QUESTIONS FROM THE NDCO WEBINAR – ANSWERS PROVIDED BY JOBACCESS Question Answer Many employers like the concept but are too scared to test the water. How do we overcome this because my line boss usually go yeah yeah I will check up the line and then nothing happens and it gets tiring asking again and again For many people, hiring a person with disability may feel foreign to them and this would be an opportunity to build confidence about hiring a person with disability. A great starting point would be to find out their experience, concerns (myths) / barriers and only then you would respond and dispel these myths one by one. Be conscious of demonstrating listening techniques to show that you have heard their concerns. Remember, not everyone is as passionate as yourself, and they may not communicate the same message you’re delivering to a person above them. On follow up attempts try to explain the key messages in a different way. Lastly, regardless of hiring a person with disability or not, persistence is what drives success. It’s hard to compete with JobActive (non-disabled) candidates who we can offer in some cases $6,500 over 6 months, however we can only offer $1,500 (Departmental) subsidy for Disability candidates Apart from Restart (for Mature Aged candidates aged 50+), are there any other funding/incentive sources for Disability candidates / disability confident employers? Based on our experience with many employers, a wage subsidy is not a key determining factor when selecting a candidate. The primary focus of the conversation should focus on the candidate’s ability to complete the inherent requirements of the role, their experience, transferrable skills and how this person would be an asset to their organisation. Selling a candidate to an employer based on a financial outcome is not going to bode well for the candidate post 6 months, it is best to bring back the attention to the individual. Of the 35,000 applications, what % is available on people with a mental disability? Also any great examples JA can provide people with a mental disability? The majority of applications are for sensory impairments such as vision and hearing, followed by physical disabilities. This would then be followed by applications for mental health conditions and intellectual impairments. Some good examples of funding for people with mental health conditions is the $1500 per person per annum for Mental Health Awareness Training and the separate $1500 per person per annum for 1:1 support in the workplace where a specialist such as treating psychologist, manager and individual can meet
you may notify that your candidate is applying, and discuss any other benefits directly. Highlight first how your candidate is a good match (has the skills, qualifications and or experience) for the role, and then advise any other supporting information (e.g. wage incentives, availability of post-placement candidate support etc.). Do you have an employee agreement template available for PWID - eg plain English? Could we please have a little more information about the organisation who asked this question as this will determine the answer/information provided. Email: Can you provide advice about work experience options for students with disabilities or part time work for teenagers with disabilities? Work experience options are dependent on the interests of the candidate. Knowing their interests would help narrow down where to start. Local councils are an excellent source for work experience options as they have a broad range of services in the local community, from office work, maintenance, care workers, libraries etc. Alternatively, consider apprenticeships / traineeships through Group Training Organisations (GTO) who offer training and paid employment. In regards to disability awareness training, does the training have to be delivered by JobAccess? Can employers receive support to access disability specific training (e.g. supporting a person with Down syndrome in the workplace) from other organisations? JobAccess does not deliver the Disability Awareness Training (DAT) training in situations where the training will be funded through the Employment Assistance Fund (EAF). Employers can receive training from relevant specialists in the field. All awareness training must be delivered by trainers who have a minimum of Cert IV in Training and Assessment and have relevant experience. The training cannot be delivered by the Employer’s own organisation or a DES Provider’s own organisation.