Inclusive Pathways to Employment pilot: final evaluation report

The IPE pilot provided young people with disability early integrated transition support that offers a cohesive, aspiration-focused and inclusive service across systems.

At a glance

The Inclusive Pathway to Employment (IPE) pilot trialled ways mainstream youth employment services can support young people with disability to pursue their interests, aspirations and goals, and be socially and economically included in their communities.

Dive deeper

IPE was delivered in four youth employment services across different regions in Australia and overseen by the BSL National Collaboration on Employment and Disability. It included three streams:

• Stream A: Intensive support for young people with significant disability.

• Stream B: Enhanced support for young people with disability already in the Transition to Work youth employment service.

• Stream C: School and community-based career-development activities for young people in school or the community.

Findings

The IPE pilot provided young people with disability early integrated transition support that offers a cohesive, aspiration-focused and inclusive service across systems. The pilot demonstrated the benefit of young people with disability receiving enhanced support from a youth employment service on their career journey that could start while they were still at school and be sustained.

There were positive outcomes for participants including in career exploration, work preparation, self-knowledge, social connections and employability skills. Most agreed they felt more hopeful about reaching education/training goals. Some achieved education/training outcomes during their time in the program.

Recommendations

The evaluation identified four principles that can inform the development of inclusive youth employment services to support career development for young people with disability:

1. Build inclusive employment pathways by providing accessible career support for all young people with disability.
2. Embed aspiration-focused and inclusive practice that invests in young people’s aspirations and provides the structural supports for success.
3. Include cross-system collaboration in pathways and practice by integrating school, employment services and other supports so they provide integrated transition support.
4. Resource an enabling organisation to upskill employment services staff, and fund services in a way that allows them to deliver effective and inclusive career support for young people with disability.