Overview
The principle of zero exclusion should be the foundation of all disability employment practice. This approach means that employment services and supports should be offered to all people with disability, regardless of the level or type of disability they have. This is in contrast to past legislation in Australia that characterised some people with disability as being ineligible for mainstream employment and employment services to assist them getting these jobs.2
The practice of zero exclusion includes the following principles:
- the person using disability employment services should decide when they are ready to look for a job – not the professionals who support them3
- every person with disability who wants to work has the right to access employment services, regardless of how ‘ready’ someone thinks they are or what barriers that they might experience
- there should be no formal or informal ‘screening’ or tests to decide if a person should have access to employment services
- people with disability should not be denied employment services for any reason, including:
- cognitive disability
- issues with alcohol or drug use
- a history of violent behaviour
- non-adherence to medical treatments
- how they look or present themselves.4
A zero exclusion approach to practice also means that if a previous job has ended, employment service providers will continue to provide support to a person to find another job. It doesn’t matter why the job ended or the number of jobs held by a person over time. This is particularly important as a person’s interest in working has been shown to be a predictor of employment success.5
Key strategies for success
Employment services can uphold the principle of zero exclusion by using the following strategies:
- making sure nobody is turned away because they are seen as ‘unable’ to work
- making sure that help is available, no matter what the person’s circumstances or disability
- keeping a focus on finding work that matches the person’s skills, interests and preferences.