Sportability Employment Program for Women

Information for individuals:

During the program you will:

• be supported to apply for jobs or leadership roles (for example a position on a board) in the sport and recreation sector
• take part in work readiness workshops
• attend industry events and professional development workshops
• learn how to best use the leadership skills you have.

You are expected to commit 10-20 hours of your time per month during the program, to make sure you have the best chance of being offered employment with one of our partner organisations.

It will not cost you anything to take part.

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The program will:

• help you find employment and leadership opportunities in the sector
• support you to build and expand on your leadership capabilities
• give you the opportunity to attend industry events and professional development workshops
• give you the opportunity to network with industry professionals and hear about employment pathways in the sport and recreation sector.

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Who can apply?

Anyone who:

• identifies as female
• identifies as having disability
• has completed some type of leadership, personal development or capacity building program.

It would be ideal if you are passionate about sport and recreation or have previous experience in this area – but it’s not strictly necessary.

All types of sport and recreation need off-field as well as on-field skills that come from different life, business and administration experiences.

If you have the drive and determination to take the next step, we want to hear from you!

The program will run between January – June 2019.

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How do I apply?

Fill out a short registration form online: http://bit.ly/2G7Qw44

We encourage ALL women with disability to apply for the program, including:

• women with psychosocial disability/mental illness
• women with disability from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women with disability
• women with disability who identify as LGBTIQ
• young people with disability (18–25 years old).

Read or download the program flyer for individuals (accessible PDF)

This program is funded and supported by the Victorian Government.
It is managed by Disability Sport & Recreation.

Information for organisations:

Why is this project important for our sector?

Diversity and inclusion at work benefits everyone.

There are great initiatives happening to make sure we’re increasing participation on the field…but what about off the field?

In 2015, only 53% of people with disability were taking part in work, compared with 83% of people without disability¹. This has changed very little over the past 20 years.

Australians with disability are more likely to be unemployed (10% compared with 5% for those without disability)¹ and women with disability are less likely to be in the labour force compared to men (with and without disability) and women without disability².

This program is an opportunity for our sector to work together to change these outcomes.

Let’s provide opportunities for women with disability to use their leadership skills both on and off the field.

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Why should my organisation take part?

The program will give you the opportunity to:

• Demonstrate that you are a sector leader in the inclusion space.
• Discover what employees with disability can bring to your workplace (hint, it’s a wide range of skills, talents and qualifications).
• Change workplace attitudes towards people with disability.
• Learn how to give people with disability the right support in their job.
• Learn how your sport can be more inclusive.

As one of the first organisations to take part in this program you will feature in case studies and resources that will help shape the future inclusivity of our sector.

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Why would I employ someone with disability?

Did you know that 90% of disability is invisible? You probably already know or work with someone with disability.

Employees with disability are:

Productive

90% of employees with disability are more productive than people without disability³.

Safe

98% of employees with disability have better safety records than people without disability³.

Reliable

86% of employees with disability have better attendance than people without disability³.

Affordable

As an employer, you have access to different subsidies and incentives. For example, you may be able to receive a wage subsidy of up to $10,000 when you employ a person with disability.

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What support will I receive?

This program is managed by Disability Sport & Recreation on behalf of the Victorian Government and we will be with you every step of the way.

Take part in the program and we will:

• identify suitable candidates for your organisation and available role(s)
• give you guidance and support with access to resources and information
• monitor the progress of your candidate placement and share key learnings with others
• work with you to identify gaps in resources and how to develop them
• hold a forum for all participating candidates and organisations to provide feedback.

If you need to make a change in your workplace to help an employee with disability do their job, your costs may be covered by the Employment Assistance Fund (EAF).

The EAF can cover physical workplace changes, like buying equipment or building modifications, but it can also cover communications technology, Auslan (Australian Sign Language) interpreting, disability awareness training for staff and specialist support for people with mental health conditions or learning disorders (some funding caps apply).

You can find more information at www.jobaccess.gov.au

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How do I get involved?

Fill out a short registration form online: http://bit.ly/2PIXWug

Download or read the program booklet for organisations (PDF)