Mature Study

CRS Australia provides vocation rehabilitation programs for people that have an injury, disability or health problem. The service is funded by the Commonwealth government through 170 outlets nationally and is the largest provider of vocational rehabilitation and injury management services in Australia. The services provided by CRS Australia aim to secure and retain employment for people with a disability or injury. CRS programs are designed and managed by professional staff who work with clients, doctors and employers. Examples of the programs provided by CRS Australia include:

• specialised job matching and placement services
• career counselling
• work training for eligible job seekers up to 13 weeks
• occupational health and consultancy services to employers
• workplace modification and job design advice
• physical, cognitive and vocational assessments
• pain management
• counselling regarding adjustment to a disability
• individualised rehabilitation programs

Programs run by CRS Australia are free of charge to people that have a disability or injury and receive payments from Centrelink.

Further information can be obtained by contacting CRS Australia on 1800 624 824.

The Australia government funds open disability services to support people with a disability to gain and maintain employment in the open workforce. There are approximately 405 disability employment services with 790 outlets across Australia. The services provided by these organisations tailor programs to individual needs in consultation with the job seeker and also place and support people with a disability into apprenticeship and traineeship programs.

Most open disability services assist people with a range of disabilities but there are outlets that specialise in assisting specific disability types for example people with vision impairment and people with multiple sclerosis and brain injuries. Open employment disability services also have access to a range of employer incentives to assist in securing employment for jobseekers. These incentives include the workplace modifications scheme and wage subsidies. Examples of the services provided by open employment disability services include:

• assessment of a job seekers skills and abilities to obtain sustainable employment
• pre employment training and work experience
• on the job training for employers and co workers
• assistance with job seeking and job support
• identifying work place modifications

Information on this scheme can be obtained from Centrelink on 13 1021 or from the the Disability Services Program in the Department of Family and Community Services on 1300 653 227.

The Disability Employment Network (DEN) is a network of specialist employment services that provide assistance to job seekers with a disability who require ongoing support to find and maintain employment in the open labour market. The network is made up of 246 community and private organisations across Australia and also provides support and services to employers that hire staff with disabilities. Examples of the assistance provided by DEN include employment preparation, job search, job placements and post placement support. To be eligible to receive services offered by DEN a client must meet any of the following criteria:

• have permanent (or likely to be permanent) disability
• have a reduced capacity for communication, learning or mobility
• require support for more than six months after placement in employment
• require specialist assistance to share the financial, social and personal benefits of employment.

To find out about the DEN programme contact Centrelink and ask to speak to a Disability Officer on 13 1021 or refer to the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) website.

Under this scheme the Commonwealth government funds business services to provide employment for people with a disability who require ongoing support to work. Eligibility for employment assistance is based on an assessment by Centrelink  of the level and the type of support that a job seeker requires to work. If the job seeker requires ‘on going support’ to obtain and maintain employment then they will be eligible for the scheme.

Information on this scheme can be obtained from Centrelink on 13 1021 or from the Disability Services Program in the Department of Family and Community Services on 1300 653 227.