The WISE-Ability Model

The Centre for Social Impact (CSI) has undertaken a range of research related to the employment needs of people with disability over several years, in addition to a substantial body of research related to social enterprise. The Explaining the Evidence for Reform Series, commissioned by Inclusion Australia, draws on this research and synthesises its evidence in relation to people with intellectual disability. In addition, CSI researchers undertook a rapid review of evidence relating to the Australian Disability Enterprises (ADE) sector drawing on published studies, policies and reports; the publicly available aspects of the Buyability data set (managed by the National Disability Services); and a desktop review of ADEs. Together, this research base was organised to present evidence in five papers, and a ‘Logic for Reform’ paper as an overview of the underpinning logic emerging from the research.

This paper presents a new model for ADEs: the WISE-Ability model. The model articulates the organisational elements that build capacity of employees including pathways to open employment. The paper also identifies data from research about the funding barriers to transitioning employees from ADEs to open employment.

Papers in the series are:

• Overview:  The logic for reform: employment for people with intellectual disability in Australia(Opens in a new tab/window)
• Paper 1: Understanding the employment ecosystem for people with intellectual disability(Opens in a new tab/window)
• Paper 2:  Understanding the elements of employment support(Opens in a new tab/window)
• Paper 3: School Leaver Employment Support (SLES) – reshaping the approach(Opens in a new tab/window)
• Paper 4: The ADE Snapshot(Opens in a new tab/window)
• Paper 5: The WISE-Ability model