80% of Australians with disability are unemployed and this has not changed for many years. Finding meaningful work is difficult for autistic adults with high sensory needs, little or no speech and high anxiety. The Centre for Inclusive Supports Inc. focuses on expanding the limited opportunities available to these neurodivergent young people by focussing on ...
Centre for Inclusive Supports
Social enterprise for disabled workers
GOAL
$15,000
Australia > QLD > Metro
07/01/2024 > 22/01/2025
Field of Interest
- Education/training and employment
- Social inclusion and justice
Target Population
- People with a disability, illness or disease
- Young people (6-25)
Centre for Inclusive Supports
The Centre for Inclusive Supports Inc. has a vision to have it widely accepted that young neurodivergent adults are active participants in making choices about their future. To do this the charity will further develop a model that is successful in creating conditions for young neurodivergent adults to explore the potential of their unique capabilities through co-creation, choice and innovative practices.
The Flagship program for the Centre for Inclusive Supports Inc. is Campus Life. Campus Life is a day program for young autistic adults (17 to 25 year olds) transitioning from being school students into the next phase of their lives. It is based at three TAFE campus locations in Brisbane and the Gold Coast where participants can mingle with their peers in the dining hall, café and seminar rooms. It is an adult learning environment with choices and lots of fun. The program generally involves speech therapy, an exercise class, and music therapy. Participants do a lecture quiz on current affairs and entertainment news, some Business or Arts studies, and passion projects. The curriculum is accessible, visual, engaging and suitable for adults with intellectual disability. There is de-sensitising space and support for augmented communication.
Campus Life is a three year program that supports participants to transition to further learning or meaningful employment.
Project Summary
80% of Australians with disability are unemployed and this has not changed for many years. Finding meaningful work is difficult for autistic adults with high sensory needs, little or no speech and high anxiety.
The Centre for Inclusive Supports Inc. focuses on expanding the limited opportunities available to these neurodivergent young people by focussing on their strengths and using a supported decision-making framework. By designing social enterprises that are tailored to the worker’s strengths, we can provide successful and productive work opportunities.
This funding will help us to subsidise two social enterprises for graduates of the Campus Life program to work in: The Games Library and The Barkery.
The Games Library is run as a cooperative by young adults graduating from the Campus Life program at the end of 2024. The Games Library is a subscription resource borrowing service for speech therapy games. The workers will organise, catalogue and label the resources and make videos of how to use the resources for the borrowers.
The Barkery is a dog biscuit bakery operating from the home of a participant. The workers will produce, distribute and sell the dog biscuits.
These social enterprises are opportunities for paid work for the participants through profit sharing. The young adults work in the Games Library and Barkery, paying expenses and then sharing the revenue as their income.
Project Outcomes
Campus Life supports young disabled adults to transition from special school to further study or work. The three-year program will help them learn new skills, socialise on a tertiary campus, participate in group therapies, and develop co-designed passion projects on their special interests. By the end of the program, they will do several months of supported work experience and be mentored into a TAFE course or paid employment.
Our charity is trying to achieve our vision to have it widely accepted that students with disability are active participants in making choices about their future. The outcome of this funding will be the resources, furniture and staff training to run these two social enterprises. Success will be when both enterprises are trading with revenue and young disabled adults are employed fruitfully. This will show the capability of these young adults to be active participants in their own future and the importance of programs like Campus Life.
Budget Breakdown
TOTAL BUDGET: $15,000
FUNDING
| Funding source | Amount |
|---|---|
| Funding gap (unconfirmed) | $15,000 |
EXPENSES
| Expense item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Furniture and outfitting | $5,000 |
| Resources for borrowing | $5,000 |
| Staff training | $5,000 |
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