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The Albanese Government announced today that it has awarded $22.1 million to the Swinburne University of Technology and its partners for a Disability Employment Centre of Excellence.
The partners collaborating on this project include representatives from peak disability and capacity building organisations, including Inclusion Australia, Family Advocacy, Disability Employment Australia, National Disability Services and the University of Melbourne.
The unemployment rate for people with disability has remained stubbornly high for the past three decades.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, people with disability are 10% more likely to be unemployed, twice that of those without disability.
People with disability are also more likely to be unemployed for longer periods than those without disability.
It is estimated 22% of unemployed people with disability have been unemployed for at least one year, compared with 14% of people without disability.
The Centre of Excellence will improve job outcomes for people with disability seeking to find and keep a job.
Service providers will have centralised access to evidence-based best-practice resources developed by the Centre of Excellence, by strengthening service providers capacity to deliver quality services and supports.
Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth, said the Centre will bring together lived experience and expertise from across the disability community.
In order to deliver real change to disability employment in Australia, we need evidence of effective service approaches and what works to reduce the barriers preventing the participation of people with disability in the workforce
Minister Rishworth said also stated the establishment of the Centre of Excellence will help support the new specialist disability employment program which will begin this year.
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.
“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 Hapgood said.
The Centre of Excellence will commence in March 2025 and be funded for a period of four years to 2027-28.