Disability Employment Services – What Is It and How Will It Help You?

It’s estimated that more than 4 million Australians are currently living with some form of disability, temporarily or permanently. This includes both physical and mental disabilities. Many of that number are currently seeking employment, and if you’re one of them; you’ll know that there are extra challenges to face during your hunt for a job and keeping a job.

What’s important to note is that you are not alone, and there is assistance available to help you prepare for and find work. Much of this assistance comes from the federal government. So, you can readily discover this information through a quick online search.

One such government initiative is called DES, or Disability Employment Services. DES is going to be the focus of this article; explaining what it is, what it does, and also how you can gain access to Disability Employment Services.

What Is DES (Disability Employment Services) Exactly?

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DES is a fairly broad support service that offers many initiatives and ways to assist those people in Australia; living with a disability to find gainful employment and be able to hold down a job long term. Finding a job is only one part of the equation; as it’s crucial to be able to hold onto that job once you’ve landed one.

There are different levels of support under the Disability Employment Services scheme. The level of support you will get will depend on the nature of your disability; and the extent that your disability may hinder you when working a job.

DES has been in existence for some time now, and the program has managed to help multiple thousands of disabled people across the country find a job and keep a job.

Also Read: 6 Reasons To Seek Employment Verification And Screening Services

How Can DES Be of Benefit To You?

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When an individual applies for assistance under the Disability Employment Services scheme, you will first need to undergo an assessment. This is known as a Job Capacity Assessment (JCA), or you may go through an Employment Services Assessment.

These assessments have been designed to determine how fit you are for work; and approximately how many hours it is determined you’ll comfortably be able to work each week. The assessments also decide whether or not you will be capable of working solo or whether you will require assistance.

If you are deemed to be capable of working more than 8 hours per week after your assessment; you’ll be eligible to access support from the DES scheme. If this is the outcome, you’ll then be granted access to one of the following programs.

  • Disability Management Service (DMS) – This program is designed for people with a disability who may need extra or ongoing support; occasionally while working a job.
  • Employment Support Service (ESS) – If you have a permanent disability and require regular ongoing support to hold down a job; they will refer you to this scheme.

Suppose it is determined that you’re not yet capable of working a minimum of at least 8 hours per week. In that case, you can seek assistance and support under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). This program will help you prepare for work by giving you ongoing support and getting you ready to enter the workforce.

It’s best to explain your options with a DES provider first so you know where you stand and what support options might be available to you at this time.

Also Read: 15 Best Part-time Graphic Design Courses For A Creative Designing Career

How To Gain Access To Disability Employment Services

There are several avenues for accessing the support of the DES program; but one of the most common ways is to team up with a local Jobactive provider.

Jobactive providers work in conjunction with Centrelink and are also a government initiative to help unemployed people, in general, find work. This includes job seekers living with a disability.

You can be granted access to the Disability Employment Services scheme through your Jobactive provider. So you will definitely want to seriously look into this option further to gain the job seeker support you need and deserve.

The Wrap

There is actually quite a lot of professional support out there for job seekers with a disability, so take advantage of the DES scheme, so you can receive all the help required to get a job.

Must Read: Contact Center: A Solution to Customer Services

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Images by Shutterbug75 and HANSUAN FABREGAS from Pixabay

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