The disability employment sector will benefit from a $14.6 million boost to 33 organisations that will receive grants from the $29.5 million Structural Adjustment Fund.
Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said funding under this grant round will ensure people with high support needs can reap both the social and economic benefits that employment can provide.
The Minister visited Cultivate Food and Beverage in Adelaide, a social enterprise offering open employment in food manufacturing for people with barriers to work. It will build on a trial delivered with RM Williams to host employment in mainstream workplaces with an employment coach and create individualised pathways to open employment for supported employees.
Learnings from the funds projects will be shared with the sector through the new Centre for Inclusive Employment, an evidence-informed, best-practice hub that provides resources, tools, and training to help providers deliver quality employment services for people with disability.
“Inclusive Employment Australia and the Centre for Inclusive Employment align with the government’s vision of a more inclusive future, where people with disability, as well as those with injuries or health conditions, can get the support they need to find work and progress in their careers,” the minister said.