David had been unemployed since high school, but thanks to the Accessibility Day initiative and CoAct Service Partner, Community Solutions, he was able to gain experience to add to his skillset through his local sporting club.

Unemployed since leaving school, and with just a short stint of work experience at a local fast-food chain when he was at school, David didn’t feel confident in his ability to find work. David approached the team at Community Solutions and took part in AccessAbility Day.

What is AccessAbility Day?

There are 2.2 million working-aged people living with disability in Australia, but Australians with disability are extremely under-represented in the workforce. In large part this is because of a bias toward people with disability and a lack of understanding of what they can offer employers.

An Australian Government initiative, Accessibility Day, allows job seekers with disability to connect with employers who are committed to a diverse workforce. The initiative allows employers the opportunity to see the potential that employees with disability bring to the workforce, while also giving job seekers the chance to see what it’s like to work in a particular job.

AccessAbility Day is an obligation-free chance for jobseekers and employees to connect. Job seekers gain valuable work experience and employers get the chance to learn about Government support initiatives involved with hiring employees with a disability.

AccessAbility Day 2018

In 2018 the AccessAbility Day initiative ran from Monday 26 to Friday 30 November and it was through our participation in this initiative that David was able to connect with the people at Magpie Sporting Club.

The team at Community Solutions introduced David to the Magpie Sporting Club recruiter, supported him through the first meeting with them, and helped him with the costs involved with both transportation and new clothing for the position.

David undertook a day of work experience at the Magpie Sporting Club, gained some work experience for his resume and made some valuable connections within the hospitality industry.

The Community Solutions team will continue to support him to find the right job sooner!