If you have a disability that you were born with or that happened to you later in life, the last thing that you want to have put in front of you is more barriers. People with disabilities all across Australia experience hurdles every single day of their lives who are only trying to go about their daily business but trying to find a job as well. Many Australian employers say that they do not discriminate and even though they may not be aware of it, many still make it very difficult to join their companies. It’s really hard trying to negotiate all of the red tape by yourself and so if you get an opportunity to get assistance then you should grab it with both hands.
Thankfully there are a number of government programs currently available to people with disabilities called DES, which stands for disability employment services. This is a government-fundedprogramme that is set up to help people like yourself find a job and to hold onto it. The first thing that you need to do is to find out if you have DES eligibility and if you have, then there are a number of ways to take advantage of the services. The following are just some of those.
1. Get yourself registered – This needs to be on the top of your list of things to do because once you are registered, you will be put in touch with an individual who will try to meet your job needs and your preferences as well. The great news is that you can actually register online or you can give them a call. If you feel that they are not working hard enough for you then you can always change your provider and try again.
2. Spend time with your employment consultant – You can’t expect your employment consultant to know what it is that you want from your working life if you don’t sit down together and set out the skills that you have, the interests that you want to have met and any aspirations that you might have. They will be able to provide you with essential training, education and many other resources to make you more employable.
3. Try not to restrict your options – Don’t have a set thought in your head about what it is that you want and the kind of job that you want. There are many different types of jobs out there that will suit your abilities and some are on a part-time basis, some are on a full-time basis and some may even be an opportunity for you to become self-employed. The important thing is to consider all of your options and don’t just restrict yourself to the industry that you want to be involved in.
There is of course a website that will provide you with all of the information that you could possibly need about employment issues when it comes to your disability. You have certain rights and you also have certain responsibilities.
