‘It felt insulting’: welfare recipients sent to body language courses as job agencies profit

The federal government spends tens of millions of dollars annually reimbursing job agencies after they sign up jobseekers for accredited and non-accredited courses. Illustration: Nash Weerasekera/The Guardian

The course had to be seen to be believed. A thumbs up, the image told her, “indicates approval”. Thumbs down? “Disapproval.” Frequent blinking? “Excitement.” A person sitting with a leg over their knee? “Stubbornness,” apparently.

*Sarah, a single mother dealing with a chronic health condition, was directed to complete a series of courses by her job agency after she deferred a university degree.