NFP Grants to Create Disability Jobs

Grants of up to $150,000 are being offered to charities in a bid to create innovative employment opportunities for young people with disability.

The Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation has launched its Seed Challenge in partnership with the Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI) to improve the current employment and training opportunities available.

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics has shown that while 54 per cent of Victorians of working-age who live with a disability participate in the labour force, one in 10 is unemployed – almost double the unemployment rate of people with no reported disability.

CEO of the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, Catherine Brown, said this is despite research that shows that people with disability are loyal and reliable employees, and workplace adjustments come at no cost to the employer, being fully covered by the Government.

“Youth unemployment is a significant social issue and on top of the challenges that all young people face when seeking employment, the 67,500 young Victorians living with a disability must also counter a culture where there are low expectations of their abilities and limited opportunities for mainstream employment,” Brown said.

“Through our Increasing Life Opportunities Impact Area, Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation seeks to break down these existing barriers and raise awareness of this situation by supporting access to better employment and training opportunities for people with a disability – especially in mainstream employment.”

The Seed Challenge encourages cross-sector collaboration from social entrepreneurs, employers and not-for-profit organisations working in the Greater Melbourne area on innovative employment engagement solutions that:

• Provide meaningful work experience opportunities and involvement in the open employment market;

• Shift employer and community attitudes to recognise the benefits of employing people with a disability;

• Mentor and offer peer support to gain and maintain employment; or

• Increase opportunities for self-employment or employment through social enterprise.

Expression of Interest Applications will be accepted from 8 June to 31 July 2015. Eligibility and project criteria can be found here.