Swinburne University of Technology will host Australia's first Disability Employment Centre of Excellence, announced by the Honourable Minister Amanda Rishworth today.
The $22.1 million Centre of Excellence brings together researchers, peak bodies, employers, people with disability and their families to improve economic participation and employment opportunities. It will deliver online resources centred on lived experience, leverage disability employment experience and access to employment services, and build capacity across the sector.
Professor Karen Hapgood, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research at Swinburne University said the partnership will help shape a fairer, more inclusive future for disability employment.
"Swinburne University of Technology is excited to work with the Commonwealth Government, our partners and stakeholders across the sector to lead change and increase the employment of people with disability in Australia," Professor Hapgood said.
"Our vision for the Centre of Excellence is to provide best-practice, evidence-based information that can bring people and technology together for a better world.
"By harnessing the collective expertise, knowledge and resources of those with lived experience, their families, researchers, service providers, employers and industry bodies, we can help providers improve employment outcomes for people with disability."
Professor Erin Wilson, Director of Swinburne's Centre for Social Impact said the Centre of Excellence will play a critical role in the sector.
"Our vision for the Centre of Excellence is to improve employment outcomes for people with disability by harnessing the collective expertise, knowledge and resources of people with disability and their families, researchers, leading disability employment peak bodies, service providers, employers and industry bodies," she said.
"On behalf of all the founding consortium members, Swinburne congratulates and thanks the Australian Government for their vision and commitment in establishing the Centre of Excellence."
Swinburne University of Technology and its Centre for Social Impact has a significant history in building knowledge and solutions to increase the employment of people with disability. Swinburne is proud to expand this work alongside consortium partners including Inclusion Australia, Family Advocacy, Disability Employment Australia, National Disability Services, and the University of Melbourne.
Consortium member Inclusion Australia is the lead conduit for Disability Representative Organisations in Australia into the Centre of Excellence. Catherine McAlpine, CEO of Inclusion Australia said this ensures the voices and experiences of people with disability are at the forefront.
"Disability leadership is vital to the success of the Centre of Excellence, and we will ensure that the expertise and knowledge of people with disability is driving this important work," she said.
"We are particularly pleased that people who have been the most marginalised when it comes to employment, such as people with an intellectual disability, will be at the forefront of the Centre of Excellence's design and implementation."
Peter Bacon, the CEO of Disability Employment Australia, said the employment services sector is committed to implementing evidence-based practice that will best support job seekers with disability and employers.
"We want Australia to be the best country in the world for people with disability - where all can realise their potential, including in employment. The Centre of Excellence will be a vital component of how we get there," he said.
"By translating evidence-based practice and research into training and resources for disability employment practitioners, we will accelerate the progress we have already made. DEA is, of course, delighted to be a part of this collaborative effort."
The role of families is also critical, especially in supporting people with significant disability to gain and maintain employment. Cecile Sullivan Elder, Executive Officer for Family Advocacy, will represent the National Alliance of Capacity Building Organisations (NACBO).
"The role of families is critical in supporting the aspirations, obtainment and sustainability of successful employment outcomes for their family members, especially when considering young people who experience significant impacts due to their disability," she said.
Professor Kirsten Deane, Deputy Director of the Melbourne Disability Institute at the University of Melbourne, said they will help build, translate and share evidence to bring about change in employment service provision.
"We believe transformational change will only be possible if we all work together and we are delighted to have the opportunity to do just that," she said.
National Disability Services, as a consortium member, will ensure that the Disability Employment Centre of Excellence connects to disability services and social enterprises to support evolution and change. Michael Perusco, CEO, said people with disability have been largely excluded from the labour market until now.
"It's important that we build a workforce that is more inclusive of people with disability. National Disability Services will ensure that the Centre of Excellence connects to disability employment services, including supported employment services, to support ongoing reform."
Swinburne is honoured to have the support of researchers, advocates and service providers across Australia who are committed to the vision for change.
