Prospert ’s Post

As Disability Employment Service (DES) providers prepare for contract announcements, now is the time to ensure your project planning is thorough and strategic. Peter Bacon, CEO of Disability Employment Australia, reminds us: “Make sure your project planning includes a partnership stream. If you’ve made commitments to community groups in your tender, follow through now to build trust and ensure collaboration later.” In our second article of The DES Roadmap: from Tender to Transformation, we explore how providers can navigate this critical stage, refine their service models, and strengthen key relationships with employers and community partners. 👉 Read the full article now to learn how to position your organisation: https://lnkd.in/geTDRk7X #DES #Prospert #DisabilityEmployment #EmploymentServices

📣Peter Bacon, CEO of Disability Employment Australia, shares a valuable piece of advice for Disability Employment Services (DES) providers: "Think about how you're training your staff. There’s high-quality training out there, but if you're rolling out something very specific, what’s your plan to train your staff in it? That needs to start right now." As the tender rush fades, Paul Diviny FIEP, our Founder & Director, and Peter shares five essential steps to help DES providers prepare for the next phase of transition. 👉 Don’t miss out on these valuable insights—read the full article now: https://lnkd.in/gfKJgSVa #DisabilityEmployment #DES #StaffTraining #EmploymentServices #Prospert

Australian Disability Network welcomes the much-needed focus on #DisabilityEmployment in last night’s #FederalBudget, including the $23 million in funding to establish the Disability Employment Centre of Excellence, and the investment in a modern digital platform to better deliver support to Disability Employment Service providers and participants. We look forward to seeing the detail of how the Disability Employment Centre of Excellence will operate and partner with existing disability employment organisations. However, the Federal Budget has missed the opportunity to provide tangible support and resources for employers to hire people with disability, especially small and medium enterprises who are one of the biggest employer groups in the country. #EquitableEmployment and #CareerAdvancement opportunities are a gamechanger. We hope the Government’s response to Disability Royal Commission will include incentives and support for employers to address the entrenched under-representation of people with disability in the workforce. Read our November 2023 submission to the Disability Employment Centre of Excellence here: https://lnkd.in/eawmABzr

👉🏼 Be sure to read our latest news story by the #IEP and Disability Employment Australia titled 'Navigating the Path to Inclusive Employment', which has been composed as a direct response to Royal Commission Recommendation. The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability has made a total of 222 recommendations on how to improve laws, policies, structures, and practices to ensure a more inclusive and just society that supports the independence of people with disability and their right to live free from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. In response to these comprehensive recommendations, Disability Employment Australia (DEA) has presented a robust approach aimed at addressing the complex needs of individuals with disabilities, whilst the IEP has provided a ‘companion piece’ to the Commonwealth Disability Royal Commission Taskforce in support of DEA’s contribution offering additional insights and perspectives, aligning with DEA's overarching principles while also highlighting areas for further consideration and enhancement. https://lnkd.in/e9678PDX @IEPInfo @DisabilityEmplt #DisabilityEmploymentAustralia #InclusiveEmployment #IEPAustralia #Employability #EmployabilitySkills #IEP #Professional #Fellowship #Upskilling #Retraining #AlwaysLearning #Networking #Learning #Institute

In the past few years, I have learnt a lot about the important role social procurement and social enterprises play in facilitating inclusive employment. Another big learning has been that research shows that many businesses lack the skills and confidence to employ people with disability and are not aware of the support and resources available from the Australian Government to do so (Job Access 2023). That’s why we’re very excited to be offering Disability Awareness and Confidence Training as part of Boroondara’s Disability Inclusive Employment Program in partnership with Villa Maria Catholic Homes. “In Victoria, less than 5 out of 10 Victorians with disability are employed, compared with nearly 8 in 10 people without disability” (Department of Families, Fairness and Housing 2022). Aimed at businesses located in City of Boroondara, the training aims to support businesses to develop the confidence and capability to recruit a more diverse workforce, while reaping the benefits of doing so. Attending this session will provide businesses with an understanding of how to:  -overcome some of the everyday barriers people with disability face in the workforce  -contribute to a disability-friendly workplace and increased staff disability confidence. Tuesday 14 May, online, 6:30 - 7:30pm Register here: https://lnkd.in/gT49_Y42 Nickie Wainwright Zachary Townend Melissa Reid Michelle Forster Lucinda Bakhach Nancy Multari Joanne McAuliffe Simon Scrase Brighdie O'Dwyer Paul Thia Emma Joyce Philip O'Brien Maria Dimitriou - ACEcD Angela Stubbs

The new program, effective from July 1, 2025, is intended to improve #employment and career outcomes for #PeopleWithDisability through individualised and effective specialist disability employment services. Read all about it: https://hubs.ly/Q02SKJp20

Shaping Disability Employment Excellence in Australia: The Partnership between IEP and Disability Employment Australia In a landmark collaboration designed to drive professional standards forward in Australia, the Institute for Employability Professionals (IEP) has joined forces with Disability Employment Australia (DEA). This partnership marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of excellence and inclusion within the employability sector, with a shared vision to unlock the full potential of people with disabilities in the workforce. This approach to collaboration is already in evidence, with IEP Global CEO Scott Parkin FIEP presenting the new IEP Quality Improvement Framework (QIF) at the DEA Leadership Forum in Sydney on March 27. This was a timely contribution given the introduction of a new Quality Framework within the Disability Employment Service (DES) at the start of the year... https://lnkd.in/eJskdG3U @IEPInfo @IEPInfoAustralia #IEPNews #IEPAustralia @MrEmployability @PeterBaconFIEP @Disabilityemplt #IEPQIF #Employability

DEA will have a summary on the relevant parts of the govt’s response to the Disability Royal Commission in due course. Of course, we welcome the government’s continued commitment to a specialist disability employment service and the new Disability Employment Centre of Excellence (both recommendations were officially accepted, making them something of a rarity). However, my thoughts are with the many people with disability who campaigned for a Royal Commission for many years and then contributed to its work with steadfast commitment and abundant good faith. The Report, in its many shelf-filling volumes, laid out in exacting detail the experience of people with disability. An experience which is marked by exclusion, ableism, violence, and exploitation. I had hoped (optimist as I am) that the DRC might be a line in the sand, a rubicon once crossed that could lead to a fundamental reimagining of how Australia treats a vast swathe of its population leading to greater equity, inclusion, and freedom. But this requires real, visionary leadership from government, going beyond incrementalism and into something more transformative and revolutionary. The government’s response falls well short in that regard. It is a minimum viable product, if that. The tinny sound of cans being kicked down the road echoes across Australia. And it is not lost on me that in other ways, like the cuts to NDIS and some elements of the new DES, we are going backwards. We must do better. People with disability deserve so much better.

👉🏼 Be sure to read our latest news story by the #IEP and Disability Employment Australia titled 'Navigating the Path to Inclusive Employment', which has been composed as a direct response to Royal Commission Recommendation. The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability has made a total of 222 recommendations on how to improve laws, policies, structures, and practices to ensure a more inclusive and just society that supports the independence of people with disability and their right to live free from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. In response to these comprehensive recommendations, Disability Employment Australia (DEA) has presented a robust approach aimed at addressing the complex needs of individuals with disabilities, whilst the IEP has provided a ‘companion piece’ to the Commonwealth Disability Royal Commission Taskforce in support of DEA’s contribution offering additional insights and perspectives, aligning with DEA's overarching principles while also highlighting areas for further consideration and enhancement. https://lnkd.in/e9678PDX @IEPInfo @DisabilityEmplt #DisabilityEmploymentAustralia #InclusiveEmployment #IEPAustralia #Employability #EmployabilitySkills #IEP #Professional #Fellowship #Upskilling #Retraining #AlwaysLearning #Networking #Learning #Institute

*Easy English version of our survey now available* The Victorian Disability Worker Commission is conducting a survey about disability sector safeguards and the disability workforce. There are no right or wrong answers. We just want to know what you think. Participants will go into a prize draw to win one of ten $100 vouchers. To do the Easy English version click here - https://lnkd.in/dTAriNh4 To do the survey click here - https://lnkd.in/gm_KwWHR You can also do the survey over the phone by calling our research partner ORIMA on 1800 883 345. It will take around 20 minutes. The responses will help us to know what information people with disability need about the Victorian Disability Worker Regulation Scheme. The survey is being run by an independent company ORIMA Research. No personal information will be provided to the Commission and is not linked to responses. #SaferStrongerSector #TheSafeChoice #DisabilityVictoria