Your Disability Employment Service will work with you to develop an Employment Pathway Plan that meets your individual needs. This will set out the services and assistance you will receive to help you find and stay in a job.
Step 1—Your first point of contact
If you are looking for work Centrelink can assess your situation and work out which services you may be eligible for. You can contact Centrelink Employment Services on 13 28 50 or visit your nearest Centrelink Customer Service Centre. Centrelink will be able to register you as looking for work even if you have not yet completed the registration process.
You may also directly register with a Disability Employment Service in your area without going to Centrelink. Some Disability Employment Services are specialists. This means they specialise in working with participants with a specific disability. Information about which Disability Employment Services operate in which areas is available from the Australian JobSearch Website. See the Related Links to access the website and look under ‘Find a provider’.
Step 2—Do you require an Employment Services Assessment
If you need an Employment Services Assessment, Centrelink or your Disability Employment Service will be able to organise one for you.
An Employment Services Assessment will help identify what services you need to help you find a job.
You will be given information about the purpose of the assessment.
The assessor will then complete the assessment with you. In most cases this will be done face-to-face, with only limited exceptions, such as if you are unable to travel.
The assessor will have information on your medical and income support history, where appropriate. You may also need to take medical and other documents with you to your assessment.
After your assessment, the assessor will refer you to the employment service that best suits your needs.
Step 3—Meeting with your Disability Employment Service
At your first appointment you will meet with a consultant who will tailor an Employment Pathway Plan for you that may include:
Gaining new skills and qualifications
Accessing work experience opportunities
Help to manage your disability and other medical or health interventions
Overcoming and managing other barriers to employment.
Step 4—Volunteering for Disability Employment Services
People without job search obligations, such as Disability Support Pension recipients, are able to volunteer for employment services and other programs of assistance. An Employment Services Assessment is usually required to determine if Disability Employment Services are the most appropriate employment service based on individual needs.