Opening Opportunities

A two-day conference exploring the life-changing power of customised employment for people with developmental disability

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Employment for people with intellectual disability and autism

It’s an unpleasant and confronting fact that if adults with disability work at all, they are most likely to work in low-paid, part-time jobs, which are often insecure and offer no opportunity for growth. And they’ll most likely work exclusively alongside other people with disability in roles that don’t necessarily hold their interest or match their skills.

Family members of people with disability often share the same pervasive worries:

Will my family member ever find a paying job that holds their interest or sticks longer than a few months?
Will I need to give up work or reduce my working hours to care for my unemployed family member?
Will I need to change my retirement plans?
Will a life of unemployment commit my family member to a life of isolation without relationships or ties to their community?
Will my family member ever be able to live independently if they’re always unemployed or underemployed?

Despite these commonly-held fears, many families still pursue meaningful employment that suits their family members.

After all,

Employment is an essential element of the Good Life

Having a good job or career provides financial security, independence, the opportunity to meet people and form relationships, opportunities to contribute, and funds to pay rent, buy a home, travel, eat out, pursue hobbies, and partake in all the great things life has to offer.

If you dream of a workplace where your family member

can thrive and be their best
are appreciated for their unique attributes
have good workplace relationships
can grow their skills
has sustainable paid work,

then we think you are going to love this conference. It’s all about

Opening Opportunities is a two-day national conference that will help you uncover employment opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. The conference will feature speakers including families, young people with disability, and professionals from Australia and overseas who have opened opportunities using an approach called Customised Employment.

Customised Employment is a tried and true method when implemented with integrity, and it has been used locally and internationally. At this conference, you’ll see abundant evidence that it’s an approach that works. Our speakers will share their lived experiences of customising employment and provide practical tips you can start implementing immediately.

Meet the speakers | Get tickets

Why you should attend the Opening Opportunities conference

At the conference, you’ll be part of a supportive tribe of changemakers who share your values and are walking the same path. You will rub shoulders with families and professionals who can see people’s potential and believe in creating a better employment future.

So get away from your daily grind for two days and come away with

the realisation that there’s an abundance of employment opportunities waiting to be discovered
a greater understanding of how to map out a customised employment pathway
various ways to create employment opportunities
ways to navigate stigma about disability
insights into how to identify a person’s interests in a way that leads to employment
networking opportunities and ways to connect with other people after the conference.

This conference is perfect if you’re

Overwhelmed (or underwhelmed!) by the limiting post-school options for students with disability
Feeling stuck and worried that your family member might never be able to work
Feeling disheartened by the limiting beliefs of others about your family member’s ability to be meaningfully employed
A family member, a mentor or paid supporter, a professional, a prospective employer, or someone who wants everyone to be meaningfully and sustainably employed.

Meet the speakers | Get tickets

Conference details

Date: Thursday, 25 and Friday, 26 May 2023
Time: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on both days
Location: Hotel Realm in Canberra
Please plan to join us for a social networking event on Thursday evening, immediately after the end of Day 1

Please note there will be no live streaming of this event.

Tickets

Early bird rate (until 31 March 2023)

Conference only – $150.00 for people with disability and family members
Conference and Thursday evening networking event – $165.00 for people with disability and family members
Conference only – $340.00 for professionals
Conference and Thursday evening networking event – $355.00 for professionals
Strictly no shared tickets

Standard rate (from 1 April 2023)

Conference only – $180.00 for people with disability and family members
Conference and Thursday evening networking event – $195.00 for people with disability and family members
Conference only – $380.00 for professionals
Conference and Thursday evening networking event – $395.00 for professionals
Strictly no shared tickets

Subsidised (reduced-price) tickets are available. Please get in touch with Anne at anne@imaginemore.org.au to apply.

Who will be speaking at the Opening Opportunities conference?

Milton Tyree

Milton has professional and personal experience over decades of helping people with disabilities have strong work roles. He uses the principles of SRV (Social Role Valorisation) as a foundation for his work.

Milton lives in Kentucky in the USA and works with Marc Gold & Associates, the pioneers of Customised Employment. He has run several workshops about customised employment for Imagine More and has worked closely with us to support families who are exploring employment.

So we’re delighted to welcome Milton back to Australia as our keynote speaker for the Opening Opportunities conference.

Keep checking back: more speakers will be announced soon