7.1
This chapter considers employment opportunities for people with disability—particularly National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants—in the NDIS workforce. It also makes some preliminary recommendations to enhance employment outcomes.
7.2
Key issues considered in this chapter include:
opportunities for people with disability in the NDIS workforce, including as peer workers and in training and capacity-building roles;
barriers to employment facing people with disability;
employment of people with disability by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA); and
educational outcomes for people with disability—with a particular focus on the training needed for particular roles and support for transitions through education to employment.
Opportunities for people with disability in the NDIS workforce
7.3
The committee heard that more must be done to increase the representation of people with disability in the NDIS workforce. This is not only to improve employment outcomes for people with disability, but to grow the workforce to meet demand and improve workforce quality by harnessing the untapped potential of lived experience.
7.4
For example, Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA) observed that there are widespread benefits in increasing the employment of participants. It stated that, for people with disability, employment can provide a sense of identity and independence, improve health, and increase financial security. CSSA also noted that—for businesses—employing people with disability allows access to a diverse range of skills, qualifications and experiences:
Studies have found that people with a disability are just as, if not more, productive than their counterparts without a disability. Australian research highlights that 86% of workers with a disability have average or superior attendance records, with 90% displaying equal or superior productivity rates than their colleagues without a disability.
The peer workforce
7.5
The committee heard a substantial amount of evidence regarding the value of lived experience, and the need to develop a peer workforce within the NDIS. Mr Ross Joyce, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO), observed that:
[P]eople with disabilities also need to do part of the service support and …they do have a valued role in that. They have a great depth of understanding and they can relate to people with disability and also highlight issues for people with disability for other support workers within a particular service agency.
7.6
The Disability Council NSW similarly expressed support for a peer workforce. It noted that some mental health organisations such as Flourish Australia have actively promoted a peer workforce, stating that there may be merit in funding a similar program for the NDIS via the Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) grants program.
7.7
Regarding psychosocial disability and mental health, Mental Health Australia (MHA), Community Mental Health Australia (CMHA) and the Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia (MIFA) noted that peer workers with an appropriate level of mental health support can be very beneficial to recovery-oriented care:
People who have journeyed through a similar experience and found ways to live well with mental illness embody hope, and are able to relate and connect to other people…with psychosocial disability in a unique way.
…Peer workers are likely to be more familiar with disability support needs of people with mental illnesses and are able to identify ways to meet these needs outside the mental health sector and in dealing with everyday life in the community.
7.8
These views were echoed by Mental Health Victoria (MHV). MHV also noted several challenges in developing a peer workforce for psychosocial disability, including a lack of clear roles recognising the specific skills of lived experience workers, and challenges associated with NDIS pricing. MHV recommended the development of a lived experience workforce strategy, co-designed with participants with psychosocial disability and providers. According to MHV, the strategy should recognise and clearly define the role of the peer workforce in the NDIS; create new roles and line items suitable for and attractive to people with lived experience; and outline how organisations can support the peer workforce to carry out their roles.
7.9
Vision Australia also noted the importance of a peer workforce, indicating that workers with lived experience of disability can assist providers to build an inclusive and welcoming organisational culture.
Workforce training roles
7.10
The committee heard that people with disability should have a core role in training the workforce—particularly as regards educating the workforce on specific disability types, appropriate interventions and impacts on daily life. Ms Romola Hollywood, Director, Policy and Advocacy, People with Disability Australia (PwDA), stated at one of the committee's public hearings that:
[T]here's a real opening for people with disabilities to be part of the training and workforce professional development area. If people with disability are part of being able to deliver…disability rights and awareness training, that can start to strengthen the workforce overall and start to address discrimination and negative attitudes that can sometimes be encountered by people with disability—even within the NDIS workforce.
7.11
A need for greater involvement by people with disability in workforce training was echoed by submitters representing specific cohorts of people with lived experience. For example, Deafblind Australia observed that people with deafblindness should have a central role in educating NDIS staff and providers about the needs of people with deafblindness.
Barriers to employment for people with disability
7.12
The committee heard that people with disability face a number of barriers to securing meaningful employment in the NDIS workforce. These barriers are similar to those faced by people with disability seeking employment in other sectors.
7.13
Spinal Cord Injuries Australia (SCIA) observed that employment-related challenges facing people with disability fall into the following categories:
Discrimination from employers during the recruitment process.
Fear from employers in considering the challenge of recruiting someone with a disability.
The misconception that employers will need to provide significant additional support for all people with disability.
Employers can't see beyond the disability despite the individual having the skills and experience required.
Transport accessibility issues to work.
Building accessibility issues in general, in particular toilets.
Ineffective Disability Employment Services (DES) to support people with disabilities into work.
A lack of formal widely available and promoted structures such as work experience and internships to enter the NDIS workforce.
7.14
The committee also head that there are a number of challenges facing people with disability who are already working within the NDIS. For example, the Australian Services Union (ASU) noted that people with disability in the NDIS workforce are 'in an inherently vulnerable position for a myriad of reasons', including higher risks of underemployment and underpayment, and lower job security. The ASU also noted that it may be difficult for people with disability in the NDIS workforce to secure reasonable adjustments—despite there being clear legal entitlements to reasonable adjustments:
[A] worker with disability has to serve for 12 months before they have a right to request a flexibility arrangement for their job under the Award. They can do it sooner, but the Award doesn't allow for that or mandate that the employer must respond in a certain way and thus a negative and unreasonable response could not be challenged.
Potential solutions
7.15
Some submitters and witnesses suggested potential solutions to the challenges faced by people with disability who are employed or are seeking employment with the NDIS.
7.16
The Northern Territory Office of the Public Guardian (NT OPG) stated that the NDIS is 'uniquely placed' to recognize the strengths of people with disability, and to assist people with disability find meaningful employment. Potential means of achieving these goals include:
funding and collaboration to map individuals to meaningful employment opportunities in the NDIS workforce;
developing plans that identify employment goals for people with disability, and fund appropriate training and supports; and
supporting service providers to develop innovative ways of supporting people with disability to find employment in the NDIS workforce.
7.17
Deafblind Australia observed that people with deafblindness across all sectors experience employment-related challenges, and may benefit from initiatives that promote positive examples of people with disability in employment. Additional support and mentoring opportunities should also be explored as a way to improve the capacity and confidence of people with deafblindness.
7.18
Lifestyle Solutions observed that there would be benefit in developing a sector-wide framework around employment opportunities for people with disability, including mapping what specific roles require by way of physical and cognitive capacities. Challenges in applying for roles may also be addressed through targeted support—at least until more inclusive application processes are made part of ordinary business practice.
7.19
Ultimately, however, submitters and witnesses agreed that addressing the employment barriers facing people with disability will require work to address the social stigma surrounding disability. In answers to questions on notice, Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA) stated that:
In the longer term, improving disability workforce conditions and increasing the overall quality of care will require changes in broader societal attitudes towards people with disability, in line with a human rights approach, as well as changes to the value our community places on this important care work.
Australian Disability Enterprises
7.20
The committee heard some evidence regarding the employment of people with disability in Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs), with some indicating that there would be merit in moving from the ADE model to support people with disability to gain roles in open employment at full award wages.
7.21
The Department of Social Services' (DSS) website explains that ADEs are not-for-profit organisations that provide supported employment opportunities for people with moderate to severe disability. As to the nature of ADEs, the DSS website states:
An ADE supports people with disability to engage in a wide variety of work tasks such as packaging, assembly, production, recycling, screen printing, plant nursery, garden maintenance and landscaping, cleaning services, laundry services and food services. ADEs also offer similar working conditions as other employers and an opportunity for people with a disability to contribute and connect to their local community.
7.22
Until recently, ADEs have been funded by DSS. However, funding for ADEs is gradually transitioning to the NDIS. ADEs are encouraged to register with the NDIS, with registration required in order to claim funding for services.
7.23
Queensland Advocacy Incorporated (QAI) expressed concern that under the ADE model, employers may assume they are permitted to pay their employees with disability a lower wage:
[ADE] employees are paid a supported wage, which is linked to the person's work capacity. A person is paid a percentage of the minimum which corresponds to their outputs. A person with a disability may only earn $87.00 per week under this arrangement.
7.24
Ms Courtney Wolf, NDIS Appeals Advocate and NDIS Systems Advocate, QAI, elaborated on this concern, noting that people with disability may not have the opportunity to perform meaningful work under the ADE model:
When we look at ADEs we come back to the social role valorisation. People need to have meaningful work and…employment. Unfortunately, when we look at some of these ADEs, a lot of it is not meaningful employment. When you speak to people who are in the ADEs, they say things like: 'I want to go and work. I want to go and help people.' But they're packing boxes instead.
7.25
The committee also heard that attempts to increase employment outcomes for people with disability should not fall back on the ADE model. For example, in the context of employment in the manufacturing industry, representatives of the Disability Council NSW stated that:
[W]e don't want to see people with disability ending up in sheltered workshop type settings with the manufacturing industry, which is all too common and which does increase stigma for people with disability.
Employment of people with disability—National Disability Insurance Agency
7.26
The committee heard some evidence regarding the employment of people with disability by the NDIA. While the NDIA has taken steps to increase the number of people with disability employed by the agency, there are gaps in the NDIA's policies and processes that limit employment opportunities. The committee also heard that the NDIA is well-placed to lead by example in terms of employing people with lived experience.
7.27
The Disability Council NSW stated that while it is pleasing to see that the NDIA offers generous employment conditions to its lived experience workforce, the agency could do more to support people with disability seeking employment. Current barriers to employment include:
Roles are advertised as full time, which is a disincentive straight up for those with disability who cannot work fulltime.
The Revelian Cognitive Ability Test is not accessible.
The Recruitability Scheme is not realised until later in the recruitment application and only by chance, that is if you are game enough to tick that you have a disability that affects you daily.
The jobs listed in the mainstream employment lists for each state are not listed in the Affirmative Measures employment list.
7.28
Representatives of the Disability Council NSW also called for the NDIA to take a stronger lead in employing people with disability, noting that this would encourage the public and private sectors to make greater efforts in this area. Mr Mark Tonga, Chair, Disability Council NSW, stated that:
For the NDIA, which services people, I would like to see some sort of benchmarks or quotas involved. I think it's gone beyond just putting the systems up and the flashing lights on, but no-one's coming in. They need to tie these jobs to the CEO's pay grade or the manager's pay grade and say, 'Look, you've got to get a percentage of people with disability and retain them in your system,' and tie that to incentives.
7.29
The Australian Tertiary Education Network on Disability (ATEND) noted that the NDIA has a graduate program for students with disability holding a bachelor's degree or higher, and called for a similar program for vocational education and training (VET) graduates.
Improving education outcomes for people with disability
7.30
The committee heard that quality training and education is crucial to securing meaningful employment, and there is a pressing need to improve interfaces between the NDIS and the education sector.
7.31
Mr Antony Gartner, President, ATEND, noted that while there are measures in place to support participants entering higher education, what is missing is a national strategy on tertiary education:
What we have with the NDIS is that there's an absence of narrative in relation to education and its value. Education is very clearly identified as not the remit of NDIS. In particular, the education of people with disabilities is silent in the equity policy at the moment. We're left with the national disability standards for education and the disability support program, but there's no narrative in the NDIS that would actually encourage staff to have a meaningful conversation with a participant in relation to their educational opportunities. There are no guidelines for that conversation, and the NDIS has set a target that 30 per cent of participants should have gainful employment by 2023.
7.32
Mr Gartner noted that development of a national strategy would encourage local area coordinators (LACs) and planners to have conversations with participants as to training that is required for particular roles, and assist participants to identify educational opportunities. Mr David Swayn, Committee Member, ATEND, stated that a first step to the development of a national strategy should be an investigation into tertiary education for NDIS participants.
The transition from education to employment
7.33
The committee heard that in addition to supporting better education outcomes for participant, there must be efforts to support transitions from education to employment. For example, Mr Mark Tonga, Chair, Disability Council NSW, observed that:
What I'm finding is that there are a lot of people stuck in the training circuit where they're just doing courses—going around and around— but then they haven't got that link over to the workforce.
7.34
The committee heard that work placements during schooling (at the secondary and tertiary levels) are a proven means of increasing a person's chances of securing paid employment, and are a valuable means of increasing employment outcomes for people with disability. For example, Dr Jill Duncan, Member, Disability Council NSW, stated that:
What we know is that the preparation for the workforce should really begin in early- to mid-adolescence. It shouldn't begin after school leaving. It needs to begin very early. We're talking about adolescents with disabilities preparing to be adults with disabilities and preparing for the workforce. That needs to start in early adolescence.
7.35
ATEND observed that students with disability who engage in paid work are 15 times more likely to be in full-time work if they had undertaken paid work in their final year of study. It called on the NDIA to make efforts to link with VET providers to improve the availability of inclusive, welcoming placements for students with disability and provide disability-confident work placements and career pathways. ATEND noted that, as a starting point, the NDIS could:
work with faculties and business units regarding the necessary skills for the disability workforce; and
develop a clear position and statement on the importance of graduates with lived experience.
7.36
Regarding graduate employment, Mr David Swayn, Committee Member, ATEND, asserted that there would be considerable merit in the NDIA working with universities during graduate recruitment processes, to welcome people with disability to apply for graduate roles. However, this should not take the form of a 'specialist' round for students with disability. Mr Swayn also asserted that the application process for graduate roles should be improved to facilitate applications from students with disability, stating that:
[W]hen students with disability are going to apply for a role and they scroll down to the end of the job advertised and it says that people with disability are welcome to apply, that doesn't actually mean anything to them. The articulation needs to go much beyond that. It needs to say: 'You're welcome to apply. This is what happens with your information when you share information about your disability with us. This is our process internally to make sure that you're welcome and you'll be a valued part of our workforce.'
Pre-employment training
7.37
Some submitters noted that pre-employment training is of particular value in supporting people with disability to enter or re-enter the workforce.
7.38
MHA, CMHA and MIFA observed that group centre-based services, loosely referred to as 'clubhouses', have a valuable role in supporting people with psychosocial disability to access and remain in employment. MHA, CMHA and MIFA explained the 'clubhouse' model as follows:
A Clubhouse is a community that supports people living with mental illness. Through participation in a Clubhouse people are given the opportunity to regain friendships, relationships with family, employment, education, and access to services and support.
…A Clubhouse is open to anyone with a history of mental illness and the people who participate are the members. Membership creates a sense of ownership and shared responsibility for the success of the Clubhouse, and also belonging to a supportive environment. A person with mental illness is seen as a valued participant and colleague, with something to contribute to the rest of the group.
…Participation is voluntary but each member is invited to participate in work including clerical duties, reception, food preparation and service, outreach, maintenance, and research.
7.39
According to MHA, CMHA and MIFA, international research shows that clubhouse members have a 42 per cent employment rate. Clubhouse programs also result in reduced incarceration; facilitate recovery-oriented practice; improve education and social domain outcomes; and improve quality of life—particularly with respect to social and financial aspects of daily living.
Existing initiatives
7.40
In its submission, DSS noted the release of the NDIS Participant Employment Strategy 2019–2022 in November 2019. The strategy outlines practical steps to improve employment outcomes for participants, including how the NDIS can better support participants to aspire to and prepare for work.
7.41
The goal of the strategy is to enable 30 per cent of participants of working age to be in paid work by 30 June 2023. The strategy includes the following five key focus areas, each with a series of goals to be achieved over three years:
Participant employment goals and aspirations in NDIS plans.
Participant choice and control over pathways to employment.
Market developments that improve the path to paid work and support the career development of NDIS participants.
The confidence of employers to employ NDIS participants.
The NDIA leading by example as a government employer.
7.42
According to DSS, the strategy will invest in ensuring that employers in the sector have greater understanding of the value of a diverse workforce, and that employers have the confidence and the right supports to employ, retain and develop career paths for people with significant, lifelong disability.
7.43
The committee heard that while the employment strategy is welcome, it lacks measures to support NDIS participants to identify pathways through tertiary education to sustainable employment. Mr David Swayn, Committee Member, ATEND, stated:
[I]f you go through the most recent NDIS participant employment strategy, you see there is nearly no mention of participants utilising further education—…tertiary education—to get a better job.
Committee view
7.44
The committee heard a substantial amount of evidence regarding barriers facing people with disability in and seeking employment; the opportunities for people with disability in the NDIS workforce; and a need to support enhanced education outcomes. The committee considers that these matters must be captured in the national plan for the NDIS workforce. Preliminary views on how to address some of the issues outlined above are also set out below.
Developing the lived experience workforce
7.45
The committee considers it vital that people with disability are part of the NDIS workforce. In this respect, the committee has heard that peer workers are able to relate to and connect with participants; establish crucial relationships of trust; and identify the supports best suited to meet participants' needs.
7.46
The committee supports calls for the NDIA to develop a strategy to increase the representation of people with disability within the NDIS workforce,
co-designed by people with disability and peak bodies such as the AFDO and PwDA. The committee emphasises that measures to improve employment outcomes for people with disability and grow a lived experience workforce must ensure that opportunities are matched to the capabilities of prospective employees, and must encourage people with disability to aspire to roles at all levels—including technical, managerial and leadership roles—on an equal basis to colleagues without disability.
7.47
The committee also considers that the strategy should be adapted to address the needs of particular cohorts of participants—for example, participants with psychosocial disability who often have unique or complex support needs. It should also create new roles and line items suitable for and attractive to people with lived experience; and outline how organisations can support the peer workforce to carry out their roles.
7.48
In addition, noting that many people with disability may benefit from having a planner or LAC with lived experience of disability, the committee considers that a peer workforce strategy should include measures to increase the number of planners and LACs with lived experience.
7.49
The committee notes that there does not appear to be a specific strategy of this nature—although there are initiatives to increase the employment of people with disability in the NDIA, and initiatives at the individual provider level to support a lived experience workforce. The NDIA has also published a strategy to increase participant employment outcomes, with a target of 30 per cent of participants of working age in paid employment by 2023. However, there does not appear to be a specific focus on increasing the participation of people with disability in the NDIS workforce.
7.50
The committee considers that a peer workforce strategy may sit alongside or be incorporated into existing strategies to increase participant employment. Initiatives to grow the peer workforce should also be captured in a national workforce plan, noting that such initiatives may require coordination across jurisdictions and sectors, and partnerships with training providers.
7.51
The committee has also heard that people with disability should be employed in teaching and capacity-building roles. The committee sees considerable value in this proposition, noting that this would facilitate a greater understanding of disability and its manifestations within the NDIS workforce (including support workers, allied health professionals and NDIA staff such as planners), and increase employment outcomes for participants. Measures to support people with disability to obtain teaching and capacity-building roles could also be included in a peer workforce strategy.
7.52
The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency develop, publish and implement a peer workforce strategy, co-designed by people with disability and peak bodies.
Improving education outcomes for NDIS participants
7.53
The committee is strongly of the view that quality education and training is crucial to securing meaningful employment. Consequently, the committee is concerned that the educational needs of participants—particularly tertiary education—seem to have been neglected in workforce planning.
7.54
The committee therefore considers that the NDIA should develop, publish and implement a national education strategy for participants. This may sit alongside existing initiatives such as the Participant Employment Strategy, and should be supported by and integrated into the national workforce plan. The strategy should be co-designed by people with disability, peak bodies and training providers.
7.55
A focus of the strategy should be supporting participants to clarify the training needed for particular roles; identifying opportunities for further education (for example, particular courses and programs); and supporting academic success. In addition, the strategy should consider initiatives to support the transition from education to employment, including by facilitating welcoming student placements; enhancing graduate recruitment; and enabling pre-employment opportunities.
7.56
The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency develop, publish and implement an education strategy for participants, co-designed by people with disability, peak bodies and training providers.
Employment with the NDIA
7.57
The committee is pleased that the NDIA has taken positive steps to improve the representation of people with disability in agency roles. According to the NDIA's most recent annual report, in the 2019–20 financial year 11.1 per cent of NDIA employees identified as having a disability. This is well above the Public Service Average of 3.7 per cent, but below the agency's target of 15 per cent.
7.58
However, the committee has heard that the NDIA could do more to increase employment of people with disability within the agency, including expanding the reach of its graduate program and addressing gaps in its application and recruitment processes. The committee also encourages the NDIA to develop and implement measures to increase the number of planners and LACs with lived experience of disability employed by the NDIA and its partners in the community.
7.59
The committee agrees with the view expressed by some submitters that it is important for the NDIA to be a leader in employing and supporting the career development of people with disability, to encourage good practice across the NDIS.
7.60
The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency consider expanding its existing graduate program to include graduates of Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs.
7.61
The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency review its recruitment and application processes, with a view to identifying and removing barriers to applications from people with disability.