Employment Initiatives

 

The Employment Sub committee has been formed in response to the appalling levels of under or unemployment of people who are blind or vision impaired in Australia. The Subcommittee has obtained research from DEEWR which, amongst other things, notes the large variances by State in levels of employment and the poor participation rates of people who are blind or vision impaired in the Disability Employment Network (DEN).

As a result, the Subcommittee and while not providing an exhaustive list has implemented the following initiatives:

• Creating awareness of the needs and abilities of people who are blind or vision impaired amongst generic DEN providers including abstracts being sent to ACE and NDS Employment Conferences.

• An information package being prepared and in the near future sent to all school counsellors within Australia on how to assist a student who is blind or vision impaired seek employment.

• Preparing information packages for people who are blind or vision impaired, parents, generic employment providers and potential employers. It is hoped these will be available online later in the year.

• Requests sent to Ministers Arbib and Shorten seeking five work experience places in each of their Department’s State office for a young person who is blind or vision impaired.

• Writing to each Australian State Government seeking information on the current levels of employment of people who are blind or vision impaired and disability employment policies within each State.

• Created a partnership with DEEWR to improve access to Commonwealth Public Service positions, including accessibility to the Commonwealth Gazette, awareness training and review of the current requirement for applying for a Commonwealth Government position using software that is inaccessible.