The Future of Disability Employment – Assistance and supportRick KaneCEO, Disability Employment Australia

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AHRC Willing to Work Report

• People with disability are less likely to be employed full-time (27.0%) than people without disability (53.8%) • Australians with disability are more likely to be

unemployed (10.0% compared with 5.3% for those without disability) and face longer periods of unemployment than people without disability  

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AHRC W2W Report Recommendations

• National community education and information campaign:

1. lift awareness of economic benefits of employing people with disability

2. dispel myths and stereotypes to change the way we value the contributions of people with disability.

• Promote government supports available to employers through Disability Employment Services, JobAccess, the Employment Assistance Fund and the National Disability Resource Coordinator.

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AHRC W2W Recommendations: Employers

The Willing to Work Report offers strategies for employers to lift participation and ensure non-discriminatory employment practices:

Leadership commitment to inclusive and diverse workplacesNon-discriminatory recruitment and retention practicesBuilding workplace flexibilityProvide targeted education and training in the workplaceBuild healthy workplaces

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Biggest Job Growth by Occupation

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New JobsHealth Professionals 125,100Carers & Aides 111,800Business & Marketing Professionals 92,900Sales Assistants 88,900Specialist Managers 71,900Teachers 68,700Personal Service Workers 51,400Hospitality & Retail Managers 47,400Hospitality Workers 37,000ICT Professionals 36,900Total Top 10 732,000

Source: From Australia Dept. of Employment, 2016 Employment Projections

Top Ten Occupations (2-digit level), 2016-2020

NDIS Victoria Market Statement Position

• More people: The Victoria market for disability supports is estimated to grow from 78,000 people to 105,000 in 2019

• Level of Funding: Annual growth expected from $2.6B to $5.1B in 2020

• More jobs: The FTE workforce required to service this demand is estimated to grow from 20,000 to 42,000 by 2020

• The biggest markets will be Southern Melbourne, Brimbank Melton, Hume Moreland and Bayside Peninsula

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Future of disability employment

Changes to disability employment need to better align it with the principles underpinning the NDIS.• Three main areas to improve disability employment:• Better engagement with, and support for, employers,• Ensuring service providers can deliver effective support that is high

quality, and• Empowering participants to make informed decisions.

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Future of disability employment

• Providers will be given the opportunity to expand their services to additional regions, based on how successful they are in their existing services,

• Opportunity for new providers to qualify and enter the market, to provide DES services.

• Participants may chose their provider regardless of whether they live in a specified region; they can go to a provider in the neighbouring region.

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Future of disability employment

Individualisation• Easier access to quality information on providers and services • Participants can choose the service that is right for them, • Participants given more say in the type of assistance they receive, • Greater portability in participant funding, and • Reduce constraints on changing provider if participants are not

satisfied with the support they are receiving

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Future of disability employment

Individualisation• Relax market share • Enabling participants to choose from more providers• Make it easier for participants to ‘vote with their feet’

Providers will need to respond to the views/needs of participants, for example, in the way assistance is developed and provided, and in the range of supports offered.

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Youth Employment Strategy initiatives

National Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Trial - vocational assistance for young people (up to 25) with mental illness• Integrates employment and vocational support with clinical mental health and non-vocational

support. Focus on individual needs of people with mental illness seeking to remain in education or employment. Employment specialists will provide career development advice and vocational and employment assistance - in tandem with clinical support.

Other initiatives include:• Investment Approach (Try, Test, Learn)• Empowering YOUth (vulnerable young people aged 15–24 who are long-term unemployed or at risk

of becoming long-term unemployed• The Youth Jobs PaTH provides three elements: Prepare – Trial – Hire: support young people under

the age of 25 years gain employability skills and real work experience to get and keep a job, and incentives for employers to take them on.

• NDIS School Leaver Employment supports, to foster new and innovative employment support options for people with disability

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JobAccess supporting employers

• Expert advice via new website (employer section) and phone• Employer engagement services

oHelping employers attract and retain the skills and talents of people with disability

• Employment Assistance FundoFinancial help for employers and eligible people with

disability and mental health conditions to buy work related modifications and services

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Questions?

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