Responsibility: Australian Government
Response: Accept
Status: In progress
What has been achieved to date
The Centre for Inclusive Employment will be a hub of best-practice information to help providers deliver quality employment services and supports. It will support improved employment outcomes for people with disability. It will also help providers to improve their support for employers. The Centre will collect, translate, and share information related to disability employment. It will create resources based on research and evidence of what works. It will also bring together existing national and international resources. This will allow providers to deliver optimal training and resource materials to employers to ensure ideal participant support and outcomes.
On 28 February 2025, the Australian Government awarded $22.1 million to the Swinburne University of Technology and its consortium partners to establish and operate the Centre for Inclusive Employment. The consortium includes representatives from peak disability and capacity building organisations, including Inclusion Australia, Family Advocacy, Disability Employment Australia, National Disability Services and the University of Melbourne.
What the Disability Royal Commission said in the final report
The Australian Government Department of Social Services should develop a suite of accessible education and training resources for providers of Disability Employment Services to upskill their staff.
Resources should be co-designed by people with disability and involve consultation with advocates, employers and Disability Employment Services providers.
Resources should address the gaps we have identified, including in:
- disability awareness
- cultural competence
- human rights
- customised employment
- employer engagement
- Disability Employment Services guidelines and procedures.
Australian Government Response July 2024
The Australian Government has committed $23.3 million to establish a Disability Employment Centre of Excellence, which will develop best practice, evidence-based information and training to help disability employment service providers deliver high quality and effective employment services.
Consistent with this Disability Royal Commission recommendation, the Centre will ensure employment service providers and staff have access to clear and useful information and training on disability awareness, cultural competency, human rights, customised employment, and employer engagement. It will complement the role of the current JobAccess service, which builds employer capability and disability confidence, and facilitates access to supports for workplace adjustments, advice and training.
Recognising that some people with disability have additional or intersectional barriers to employment and communication, the Centre will ensure disability employment resources and tools are culturally appropriate and accessible, with a focus on supporting employment services for culturally and linguistically diverse, First Nations, women, and LGBTIQA+ people with disability.
More recommendations
View progress on other recommendations made by the Royal Commission.