Customised Employment Peer Support Group

A young man wearing white lab coat, green gloves, and goggles sorts scientific glassware in a laboratory

It’s often difficult for people with disability to find meaningful employment, especially those with an intellectual impairment or autism. That’s why we established the Customised Employment Peer Support Group.

The group helps families brainstorm possibilities and develop strategies to achieve their family member’s employment goals. It will suit families who are

  • are just starting with the Discovery process to identify their child’s interests and employable skills
  • have high-school students who want to do work experience or get casual jobs
  • are setting up a job for a school leaver or older adult
  • are setting up self-employment
  • need an effective way to support a person already in a job.

We provide a friendly space to share stories, challenges, suggestions, and successes with other family peers.

You’ll hear from guest speakers who are experts in customised employment or micro-enterprise and employers. And you’ll learn practical skills such as asking for work experience or work opportunities.

Apply to join the Customised Employment Peer Group in 2023

Our Vision for Employment for People with Disability

Imagine More believes that all people with disability can work.

To find meaningful work, we must first:

  • understand who the person is
  • identify their strengths, attributes and interests
  • match these to a job or business idea that has the right conditions for success
  • identify the best person to mentor the person in their job.

We believe in everyone’s right to access meaningful work and at least award wages and conditions that enable them to give their best at work.

About this Peer Group

The Customised Employment Peer Group is for families who are interested in, or partway into, creating individualised employment opportunities for their family members.

This peer group only focuses on strategies that will assist families in finding regular work roles for their child or family member. Together we’ll figure out what supports they need to succeed.

Apply to join the Customised Employment Peer Group in 2023

Dates and Times

This Group meets on the fourth Thursday of every second month with alternating lunchtime and evening sessions

Meeting dates for 2023 are:

  • 23 February 12:00 – 2:00 pm
  • 27 April 6.30 – 8.30 pm
  • 22 June 12:00 – 2:00 pm
  • 24 August 6.30 – 8.30 pm
  • 26 October 12:00 – 2:00 pm

Join the Customised Employment Peer Support Group

This Peer Group is popular, and places fill quickly. We’ll create a waitlist if the number of applicants exceeds the available places. If places become available during the year, we’ll offer them to people on the waitlist before advertising more broadly. Places will be allocated based on the following criteria:

  • those who want to pursue or are actively pursuing any stage of customised employment for their family member in 2023 (this includes discovery, work experience, job development, and job support)
  • those who have attended previous Employment Peer Groups
  • those who reside in the ACT and the surrounding region.
  • those who can commit to attending each session*

*We understand that sometimes unexpected absences will occur. Please only apply if you are confident you can attend most peer group sessions.

Please note that peer sessions are not recorded due to the personal nature of the conversations, so the only way to participate is via live attendance.

Please apply by completing the form via the button below.

Apply to join the Customised Employment Peer Group in 2023

About this Peer Group

  • We meet for two hours
  • The meeting facilitators are Jan Kruger and Fiona McIntosh
  • Meetings are free to attend, thanks to Department of Social Services funding
  • All peer group meetings are virtual meetings using the Zoom platform
  • You will receive an email reminder and Zoom link before each session
  • We don’t record peer group conversations, and no replay will be available.  This is because families often share information about their personal circumstances.
  • If you have any questions about the Peer Group, please get in touch with Fiona – fiona@imaginemore.org.au.

Portrait of Fiona McIntosh