Making work accessible for everyone

Running from 25-29 November, employers can explore the option of employing a jobseeker with disability, while providing the participant with an opportunity to gain insight into a job or type of work.

AccessAbility Day is a voluntary and obligation-free day for employers to see the skills and potential of people with disability within the workplace and learn about the Government support available.

The Government has made many strategies recently to promote people with disability accessing a variety of work options.

Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Stuart Robert, recently announced the first NDIS Participant Employment Strategy to provide NDIS participants with more control and support in employment opportunities.

“This strategy is all about giving more people with disability, who have the desire and capacity to work, better access to the right supports to achieve their employment goals while breaking down barriers that they face trying to get a job,” Mr Robert says.

Along with that commitment, the Government intends to reform Disability Employment Services (DES); undertake a survey on the (DES) Star Ratings Framework and potential new improvements; and support the Employ Their Ability campaign.

Senator Anne Ruston, Minister for Families and Social Services, recently attended the Disability Employment Australia National Leaders Forum to reiterate the importance of people with disability having access to work.

“I’m preaching to the converted when I say that getting a job and having a job is an absolute game-changer in everybody’s life and that shouldn’t be any different for somebody who has a disability or somebody who lives without one,” says Senator Ruston.

“The importance of the independence, the self-confidence, the skills and the connections to society and community that are created when you have a job are absolutely essential and not the least of which it means you have an income.

“We are committed as a Government around employment for all Australians but in my position as the Minister for Social Services I’m very focussed on disability employment.

“My one simple goal as the Minister responsible is to make sure we give people who have a disability access to the full suite of opportunities in the employment sector – whether it be self-employment, open employment, supported employment or other types of employment. It is absolutely essential we continue to focus on that.”

Senator Ruston explains that movements like AccessAbility Day help improve the attitudes of employers around employing people with disability.

She says that research shows employers want to employ people with disability, however, that desire doe not eventuate into actual action.

“A lack of confidence appears to remain in the wider employment sector about employing people with disability,” says Senator Ruston.

“I want to work with you on how we encourage greater understanding in the employment sector about the huge benefits of employing somebody with a disability.

“If we can just get the employers through the door they will be able to understand that with the right support people with a disability can be some of the greatest employees that they will ever have.”

To find out more about AccessAbility Day, click here.