Partnership Delivers Solution to Disability Employment

People with a disability will soon be helping sort and deliver mail in regional and remote locations across Australia, under a new national partnership between Australia Post and disability services provider Lifestyle Solutions.

The partnership – one of seven national Our Neighbourhood partnerships announced by Australia Post – will promote a more inclusive community and workplace by providing a community participation, employment and work experience program for people living with disability in up to 18 communities across Australia.

The partnership will work on the expansion of a work-ready program for people with a disability to improve their numeracy, literacy and organisation skills, and provide them with an opportunity to interact in a meaningful way with their local community.

Lifestyle Solutions Managing Director David Hogg, said the community mail program will focus on mail sorting and delivery in regional and remote areas, offering people living with disability the opportunity to provide a valued community service that encourages community participation, relationships and belonging.

“Through this partnership with Australia Post we have been given an incredible opportunity to promote a more inclusive community and workplace,” Hogg said.

“We look forward to exploring this opportunity with a truly iconic organisation that has been connecting Australians for more than 200 years.”

He said the development of work experience placements in Australia Post will also provide valuable opportunities for people living with a disability to gain:

• skills
• knowledge
• exposure to different work experiences
• greater understanding of work types and skill requirements

Hogg said people living with disability face many challenges, including community inclusion and access to training and employment opportunities.

“Workforce participation rates for people living with disability are a staggering 30 percentage points lower than those without disability,” he said.

Newcastle-based Lifestyle Solutions was established in 2001 by a group of people with a commitment to providing individualised support for people living with disability.

What started with a group home supporting five individuals has evolved to provide a diverse range of support to more than 1,000 people living with a disability across Australia, as well as children and young people who live in out-of-home care and foster care.

Not for Profits and charities across Australia inundated Australia Post with applications last year after it offered the partnerships – with funding of up to $500,000 per year for each partner – as part of its new Our Neighbourhood National Community Program to promote inclusion in communities.

Australia Post’s other national partners are: The Australian Football League, Infoxchange, Netball Australia, The Pyjama Foundation, Reclink Australia, and Social Traders. More information about the new partnerships can be found here.

Further information about Lifestyle Solutions is available here.