[Sub ID 4730] Virtual employment services for young people with a disability (National Disability Coordination Officer Program)

Submission ID: 4730
Organisation name: National Disability Coordination Officer Program
Contact name: Mrs Elicia Ford

Which priority group of the Try, Test and Learn Fund does your idea support?
Young carers, Young parents, Young students at risk of long-term unemployment

What need or issue are you trying to address?
Disability is part of human diversity. In Australia, people with disability represent almost 20% of our population. Many disabilities aren’t visible, and many have no or minimal impact on a person’s capacity, ability and willingness to work. Yet, workforce participation of people with disability is currently 54%, compared to 84% of people without disability. This reflects poorly by international standards, with Australia ranking 21st out of 29 OECD countries in employment participation rates for people with a disability.

People with disability (10%) are also more likely to be unemployed compared to those without disability (5.3%), and young people are grossly over represented in Australia’s unemployment and underemployment statistics. Further evidence detailing the barriers to employment experienced by young people with disability is available.

It is important that employers recognise the skills, talents and contributions that people with disability can bring to the workforce. It is equally important to recognise that people with disability can and do aspire to all kinds of employment, just like everybody else. To achieve this we need to increase the accessibility of job search processes and practices, to provide equitable opportunity for young people with disability to be more actively engaged in and in control of their job seeking behaviour.

What is your idea?
The development of an App that simplifies the use of available online jobsearch engines, provides the user with access to a virtual employment service and enables creation of a unique jobseeker profile that can at the job seeker’s discretion be shared.

Using similar technology to apps such as Skyscanner and Trivago, this app would deliver notification of relevant job vacancies, from all available online jobsearch engines, to the job seeker based on the job seeker’s skills and preferences.

The job seeker will have access to a virtual employment service delivering self-paced e-coaching/online learning modules to support development of job seeking skills (developing an effective resume, addressing selection criteria, self-advocacy, skills for interviews, using assistive technology, finding appropriate supports) and employability skills (time management, communication skills, goal setting, problem solving).

The app will encourage creation of a unique job seeker profile, allowing the job seeker to upload resumes, qualifications, and cover letters, and will provide templates for responses to relatively generic criteria e.g. driver’s licence, communication skills, teamwork, leadership.

Through the virtual employment service, the app will provide tips, coaching and e-learning modules designed to support the jobseeker to develop and produce their profile effectively, and through the job scanner will match the profile to available jobs.