We specialize in helping young people with an injury, illness or disability to find and keep meaningful employment.
If you are a student about to finish high school, we have two different programs that can support you in your move from school to workforce. The program you will be eligible for will depend on your individual circumstances and, wherever you end up, we will be with you all the way, providing personalised advice and support to help you get your start in the field of your choice.
School Leavers Employment Supports
School Leavers Employment Supports (SLES) is a service designed to help you build your skills, experience and confidence so you can successfully move into employment.
Our service offers you personalized support for up to two years, depending on the level of funding you receive from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
How does it work?
When you first register with us, we work with you to build your career program, based on your strengths and interests. We then work with local employers to find and customise roles that will help you get the specific skills you need.
Plus we get creative in how we help you build your skills – if a 9 to 5 role doesn’t suit you, we can also look at volunteering options, micro-enterprises and work experience.
We help our participants develop whichever skills they need, from time management and money handling to communication and travel planning.
We stay with you for the whole process. Our support workers will accompany you to your workplace and remain with you to ensure you are confident and comfortable in your roles. We offer you as much assistance as you need, for as long as you need.
When you feel ready, we will help you find employment in your chosen field.
Can I sign up?
To sign up for our SLES program you must:
- be aged 17-22
- live with an injury, illness, disability or other long-term health condition
- have a valid NDIS plan with SLES or employment funding
- have your parents support to work with us (if you are under 18)
- be able to commit working with us.
Eligible School Leaver
Our Eligible School Leaver (ESL) service assists those students who live with illness, injury or disability – but who do not require an NDIS plan – to find employment.
Like our SLES service, this program will support you in building your skills and experience in an industry of your choice.
How does it work?
When you first register with us, we will work with you to build your career pathway, based on your strengths and interests.
If you are missing key skills, we will support you to build them either through training programs, work experience or volunteering opportunities.
We then work with you to find paid work in roles that match your interests and your experience, providing support with job applications, interviews and even transport to and from the workplace.
We stay with you for the whole process, and will offer as much support as you feel you require.
Can I sign up?
To sign up for our ESL program you must:
- be at least 15 years old
- be in your final year of high school as a full-time student
- live with an injury, illness, disability or other long-term condition
- have a future work capacity of at least 8 hours a week.
You must also meet one of the following criteria:
- attend a high school for students with disability
- attend a dedicated class for students with disability, within a mainstream high school
- receive a disability support pension
- attend mainstream classes and high school and attract additional educational funding due to disability.
If you meet this criteria, then we would love to work with you. Call us on 1800 224 548 to book an appointment or email us at info@fp.org.au
