Making employment easier for people with disabilities

The Minister for Employment Participation and Child Care, Kate Ellis, and Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers, Senator Jan McLucas, today announced funding for a new guide to help employers better understand the needs of employees with disability.

The development of A Guide to Employer Engagement – From the Employers Voice will be funded by more than $187,000 from the Australia Government’s Innovation Fund.

“This guide is specifically designed to help employers make the most of the talents of their employees with disability,” Ms Ellis said.

“It will provide clear employment engagement guidelines and advice for providers and employers seeking to recruit people with disability.

“With tools such as these, we are strongly committed to boosting workforce participation and inclusive workplaces, with innovative approaches that help job seekers with disability find sustainable employment.”

The project is a collaborative effort between ACE National Network and the Australian Network on Disability, to create further resources for more than 220 Disability Employment Services (DES) providers.

Providers will also have access to face-to-face and interactive online seminar briefing sessions, including employment-based case studies.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers, Senator Jan McLucas, welcomed the project to address barriers people with disability face in seeking employment.

“Increasing access to employment opportunities is an important part of the National Disability Strategy.”

“This project will improve employer awareness of the benefits of employing people with disability and support them in providing a more inclusive work environment.”

The National Disability Strategy sets a ten-year reform plan that will help to ensure that people with disability have the same opportunities as other Australians.

Developed through the Council of Australian Governments, the strategy is the first time in Australia’s history that all governments have committed to a unified, national approach to improving the lives of people with disability, their families and carers.

The ACE National Network project is one of 12 Innovation Fund projects targeting assistance to job seekers with disability, valued at approximately $2.9 million.

The $41 million Innovation Fund contributes to the achievement of the Australian Government’s Social Inclusion Agenda by supporting innovative strategies to help disadvantaged job seekers find and retain employment. For more information on the Innovation Fund, visit: http://www.deewr.gov.au/Employment/JSA/Pages/InnovationFund.aspx