2.2 million Australian’s of working age are living with disability, but they are significantly under-represented in the workforce. We are working to reverse this trend by engaging local communities with our ‘Change the Story’ short film festival, through seven short films that highlight the human stories behind these statistics, we hope to shift the thinking around disability employment in Australia.

Introducing Priya

In this film we meet Priya, an employer who is determined to help people with disability succeed. Priya’s story will provide hope to struggling job seekers and inspiration to employers by highlighting how investing in the development of people can lead to truly wonderful things.

Priya leads with empathy and understanding to create a safe environment for employees to thrive.

A franchisee of two Pizza Huts, Priya has provided employment opportunities to 18 people with disability in the last five years alone, with the vast majority of placements maintaining long-term employment, and some even progressing to management positions.

Changing perceptions

Priya had her doubts about working with people with disability, but after seeing the positive impact her employees had on her businesses she is now well and truly committed to changing the story.

Prior to CHESS approaching us, I wouldn’t have considered working with people with disability because it felt like it was too hard. But having had the first few candidates come through and being such successful employees, I have really changed my mind. I will be making any workplace I am in in the future an inclusive one for people with disability.

– Priya

Finding people’s strengths

The key to disability employment is to recognise that everyone has their strengths and finding the workplace where those strengths can be valued.

People might look at the disability, not the capacity, so focusing on that capacity is what we do. And we try to get people to focus on what they can do, not what they can’t do, and find a role to match.

– Nicole Holland, Performance and Partnership Leader, CHESS Connect.

Nicole adds that working with Priya over their 8-year relationship has demonstrated the positive impact that a supportive employer can have, not only on the success of the placement, but also on the customer’s overall wellness and personal development.

Watch Priya’s story here and find out how you can get involved and help us to #changethestory.