Evaluation of the Australian Human Rights Commission ‘IncludeAbility’ Project 2020-2023

This evaluation provides an overview of the IncludeAbility disability employment project and documents the extent to which the project achieved its objectives. The IncludeAbility project was an initiative of the Australian Human Rights Commission to increase access to meaningful and sustainable jobs for people with disability, foster inclusive workplaces and support young people in their transition from school to work. Disability employment pilots were carried out across Australia where people with disability were employed in large organisations. The pilots were successful with most of the participants accepting ongoing roles at the workplaces. 

The evaluation found persistent barriers to disability employment that high-level inclusion policies alone cannot overcome. Building disability confidence and inclusive employment pathways within large companies requires long-term and sustained support. All levels of an organisation must collaborate to remove barriers to employment, and introduce strategies to support employers and employees. The evaluation concludes with insights to inform a range of policy considerations.

Key findings

1. Barriers to employment for people with disability must be made visible within each organisation and a bespoke approach developed to address them.
2. There is not a culture within large organisations where employment candidates are routinely asked to provide information about reasonable adjustments or conditions for success within the recruitment and onboarding process.
3. Addressing barriers within large companies requires engagement at all levels of the organisation.
4. A culture of learning, a safe space and trusted partners supports large organisations to implement programs that can deliver employment opportunities for people with disability at scale.
5. Undertaking a Pilot Employment Program supports organisation-wide learning about barriers to employment.
6. There are a range of providers who can support the inclusion of people with disability in workplaces beyond Disability Employment Services (DES).
7. Organisations require long term, sustained support to build their disability confidence and create employment opportunities.