zealanders and those with health conditions to find and retain work.

The Government is investing $36.262 million for six health and employment trial services, along with operational support (including FTEs) to enable continued delivery of the Oranga Mahi programme for an additional two years (2023/24 to 2024/25).

• Extending funding for the Oranga Mahi programme will ensure that services remain available for people to improve their health and wellbeing and receive support to enter and remain in employment. This funding will provide continuity of service for existing participants, and will help build further evidence of how integrated health and employment programmes can best support people in New Zealand.
• The Oranga Mahi programme has capacity to support approximately 3,000 disabled people and people with health conditions each year. Services are expected to decrease participants' time out of the labour market by addressing health and wellbeing related challenges and support people to access, remain in, or return to work following a health-related absence of displacement.
• The majority of Oranga Mahi services are targeted to people with mental health and addiction issues. We know that there is a great need for support in this area. The majority of people who receive a health and disability related main benefit identify mental health as their primary issue.
• The goal of the Oranga Mahi programme is to develop, deliver and test evidence-based and innovative health and employment services for disabled people and people with health conditions. Oranga Mahi services are delivered in partnership with health agencies and community organisations.
• Oranga Mahi services are informed by international and national evidence which shows that combining work-focused strategies with clinical care can be an effective approach to help disabled people and people with health conditions to enter into and remain in employment. People accessing these services receive wraparound support based on their needs.
• This investment responds to findings in the Review of Active Labour Market programmes, where gaps were identified in employment services for disabled people and people with health conditions.
• This initiative forms a package with the Mayor's Taskforce for Jobs and Employment Programmes initiatives.