What we provide
Supporting people with disability to build job skills in preparation for work
Employability: Preparation for Work focuses on both job skills education and practical training. In the first year, you will learn job skills in an education-based environment, and towards the end of the year you will transition into hands-on work experience. In the second year, we will support your continued development in a workplace, where you will be paid a training wage.
Employability: Preparation for Work is specially designed for school leavers (people who have completed school). However, it can also be tailored for other people with disability.
Wherever you choose to start and finish your pathway to employment, Yooralla can support you to transition into the job that is right for you.
What skills will you learn?
Employability: Preparation for Work is designed to help you learn job skills to transition into employment. You can learn skills in areas you are interested in, or in areas you feel you would be good at. You will experience a hands-on learning environment in a community-based, real-life work setting and you will be with people of a similar age, with similar interests.
Employability: Preparation for Work focuses on developing your skills, including:
- life and employment goal setting
- literacy and numeracy
- job matching and selection
- domestic activities and independent living
- budgeting and money management
- physical health and wellbeing
- travel training
- communication
- working unsupervised, and
- team work.
Your progress will be monitored throughout the program, to ensure you are reaching your milestones
Hands-on job training
In the second year of Preparation for Work, you will get hands-on work experience in a real-life working environment, and you will be paid a training wage for the work you do. The work might be in areas such as:
- catering
- manufacturing
- gardening
- warehousing
- maintenance, and
- cleaning.
What’s after Employability: Preparation for Work?
After completing the Employability: Preparation for Work stream, you may choose to move into the Employability: Job Ready stream. Employability: Job Ready is the next step up, for participants who have completed the Employability: Preparation for Work stream or people who are at the supported employment level already. Employability: Job Ready consists of an additional year of paid, on-the-job training based in a Yooralla Business Enterprise or in the community.
Learn more about Employability: Job Ready.
After completing the Employability Program, you may want support to move into ‘open employment’—that is, a job in the community, where you no longer need support to do your job.
Learn more about open employment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What experience do I need to enter the program?
expand_moreYou don’t need any experience to enter Employability: Preparation for Work. What you do need is to have work related goals and the motivation to make this change to your life, and to develop your job skills.
What funding do you need to participate?
expand_moreParticipation in the program may be funded in your National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan – under School Leaver Employment Supports – if:
- you are an eligible person in an area transitioning to the NDIS, and
- your NDIS plan has identified employment related goals.
If you are not yet transitioning to the NDIS, the program may be funded via an Individual Support Package (ISP), Futures for Young Adults (FFYA) funding or via a fee for service arrangement.
Am I eligible?
expand_morePreparation for Work is specially designed for school leavers (people who have completed school). However, it can also be tailored for other people with disability if they have vocational/ employment related goals, as long as they are not already in full-time paid employment, full-time vocational education or full-time higher education.
You can contact Yooralla on 1800 966 725 to check your eligibility or complete the Contact Us form
Where can I go to access the program?
expand_moreFor the Employability: Preparation for Work stream, learning takes place at Yooralla Community Hubs (meeting places) and in the community. Hands-on work experience can be at one of Yooralla’s Business Enterprises or in workplaces in the community.
Will work impact my disability support pension?
expand_moreAt present, you are able to earn up to $164.00 per fortnight before you Disability Support Pension (DSP) is impacted. After this, your DSP will be reduced by 50 cents for every dollar you earn over $164.00.
We can work with you to create a work arrangement that works best for you with your DSP.
What support does Yooralla ptovide?
expand_moreYooralla will work with you on a plan to help build your skills to support your pathway to employment. We will provide you with job skills training, and will work with you to find the right supported employment opportunity for your goals and needs. We will also support you through your transition into work, whether that’s into supported or open employment.
When can I attend the program?
expand_moreYou can apply for the Employability program at any time. You can participate in the Preparation for Work stream for up to two years. If you satisfactorily complete all modules, and you can demonstrate your ability to work in a real-life work setting, you can exit the program early.
The program will run between 15-18 hours per week for 48 weeks of each year. Program dates and times will depend on location.