Advocacy for Inclusion

"providing individual and systemic advocacy to improve life for people who have a disability"

Information Sheet

(Printer friendly version - PDF)

Leaving School and Beyond

Some information and options for school leavers and adults who have a disability

Leaving high school/college is one of the biggest transitions we make into adult life. It can also be one of the most challenging, with many decisions to be made and lots of different factors to be taken into account. For young people who have a disability many of these decisions can be even more challenging because you not may be aware of or able to access some of the options available to your peers or you may need more assistance to access them.

Contents

• Employment
• Education and Training
  • CIT
  • Traineeships and Apprenticeships
• Community Resources
  • Community Services
  • Youth Centres
  • Sports Programs
  • Arts Programs
  • Other Resources

Employment

Employment means different things to different people. For some it is their entire life, for others it is a casual job to gain a little extra money. For people who have a disability there are a number of options when it comes to employment, amongst these Open Employment is often the most difficult to access but it can also be the most rewarding. The following are the disability employment agencies in the ACT who can assist you in finding Open Employment:

Some of these agencies are also able to help with finding supported employment.

This information was obtained from the NETA (Network of Employment & Training Agencies) brochure 2005. For more information on the value of employment please see Advocacy for Inclusion’s information sheet on Work and Social Role Valorisation.

Education and Training

The Disability Coordination Office suggests that you think about each of these steps when considering your education and training options.

• Plan well ahead of the time you expect to start your training or study.
• Choose a career to match your interests or goals.
• Identify the CIT, TAFE or University or private training provider that offers the course you are interested in studying.
• Find out about any entry requirements or prerequisites for the course that interests you.
• Discuss your needs. Let the Disability Liaison Officer or other campus staff know what you need to assist you with accessing the campus, communication, laboratory work, sitting exams, taking notes, managing workloads, using the library, writing essays etc.
• Find out what financial support is available.
• Consider all options. It may help to consider part-time or off-campus study.
• Identify other support services that you may require, e.g. Centrelink, accommodation or transport, etc.

CIT (Canberra Institute of Technology)

Disability Support is part of Student Services at CIT. If you have a disability and require assistance CIT can:

• Liaise with departments about a place in the course
• Assist with enrolment procedures
• Help you make decisions about your course of study
• Negotiate the support you need for your studies

Traineeships and apprenticeships

There are other ways to get training in areas such as retail, hospitality, childcare, aged care, customer service, disability support, pharmaceutical, multimedia, IT and business administration. Traineeships and apprenticeships provide “on the job” training that directly relates to the area that you want to work in.

The Disability Coordination Office can provide more information on education and training options, please look at their website ACT & Region DCO Online – www.disabilitycoordinationoffice.com.au/tranplan.html. More information on education options can also be found on the CIT website – www.cit.act.edu.au, the Going to Uni website www.goingtouni.gov.au and university websites.

Community Resources

Not everyone moves from school into work or training. For a variety of reasons some people who leave school are not ready or may not be able to enter full time work or training, others simply need more time to think about what it is that they do want to do. There are many resources out in the community to help people discover what interests them and in the meantime meet new people and learn new things.

Community Services

Community centres host a wide range of services & recreational groups available to all people in the community. The following are some of the community centres in the Canberra region that provide a large number of community services.

• Belconnen Community Services
  Swanson Court, Belconnen ACT 2617
  Ph: 6264 0200 Fax: 6253 2901
  Email: bcc@belcomserv
  Web: www.becomserv.com.au
  
  
• Communities@Work –
  Web: www.commsatwork.org
  
  
  • Tuggeranong Campus
    245 Cowlishaw Street, Tuggeranong ACT 2900
    Phone : 6293 6500 Fax : 6293 6555 TTY: 6293 6557
    Email : admin@commsatwork.org
    
    
  • Weston Campus
    Parkinson Street
    WESTON ACT 2611
    Phone: 6288 4744 Fax: 6288 4241
    Email: admin.west@commsatwork.org
    
    
• Gungahlin Regional Community Service
  Suite 2.2A Gungahlin Marketplace Gungahlin Place, Gungahlin ACT 2912
  ph: 6228 9200
  Email: grcs@gungahlin.org
  
  
• Northside Community Services
  Phone: 6257 2255 Fax: 6257 5993
  Majura Community Centre, 2 Rosevear Place, Dickson ACT 2602
  Email: headoffice@northside.asn.au
  Web: www.nside.org.au
  
  
• Southside Community Services
  63 Boolimba Crescent, Narrabundah ACT 2604
  ph: 6126 4700
  Email: admin@sscs.org.au
  Web: www.sscs.org.au
  
  
• Tuggeranong Link Community Houses and Centres – Link operates in a relationship with the five community houses in the Tuggeranong region, including the Chisholm Community Centre, Gilmore Community House, Isabella Plains Neighbourhood House, Conder Community House, and Richardson Community House
  • Main Office:
    Richardson Community House
    33 Prichard Street, Richardson
    ACT 2905
    Phone/Fax: 6292 1604
    Email: tugglink@pcug.org.au
    Web: www.pcug.org.au/~tugglink
  
  
  
• Weston Creek Community Centre
  Parkinson Street, Weston ACT 2611
  ph: 6288 1144
  Email: westonccc@iinet.net.au
  
  
• Woden Community Services
  26 Corinna Street Woden
  ph: 6282 2644
  Email: wcsadmin@wcs.org.au
  Web: www.wcs.org.au
  
  

Youth Centres

Youth Centres are a great resource for all young people. There are always Youth Workers available during Drop-In times to answer any of those questions you may not feel comfortable asking friends or family and to provide assistance with referrals on to other organisations or services that may be more appropriate for your needs. Drop-In is the times the Youth Centres are open for anyone aged between 12-25 years old to access Youth Workers, or just hangout. Youth Centres offer FREE resources, such as pool tables, food, drinks (tea, coffee, cordial) and most have Internet access and computers to use. Youth Centres often have heaps of exciting things going on, like school holiday trips, or just a chance to get help with homework and stuff like that and some Youth Centres will have programs specifically to assist people who have a disability.

Contact your local Youth Centre:

More information on Youth Centres and The Youth Coalition of the ACT is available at Making Contact (www.makingcontact.net.au) an initiative of the Youth Coalition of the ACT in partnership with Epimedia Interactive Media Design, Sexual Health & Family Planning ACT and Community Information & Referral Service of the ACT.

Sports Programs

• ACT Athletics Association – Provides a comprehensive program of athletic events for all ages, athletic disciplines and abilities.
  Phone: 6247 1504 Fax: 6247 1507
  Email: info.act@athletics.org.au
  Web: www.actathletics.org.au
  
  
• ACT Walking for Pleasure Inc. (Woden) – Conducts group walks in Canberra & surrounding areas
  Phone: 6286 3420
  
  
• Belconnen Fitness Centre – Offers exercise classes for all people including those who have a disability.
  Phone: 6264 0232
  Email: bcc@belcomserv.com.au
  Web: www.belcomserv.com.au/fitness
  
  
• TenFit Pty Ltd. – Tennis & fitness programs for people of all ages.
  Phone: 6292 6177
  Email: office@tenfit.com.au
  Web: www.tenfit.com.au
  
  
• YMCA – The YMCA of Canberra offers a wide range of programs including sailing, fencing and yoga.
  YMCA Administration
  Ph: 02 6230 6224 Fax: 02 6230 6284
  Email: admin.canberra@ymca.org.au
  Web: http://www.canberra.ymca.org.au
  

Arts Programs

• ACT Writers Centre – The ACT Writers Centre offers writing workshops, seminars, access to computers and printers, the Marian Eldridge Resource Library, advice and referral.
  Phone: 6262 9191 Fax: 6262 9191
  Web: www.actwriters.org.au
  
  
• Belconnen Community Arts – Belconnen Community Arts has both a gallery and a theatre as well as being an arts information & referral network.
  Phone: 6264 0235 Fax: 6251 9952
  Email: jan@belcomserv.com.au
  Web: www.belcomserv.com.au/art
  
  
• Canberra Art Workshop – Workshop classes in drawing & painting.
  Phone: 6286 3652
  Email: geh@austarmetro.com.au
  Web: http://members.iimetro.com.au/~geh/
  
  
• Canberra Dance Theatre – Dance classes for people 15 years and older, basics to advanced.
  Phone: 6247 3925
  Email: canberradancetheatre@hotmail.com
  Web: www.canberradancetheatre.org
  
  
• Canberra Youth Theatre Company – Theatre for young people.
  Phone: 6248 5057 Fax: 6248 5733
  Email: us@cytc.net
  Web: www.cytc.net
  
  
• Music for Everyone – Music for young people.
  Phone: 6230 7190 Fax: 6257 8088
  Email: music.for.everyone@netspeed.com.au
  Web: www.netspeed.com.au/music.for.everyone
  
  
• Tuggeranong Community Arts Association Inc. – Hosts a vibrant array of arts activities, which cross all art forms.
  Phone: 6293 1143 Fax: 6293 1445
  Email: info@tca.ans.au
  Web. www.tca.asn.au
  

Other Community Resources

• ACT Taxi Subsidy Scheme – Provides assistance with the cost of taxi fares for ACT residents who are sixteen years & over and who have a disability. Eligibility criteria apply.
  Phone: 6207 1108 or 6205 1012 Fax: 6205 2037
  (wheelchair accessible taxi number 61261596)
  Email: acttaxischeme@act.gov.au
  Web: www.dhcs.act.gov.au
  
  
• Community Connections Inc – Information, negotiation and brokerage service with discretionary funds for purchase of equipment; financial management of individual funding packages and case management or co-ordination for people who have complex needs. Community Connections has a care co-ordinator to aid in future planning for accommodation and support and assisting with carers-on-line and also has a Post School Options Program
  Phone: 6292 1133 Fax: 6296 1134
  Email: admin@comcons.org.au
  Web: www.comcons.org.au
  
  
• Community Options – Co-ordinates services for people who have a disability and their carers to enable them to continue living at home. Community Options runs a number of projects including Continuity of Care, which provides short term post hospital support.
  Phone: 6295 8800 Fax: 6295 8100
  Email: admin@communityoptions.com.au
  
  
• Community Life Skills – Community access & living skills program for adults who have an intellectual disability.
  Phone: 6282 2644 Fax: 6285 1322
  Email: wcsadmin@wcs.org.au
  
  
• Nican – Nican is information on recreation, tourism, sport and the arts for people who have a disAbility and supports an Australian society where any recreational opportunity values diversity, supports freedom and choice and strengthens inclusive communities.
  Phone: 6285 3713 Fax: 6285 3714
  Email: info@nican.com.au
  Web: www.nican.com.au
  
  
• Reachout Project – Links younger individuals who have a disability and their carers from multicultural backgrounds to Home and Community Care (HACC) funded services that will help them to live independently in their own homes.
  Phone: 6230 7958 Fax: 6257 5993
  Email: headoffice@northside.asn.au
  Web: www.nside.org.au
  
  
• Women with Disabilities ACT (Dickson) – Support Network Group for women who have a disability
  Phone: 6257 6436 Fax: 6291 6842
  
  

Back to Top

Back to Publications List

"working with people who have a disability, families, friends and others for a more inclusive society"