Help is here to support you in your employment path with or without SLES funding

Eddie became a Help client when he was in school, building a strong rapport with his coach Shileen, who visited him in his familiar school environment. With a goal to build employment skills, Shileen and Eddie discussed the things he liked and disliked, along with his hobbies and interests.

For young people with disabilities nearing the end of school, Help’s support and team of experts are readily available through School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES) funding in their NDIS plan, providing them with the support they need to navigate their employment pathways.

In some cases, like Eddie’s, school leavers need to access different funding options for various reasons. Sometimes a line item just isn’t included in their current NDIS plan and is pending an NDIS plan reassessment. In other situations, they might be outside of the age range for SLES funding. At Help, we work with school leavers and their advocates to find suitable funding that ensures their progress doesn’t slow down when they leave school. We call this approach to SLES funding our ‘Inclusive Employment Supports’.

Regardless of how the support is funded, participants will work with a coach in one-on-one sessions, to build their own learning path. During these sessions, they can choose which learning activities or topics suit their needs and interests and learn at their own speed. This can include strengthening social skills in the workplace, career planning, job search strategies, and skills for self management. Each coaching session focuses on the client and their individual needs and unique interests.

Building skills for success

For Eddie, the sessions helped Shileen to understand that he had a passion for food, cooking and working with his hands. Based on their meetings, she started looking for opportunities in the hospitality industry.

Finding an opportunity in a local cafe brought Eddie’s passions to life as he participated in a work experience program for 6 weeks and discovered a knack for making coffee!

Eddie’s enthusiasm and abilities didn’t go unnoticed at Help’s office as he was always keen to show the team how to use the coffee machine. Seeing his deep commitment and joy, coach Shileen looked for ways that Eddie could use and expand this work skill. She then identified a unit (Prepare and serve espresso coffee) from a ‘Certificate III in Hospitality’ that he completed to ready himself for barista work.

“Eddie loved it and thrived doing this course! We were also able to go to a local cafe and Eddie made coffees and served them to customers as part of his learnings,” said Shileen.

Upon his course completion, Eddie was asked to showcase his skills at a Help event where he made coffees for participants. “He did an absolutely marvellous job! He had a fantastic time and enjoyed being a barista for the morning,” said Shileen.

The journey continues

The work with Eddie hasn’t finished yet. In many cases, the journey for a Help client is just as important as the finish line – finding and keeping a job. For Eddie, this means he’s now more confident in his work skills and has a clearer picture of his passions and abilities. With that under his belt, he’s been attending Help’s office for coaching sessions and wants to explore other industries before he decides the job or career he wants to pursue.

Are you unsure what path to choose, what career to follow, and what abilities to develop? We can help you find those answers, with or without SLES funding. Contact us today!