Are you ready to find a meaningful job that helps you develop and grow? Many people wonder what supported employment is and how it fits into their life goals.
It’s much more than just earning a wage. It’s a clear path that provides the training, job coaching, and personal accommodations you need to succeed.
This guide will clearly define supported employment and show you exactly how Unisson’s program, Unisson Works, creates lasting independence, confidence, and community connection.
Key Takeaways
- Supported Employment customises the job and support (like job coaching) to the individual’s unique needs, not the other way around.
- Participating offers more than just a wage, directly building independence, confidence, job skills, and crucial community connections for a more fulfilling life.
- With over 95 years of experience, Unisson helps you utilise NDIS funding for employment goals and provides the long-term support needed to thrive.
Understanding Supported Employment
So, what is supported employment? It is a specialist model designed to help people with disabilities achieve and maintain meaningful work in the local community.
Unlike traditional employment programs, the support is individualised and ongoing, meaning the job, environment, and training are adapted to fit the employee’s unique needs, strengths, and goals, not the other way around.
The core purpose is to focus on your skills and potential, ensuring you not only find a job, but one that provides dignity, independence, and long-term fulfillment. Unisson’s program, Unisson Works, embodies this by matching participants to roles they will genuinely love and excel in.
How Supported Employment Works
Supported Employment succeeds because of its person-first approach, adapting the job and environment to ensure your success.
Here’s how Unisson helps you enter the workplace with confidence.
- Careful Preparation: We assess your strengths, set goals, and provide pre-employment training and orientation so you start the job feeling confident.
- On-the-Job Coaching: Our friendly work facilitators (job coaches) provide customised support right on-site, helping you learn and master new tasks as needed.
- Inclusive Environments: We collaborate with Sydney employers to modify roles and address accessibility, fostering an inclusive workplace culture.
- Dynamic Work: Through our Pack Works (mail/packaging) and Ground Works (mowing/gardening) business units, we offer accessible environments to develop skills and find fulfilling, paid employment.
4 Benefits of Supported Employment
Participating in supported employment offers much more than just a paycheck; it builds a fuller, more independent life.
- Boosted Independence and Confidence: Earning a wage provides financial control and dignity. Achieving job goals builds self-esteem and overall independence.
- Skills and Personal Growth: Employees gain valuable workplace skills (communication, teamwork, time management) that lead to greater career potential.
- Community Connection: Working in the community breaks down barriers, fosters friendships, and promotes inclusion, making participants feel like valued, contributing members of society.
- Meaningful Contribution: Being part of a team and delivering valued services provides a vital sense of purpose and well-being.
Supported Employment and the NDIS
As an NDIS-registered provider, Unisson Disability helps participants leverage their funding to achieve employment goals. The NDIS supports employment through funding that covers job preparation, skills exploration, and the ongoing assistance needed in the workplace.
Unisson’s services, including our work facilitators at Pack Works and Ground Works, are designed to align with these NDIS objectives, offering meaningful paid employment and skill development.
We help you utilise your NDIS plan towards these supports, ensuring you receive the customised, long-term help required to thrive in a job and maximise your independence.
Keep Learning: Success Stories and Employment Guides
Ready to see how Supported Employment works in action and discover more about the journey? Explore these articles from Unisson’s news hub:
- Meet Jonathan – Pack Works’ Proud Packaging Pro! Read a real-life success story from Unisson Works, featuring Jonathan, who is thriving in his meaningful role at the Pack Works supported employment hub.
- Developing Work Skills, Life Skills and Confidence: Discover Lisa Gray’s journey at Pack Works, illustrating how supported employment helps participants gain not just job skills but also crucial life skills and independence after leaving school.
- Entering the Workforce – Disability Employment Supports: This guide explores the programs and supports available to those graduating from school or entering the supported employment workforce for the first time, helping you take the first steps toward independence.
Why Choose Unisson Disability
Choosing a partner for your employment journey means finding an organisation you can truly trust to support your goals. With over 95 years of experience empowering people with disabilities, Unisson offers a supported employment program built on deep expertise and a genuinely person-centred approach.
Ready to start your journey to a meaningful career? Contact our Unisson Works team today to explore our Supported Employment services and take the next step towards your goals.
