How does DES work?
We’re with you
Supported by the Australian Government, Disability Employment Services (DES) helps people living with disability, injury or health condition to find and keep work. Clients are usually referred by Centrelink but you can call us directly to see if you’re eligible.
atWork Australia is privileged to deliver DES on behalf of the Australian Government. Our clients are at the heart of everything we do. Our 20+ years’ experience means we know how to best support you to meet your employment goals.
Cooper is a talented young animator who is also one of our Disability Employment Services clients based in Victoria. atWork Australia recently commissioned Cooper to produce our ‘Welcome to atWork Australia’ video, to share his personal experience as a person who is autistic, and what you might expect when you start with atWork Australia.
To read a transcript of this video click here.
Helping you to get what you want out of life
Disability Employment Services work best when you are front and centre. This is how we do it – we become your very own personal job finding team.
Once you’re registered with us, we’ll team you up with a dedicated Job Coach, a person who’s committed to supporting you into the right job for you.
atWork Australia will listen to your needs, and then work with you to create a plan to help meet your goals. We’ll go at your pace, connect you with any training or other resources you may need, introduce you to great employers, and continue to support you in the workplace. We’ll also make sure you’re prepared for each step of your plan.
Our support is always tailored to your situation and needs. Here are some examples of ways we can support you:
- Connect you with training and new qualifications
- Job search help
- Interview preparation
- Specialised support for people living with mental health conditions
- Counselling
- Support once you have the job to keep you doing well
- Advertising your skills and availability to our network of employers
Take the first step to get where you want to be.
What should I look for in a DES provider?
DES providers help Australians living with disability, injury or health condition (including mental health condition) find meaningful work and stay in work. The Australian Government offers this service at no cost to you, available through employment services providers like atWork Australia.
We’ve put together five tips for what to look for in a DES provider. Take a look at our list here.
Everyone’s journey is different. We work with you to provide a tailored service to help you meet your needs. Here are just a few examples but you can read more here.
More than two years ago, Natasha came into atWork Australia’s Disability Employment Services office in Mandurah, WA. She had been unemployed for a year. Now, she has been working in her dream job for more than a year. From the very first day Natasha connected with atWork Australia, she has always been motivated to work on herself and progress towards employment. However, Natasha experiences mental health concerns, which has made her journey to employment more challenging.
Natasha has proactively engaged in community groups for support to manage her mental health challenges. Additionally, she participated in atWork Australia’s Jobs Now program, which is designed to develop participants employability skills and builds confidence to return to the workplace. Natasha also enrolled in atWork Australia’s Positivum program, a health and wellbeing coaching program to support her to progress.
With continued support from her Job Coach and In-Work Support Coach, Erin, Natasha secured her dream role as a Brewing Assistant. With the ongoing support from Erin, she has recently celebrated her one-year work anniversary.
Natasha’s goal was to find sustainable employment, where she could work in a close team and be constantly learning new things. Natasha has found everything she desired in this role, and she is now studying a brewing master’s course to further develop her skills and progress in her career as a Brewing Assistant.
When Disability Employment Services client, Dallas (pictured far right), stepped into atWork Australia’s Doonside, NSW, office, he was facing multiple barriers to employment. However, the challenges he faced were no match for his fierce determination Dallas is a NDIS participant and decided to connect with atWork Australia for additional support to find employment he enjoyed.
Despite his enthusiasm and readiness to work, his previous employment experiences had often ended abruptly.
Dallas was being supported by Job Coach, Sarah, who focused on getting to know Dallas and understanding how atWork Australia could best support him. Together, Sarah and Dallas established a plan that included regular check-ins, mental health strategies, and ongoing support tailored to Dallas’ needs. Additionally, Dallas was referred to atWork Australia’s internal Wellness Services to gain support from a qualified Wellness Advisor.
Leveraging off atWork Australia’s broad network of employer partners, the team identified a position that aligned with Dallas’ skills and interests.
“We were thrilled when we found a perfect warehousing role, where Dallas could contribute in a supportive atmosphere. The position not only matched his skills, but also provided the nurturing environment he needed,” said Job Coach, Sarah.
Frequently asked questions
Disability Employment Services (DES) helps people living with disability, injury or health condition to find meaningful work.
Our Disability Employment Services are free to you. The Australian Government funds it to support Australians into work.
Disability Employment Services can be accessed through Services Australia. Learn more about eligibility here.
Disability Employment Services also helps people who have had an injury or are living with health conditions find meaningful work. If you are not living with a disability, injury or health condition but need assistance to find employment, you may be eligible for Workforce Australia.
