The Supported Employment Advocacy Project is about informed employment choices and access to individual advocacy.
The project runs from June 2024 to June 2027. It is funded by the Department of Social Services (DSS) through the Information Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) Grant Program.
It is led by Inclusion Australia and Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA). IA’s national network of member organisations are key partners in the project.
The project will help people with high support needs to make informed decisions about employment.
Who the project supports
The project is for:
- People currently working in supported employment
- Young people with high support needs transitioning from school
- Families and carers
- People living in cities, regional, and remote areas.
What the project will do
The project will help people
- Understand their employment options
- Learn about their rights at work
- Access the right support and advocacy to make informed decisions about employment.
A national network of support
Inclusion Australia’s state and territory member organisations help deliver the project across the country.
Our state and territory members are:
- Council for Intellectual Disability (CID) – New South Wales
- Victorian Advocacy League for Individuals with Disability (VALID) – Victoria
- Parent to Parent (P2P) – Queensland
- Speak Out Advocacy – Tasmania
- South Australian Council on Intellectual Disability (SACID) – South Australia
- Developmental Disability Western Australia (DDWA) – Western Australia
- ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability Australia (ACT DSID) – ACT
- Inclusion Northern Territory (INT) – Northern Territory.
Working with our project partners
Our project partners are helping write and deliver workshops. They also help us make resources. We are working to make sure we focus on cultural safety for First Nations people and LGBTQIA+ people with an intellectual disability.
Project partners:
- First Peoples Disability Network (FPDN),
- National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA) and
- Children and Young People with Disability (CYDA) and Down Syndrome Australia
- Inclusive Rainbow Voices
- Family Advocacy – NSW
Project Stages
Stage one: Codesign.
We will work alongside people with lived experience to create accessible and clear information that helps answer key questions, such as:
- Is this job right for me?
- What are my rights at work and when trying to find a job?
- What support is available to help me find and keep a job?
- Can I work and still receive the Disability Support Pension?
Specific topics and workshops will be co-designed with people with an intellectual disability, their supporters, and subject matter experts
Stage Two: Workshops and information sessions.
Inclusion Australia member organisations are hosting:
- Face-to-face workshops
- Online sessions
- Easy Read resources to support access and understanding.
Stage three: Individual advocacy support.
Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA) will provide:
- Short term one-on –one advocacy for people with high support needs and their families
- A supported decision-making approach ensuring peoples will, preferences and rights are at the centre of all support.
Led by and with people with lived experience
This project team includes people with and without an intellectual disability. People with lived experience will guide the design, delivery and evaluation process of all project activities.
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If you would like more information on the project, you can email [email protected]