Brite is an Australian Disability Enterprise (ADE) taking a person centred and holistic approach to employment for people with disability. Brite’s CEO, Nick Mac Hale, shares their challenges and hopes for a strong future. A mix of experience and fresh ideas is allowing Brite to flourish as one of Australia’s largest disability enterprises. Brite has been around for more than 40 years and is a…
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Stories
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is an essential public service for all Australians and plays a crucial role in delivering services that reflect and contribute to Australian society, culture and identity. The ABC is genuinely committed to representing the diverse community it serves – both in the profile of its staff and the content it creates. This means accurately representing the…, ABC sets goals to drive measurable outcomes, ABC’s Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment Adviser,, Sheena B, , said the organisation first learned about the NDRC during a webinar about workplace adjustments. ABC signed up for the partnership with a range of goals in mind. “We were hoping to assess how we could improve accessibility for people with disability applying to our jobs. We also wanted to increase our attraction and inclusion of people with disability through the recruitment process by…, A 200% boost in applications from candidates with disability, NDRC Professional Adviser, Rob Crestani, got straight to work, helping Sheena and the team increase their disability confidence. This included carrying out a recruitment review, disability awareness training and engagement with disability employment services. “The recruitment review really helped us highlight recommendations to improve and enhance our recruitment process, whilst disability awareness training helped engage our ABC staff…, NDRC support paves the way for long-term changes, The support from JobAccess has helped ABC make lasting changes, according to Sheena. The disability confidence gained from the partnership has allowed the broadcaster to take meaningful and sustainable long-term steps to ensure its workplace remains disability-inclusive and accessible. “The partnership was a valued source of advice and guidance for a number of successfully launched initiatives,…
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Stories
Two years ago, at the age of 61, Sharon was diagnosed as autistic. Self-employed Sharon is a scientist, a founder and has a PhD; all of which didn’t come easily to Sharon., An autism diagnosis at the age of 61, Dr Sharon Zivkovic is a scientist, a founder, a Chief Innovation Officer and a social entrepreneur who has worked with diverse community stakeholders on community capacity-building projects for over 20 years. Sharon is currently studying her 7th degree, a Masters in Autism, and is a “self-confessed workaholic”. Sharon is autistic. She was only diagnosed as autistic two years ago, at the age of 61…, On a mission to change the way society thinks about autism, It was the early 1970’s and Sharon had stopped attending school regularly by the end of primary school and left school entirely by the time she was 14. It was a difficult time to be in the education system as an undiagnosed autistic. After school, Sharon received welfare support from the Government for sixteen years and then went on to work in various two-year contracts. Sharon found the work…, Some of the challenges Sharon was experiencing before reaching out to JobAccess, Sharon is a member of the “lost generation”, individuals who were not diagnosed as autistic when they were children , and as such, did not receive therapies to assist with body awareness when she was young. This lack of awareness has resulted in an increasing occurrence of workplace injuries directly related to poor body positioning and movement and a lack of recognition of internal body cues and…, Sharon finds support with JobAccess, It was time to do something about the injuries that she was experiencing in her home office. As a self-employed person who works from home, Sharon was delighted when she discovered that she was able to obtain tailored advice and support with workplace adjustments through JobAccess . JobAccess helped Sharon organise an Occupational Therapist who took Sharon through various tests to understand the…, What motivates Sharon to do the work she does?, In Australia, the unemployment rate for autistic individuals is 34.1 per cent, more than three times the rate for people with disability. Autistic individuals also have the poorest participation and outcome rates at university than for all other disabilities. Even if an autistic individual completes a university degree, less than half of autistic individuals with a university degree gain…, What does Sharon enjoy most about her role?, “I get to work in a way that matches my brain.” – Dr Sharon Zivkovic Sharon is very pleased that she gets to work with her strengths and, in her way, not trying to fit into a neurotypical world. “I get to work in a way that matches my brain. If I have to force myself to fit into a neurotypical world, I am exhausted. The best part of my work is being able to work with my strengths. I have…, When it comes to workplace adjustments, talk to the experts, Contact JobAccess on 1800 464 800 to speak to our Advisers for expert, confidential and tailored advice on workplace adjustments. You can also submit an online enquiry through our website.
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Stories
Paralympian and now NSW Institute of Sport National Coach,, Louise Sauvage, , is set to receive a custom-built wheelchair in the coming months. This game changing support will help Louise in her role coaching and mentoring athletes., Louise’s work and recognition on and off the track, Louise was born with a congenital spinal condition. At the age of 18, Louise competed in her first Paralympic Games in Barcelona. Since then, she went on to compete at various Paralympic Games between 1992 and 2004. She has won nine gold and four silver medals. Amongst many other achievements, Louise also received the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1993. Following a huge sporting career…, Environmental barriers for Louise at work, If Louise isn’t on the road with her team, a typical day would involve going to Sydney Olympic Park to coach two podium athletes, writing programs for athletes, and providing one-on-one coaching. Louise also volunteers, trains and coaches people with disability in wheelchair track and road. Her work involves a lot of travel, depending on where the athletes need her. Sometimes she travels…, Louise finds her job incredibly rewarding, Louise describes her role as National Coach as a privilege. She gets to be part of an athlete’s journey and help them reach their goals. Louise uses her own experience as a professional athlete and Paralympian to bring a different perspective to coaching. She has been in the shoes of the athletes she is coaching and understands the highs and lows of being a professional athlete. “They don’t have…, Louise’s experience with JobAccess and her message to other people living with disability, Louise found JobAccess to be supportive and the overall process to be very quick. Louise found JobAccess Professional Adviser, Emma Tutty, to be really easy to work with and talk with, and very supportive, guiding Louise through the process. “Emma and the JobAccess team really took the time to listen. My experience was phenomenal!“ – Louise Sauvage. Louise also describes her experience working with JobAccess as phenomenal. “The process was a lot quicker than I thought. Getting approval for the chair was fantastic. Emma and the team…, Are you looking for advice and support with workplace adjustments? Contact JobAccess, JobAccess is the go-to expert for disability employment matters. It helps removes barriers to sustainable employment for people with disability. JobAccess has a team of allied health professionals who provide expert, confidential and tailored advice on workplace adjustments from the first point of contact. For tailored and confidential support, reach out to JobAccess on 1800 464 800 or submit an…
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Stories
Christopher Croker, Employee at McDonald’s, Christopher Croker has been an employee at McDonald’s Wadalba since February 2016. Over the past 3 years, Chris has made himself an invaluable asset to the team, most recently being nominated in the 2019 NSW Business Chamber Business Awards as Outstanding Young Employee of the Year. He is loved by team members and customers alike, described by all as passionate, energetic and devoted. Chris also…
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Stories
Daniel Anderson, is a former National Rugby League (NRL) coach. Due to a body surfing accident in 2022, he injured his spine and acquired quadriplegia. Daniel has now returned to his role as Head of Recruitment at the Sydney Roosters, working from his new and accessible workspace., Daniel’s contribution to the rugby league world, Daniel has been involved in the NRL since his early days. He began his coaching career in 1999. Daniel previously coached the New Zealand Warriors and the Parramatta Eels in the NRL. He was also the coach of St. Helens in the Super League. In 2006, he was named BBC Sports Personality Coach of the Year. Currently, he works as the Head of Recruitment at Sydney Roosters., Adjusting to a new way of life, In December 2022, Daniel had an accident whilst bodysurfing. The incident damaged his spinal cord, and he acquired quadriplegia. It affected his mobility. After an intense recovery process in rehab, he is now back to his work. In his new role, Daniel works with various employees and professional rugby league players. These people are aged between 15 – 80 years. He enjoys his work and follows…, Environmental barriers at work, As a wheelchair user, Daniel faced environmental barriers at work, and at his home office. His workstations had little space to navigate the wheelchair. It limited his movement from one place to another in the office. Daniel's workspaces required modifications to boost his productivity and efficiency. Rachel from Royal Ryde Rehab, who supported Daniel in his recovery, recommended that he…, Daniel returns to work where he gets to contribute and add value, Upon receiving Daniel’s application for the Employment Assistance Fund (EAF) , a JobAccess Professional Adviser organised a free assessment of Daniel’s home and office workspaces. An independent assessor with specialised knowledge of the disability conducted the assessment. Based on the assessment, changes to Daniel’s workspaces were recommended. The assessor also suggested tailored equipment and…, Are you looking for advice and support with workplace adjustments? Get in touch with JobAccess, JobAccess is the go-to expert for disability employment matters. It helps removes barriers to sustainable employment for people with disability. JobAccess has a team of allied health professionals who provide expert, confidential and tailored advice on workplace adjustments from the first point of contact. For expert advice and tailored support, reach out to JobAccess on 1800 464 800 or submit an…
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Stories
City of Adelaide partnered with JobAccess and the National Disability Recruitment Coordinator (NDRC) to improve their recruitment and employment practices, making the workplace more inclusive and accessible for people with disability and supporting employees like Steph to thrive at work., City of Adelaide identified the need to improve accessibility and inclusion of people with disability, City of Adelaide is the Adelaide council, i.e., the local Government authority for Adelaide, employing around 1,000 people. JobAccess approached City of Adelaide to review City of Adelaide’s recruitment and employment practices, and to make recommendations to increase the accessibility and inclusion of people with disability at City of Adelaide. JobAccess’ employer engagement team – the National…, Davin Jaehne, , were seeking support to create and embed inclusive and accessible recruitment, onboarding and training processes. They also sought assistance in increasing disability awareness in the workplace, and advice on how best to provide flexible work arrangements and reasonable adjustments. At the time, the biggest challenge the City of Adelaide faced was how to create accessible recruitment practices…, The NDRC supports City of Adelaide to build disability confidence, creating meaningful and sustainable change, Through its free 12-mont partnership, the NDRC helped build disability confidence within City of Adelaide’s People Team, which had a roll-on effect on disability confidence throughout the organisation. First up, the NDRC looked at City of Adelaide’s recruitment processes and tools, including how to incorporate reasonable adjustments into all stages of the recruitment process. The NDRC also…, Leaders Toolkit, for ensuring inclusion and accessibility from the leadership level down,, a tip sheet for creating accessible documents, , and an, inclusive language guide, for managers and recruiters. With the support of the NDRC, City of Adelaide also introduced an online Disability Access & Inclusion Training program delivered to all employees. “The Disability Access and Inclusion Training has given some of our employees that are living with disability the confidence to share their stories, and in turn, further educate our organisation,” said Davin. City of…, Team member Steph shares her experience working with City of Adelaide, , Steph Paprzycki-Baker, is the Team Leader of Community Safety at the City of Adelaide. Through her work, Steph makes sure that Adelaide city remains a safe and welcoming place for everyone. Steph leads a team of 40 employees, whose focus is to ensure that the city environment is safe and accessible, following the rules and regulations set by the Council. Steph joined City of Adelaide post the work of the NDRC and City…, cost-free initiatives like quiet spaces and flexible breaks, , helping the workforce, and team members like Steph, to thrive at work. “Having access to quiet spaces is another great support. It allows me to take short breaks when needed, helping me recharge and stay focused on my task,” said Steph., “, City of Adelaide provide me with the flexibility I need, reducing stress and enhancing my overall well-being., ”, – Steph Paprzycki-Baker, Team Leader of Community Safety, City of Adelaide. City of Adelaide also embraced a, flexible working policy, for their team, again a cost free initiative helping to build accessibility and inclusion in the workplace. “The flexible working agreements have been a real asset. They provide me with the flexibility I need to manage my work-life balance effectively, reducing stress and enhancing my overall well-being,” shared Steph., Positive outcomes for City of Adelaide and Steph, now and into the future, Alongside the wider City of Adelaide workforce, Steph is experiencing the benefits of City of Adelaide’s commitment to providing an inclusive and accessible workplace. Steph finds her work brings her a sense of accomplishment and allows her to be part of something important. Steph loves being a leader and seeing her team growing and thriving in their roles. Steph acknowledges that the City of…, Your business can benefit from JobAccess’ Government funded support too, JobAccess’ employer engagement team – the National Disability Recruitment Coordinator – works alongside employers to develop inclusive workplace policies and practices that support people with disability. As well as providing a comprehensive job vacancy service, the NDRC conducts workplace training and employer seminars on disability awareness. JobAccess also provides free, expert and…
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Stories
Clay, is a Boilermaker working with, Evermil, , a steel fabrication and supplies business based on the South Coast of NSW. Clay’s role is diverse in nature. Day to day, he may be interpreting blueprints, cutting, moulding, and welding metal and steel to fix faults, welding and bolting structures together or identifying and solving various challenges depending on the project Clay is working on. As a Boilermaker, Clay also needs to lift items…, Chris Beck, , Managing Director of Evermil, was keen to find support to make Clay’s role more accessible. Chris commissioned colleague, Paul Baxendale, to research and see what was out there. That’s when Paul came across home page JobAccess and the Employment Assistance Fund . Clay was also aware of JobAccess from a previous role with another business. Paul and Clay sought support which meant Clay could work autonomously and efficiently. Clay didn’t want to interrupt his colleagues when needing assistance to lift or move things. Clay also had…, Chantal Hardey, supported Clay and Paul through what was a rather lengthy process sourcing the equipment required, as not many businesses produce the specialised and expensive equipment here in Australia., Regarding Clay’s experience with JobAccess and Chantal, he appreciates the support and found the process helpful. “They were really nice and helpful,” said Clay., Clay is also appreciative of living in a country with this kind of support available. Although he still faces his struggles, the equipment has made things easier. “The scissor lift saved me. I’m always struggling, but now not as much. Not many people in general get a worktable like this. I’m pretty stoked,” said Clay. From Paul’s perspective, although the specialised equipment took some time to…, Paul commented that working with JobAccess “opened Evermil’s eyes to what is possible” when hiring a diverse workforce and wanting to create inclusion for all., Clay is now taking on more tasks with the help of his equipment. “Clay is a top guy. He can do more tasks now, it’s great to see and makes his job a lot easier,” said Paul. No matter the role or challenges faced, JobAccess’ team of professional advisers will get to know the employee and employer, uncover the challenges at work and come up with solutions to remove any barriers., It is a simple and straightforward process, ., Talk to us about making reasonable adjustments at work, . Are you interested in understanding more about how the, Employment Assistance Fund, can help you or your employee? For more information you can visit the Employment Assistance Fund EAF or contact JobAccess on 1800 464 800 . You can also submit an enquiry through our online form or email us at jobaccess@genu.org.au .
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Stories
Kevin Green, Cleaning Supervisor at Compass Group Australia., For Compass Group Australia, hiring people with disability is part of their core business. That’s because if they weren’t doing it, there’s every chance they’d be missing the best person for the job. The organisation of more than 10,000 people already boasts many employees with disability. But according to Kathy Scott, Communications Manager at Compass Group, over the past year it has become an…
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Stories
Neurodiversity Celebration Week , which is being marked this week, reminds us that our differences aren’t weaknesses – they’re strengths. Supporting inclusive employment is part of JobAccess’ everyday work. We help employers and people with disability by giving practical advice, helping with workplace adjustments, and supporting inclusive recruitment. We also work to build these same values in…, Small adjustments, big impact, Monica is an Employment Assistance Fund (EAF) advisor. She works closely with employers and people with disabilities daily. Helping transform inclusive goals into real, practical support in the workplace. She says small actions make a difference. “Inclusivity isn’t one big decision,” Monica said. “It’s lots of small adjustments, like having captioning on virtual meetings.” She likes JobAccess’…, Creating space to be yourself, For JobAccess’ digital marketing lead Ellenie, inclusion starts with feeling safe. “An inclusive workplace is one where people feel safe to be themselves without having to hide parts of who they are,” Ellenie said. “It’s about being listened to and supported when you ask for what you need.” After receiving a late attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis, Ellenie says having a…, Supporting inclusive employment, Chantal is the Employment Assistance Fund (EAF) lead, and says that inclusion means equity. "The supports one person needs aren’t necessarily appropriate for another, even if they have the same diagnosis,” she said. Chantal leads the EAF team to help employers and employees get practical workplace adjustments. It's the small, thoughtful workplace adjustments that help Chantal do her role well.…, Belonging, not just accessibility, Naomi is the Team Administrator with the National Disability Recruitment Coordinator (NDRC). She describes inclusion as something that goes beyond policies or compliance. “To me, an inclusive workplace means a place where everyone feels welcome, safe and able to show up as themselves,” Naomi said. “It’s a place where people are supported as a part of the whole, genuinely valued and respected, and…, Want to make your workplace more inclusive?, Are you interested in seeing how you can make your workplace more inclusive? Give us a call on, 1800 464 800, to access free advice, guidance and support.
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Stories
