How The Program Works

Program Overview

  • What is TILA?
TILA was developed in response to the Youth Pathways Action Plan Taskforce Footprints to the Future Report (available at www.youthpathways.gov.au ) which emphasised the need to improve the provision of support services to young people as they make the transition to independent living. An element of one of the Taskforce's recommendations was a one-off payment to young people leaving care to help defray up-front costs associated with accessing employment, education or accommodation.
Providing the TILA (the Allowance) as part of a young person's transitional plan can help reduce their reliance upon crisis intervention and other community services at a later time. DEEWR administers TILA.
In conjunction with other Australian and State and Territory Government support mechanisms, TILA helps young people who are leaving care to achieve independence and stability, and reach their full potential through enhanced engagement in employment, education, training and community life.
TILA encourages a preventative and early intervention approach, which can help these young people avoid further welfare dependency and homelessness.
  • Target Group
TILA (the Allowance) of $1,500 is available to all young people aged between 15 and 25 years who are preparing to, or have exited, State or Territory based Care and/or informal Care such as: Juvenile Justice; Out of Home Care - including SAAP services; or Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander kinship care arrangements. TILA funds are available to assist a maximum of 2,500 young people each financial year.

Eligibility of Candidates

To be eligible for the Allowance, the young person must:
  • Be a permanent Australian resident; and
  • Be aged between 15 and 25 years old; and
  • Be approaching or experiencing a transition to independent living; and
  • Be at risk of an unsuccessful transition to independent living; and
  • Not have received TILA assistance before; and
  • Have been assessed by Centrelink as having independent status (see Q18 Referral Assessment form); and
  • Have been in, or currently be in, the Formal Care of the State or Territory; and/or
  • Have been in, or currently be in, Informal Care of the State or Territory.
What can be paid under the Allowance?
  • Connection to Utilities to assist in the establishment of housing (e.g. phone, electricity and gas)
  • Moving expenses
  • Appliances
  • Whitegoods
  • Furnishings
  • Consumables (e.g. cleaning products)
  • Financial or other counselling
  • Education (e.g. Books, Computer, Computer Software)
  • Transport to undertake studies or employment
  • Bus Tickets, Phone Cards etc

How to apply

Tila Application and Payment Process

  • Referring agencies will complete the necessary referral and Centrelink verification forms and return them to the TILA Officer at SYFS for assessment. Once the application has been approved the referring agency will be asked to purchase the item and at their earliest convenience forward the receipt to SYFS and SYFS will reimburse the agency.

    Southern Youth and Family Services will endeavour to process the application and payments as quickly as possible. SYFS has developed a guide to efficiently assess a reasonable price range for particular items in order to speed up the assessment process and hopefully will avoid the need for quotes for regularly requested items. Where the price exceeds the guideline or is an unusual request a quote will be required.

    For further information please contact the TILA Officer on 1300 761 961 (National) / 02 4225 7059 (Local) or Fax: 02 4228 4613 or tila@syfs.org.au . We look forward to assisting you in the future.

HOME | HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS | DOWNLOAD FORMS | FAQ | ABOUT US | CONTACT US