Join a supportive group of like-minded families creating individualised employment opportunities for their family members with disability.
Apply to join the Customised Employment Peer Group in 2025
About this Peer Group
Finding meaningful employment can be challenging for people with disability, especially those with intellectual impairment or autism.
That’s why we established the Customised Employment Peer Support Group—a supportive space where families can learn, share, and take action toward meaningful, valued employment opportunities for their family members with disability.
This group is designed to help families confidently navigate the Customised Employment process, alongside their family members with disability. It’s perfect for those who are:
- just starting with the Discovery process to identify their child’s interests and employable skills
- supporting high-school students pursuing work experience or casual jobs
- setting up jobs for school leavers or older adults
- exploring self-employment opportunities
- seeking effective ways to support a person already in a job.
Families from anywhere are welcome to join, along with their family members with disability.
Together, we share stories, challenges, suggestions, and successes. This year, each session will feature guest speakers with practical experience in Customised Employment to inspire and guide your journey.
Apply to join the Customised Employment Peer Group in 2025
How meetings work
- Meetings are free to attend, thanks to Department of Social Services funding
- All peer group meetings are online meetings using the Zoom platform
- You will receive an email and SMS reminder before each session
- Once registered, you’ll receive a Zoom link for the sessions. The same link is used for all meetings.
- To maintain a safe and confidential environment, we don’t record peer group conversations.
- We record guest speakers where we have their permission.
- If you have any questions about the Peer Group, please contact Fiona McIntosh at fiona@imaginemore.org.au.
Fiona McIntosh facilitates the Customised Employment Peer Group.
Apply to join the Customised Employment Peer Group in 2025
Dates and times
This group meets online on the first Thursday of each month. Confirmed meeting dates for 2025 are:
- Thursday, 6 February 2025, 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm AEDT
- Thursday, 6 March 2025, 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm AEDT
- Thursday, 3 April 2025, 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm AEST
- Thursday, 1 May 2025, 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm AEST
- Thursday, 5 June 2025, 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm AEST
Guest speaker topics
Our guest speakers will discuss the following topics to provide practical insights and strategies for creating meaningful employment opportunities.
Developing a customised role led by interests
Creating a customised role based on interests and by approaching businesses through their networks.
Sustaining a work role, growing a career
Combining vocational training with customised employment to grow their family member’s work life.
Establishing a Circle of Support to strengthen employment outcomes
Setting up a network of allies to contribute to achieving employment goals.
Insurance considerations for employment and micro-business
Understanding the insurance requirements for employing your own support worker, whether for work experience, on-the-job support, or running a micro-business.
Insights from job supporters
Hearing firsthand from a job supporter about their experiences in job development and setting up new roles to help people start strong in their employment journey.
Before you apply to join the Customised Employment Peer Support Group
You’ll get the most out of this peer group if you
- are familiar with Customised Employment
- wish to avoid segregated disability employment models.
Please watch this 7-minute animated video, which explains the Customised Employment approach.
Allocation of places
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 to people who
- want to pursue or are actively pursuing any stage of Customised Employment for their family member (this includes Discovery, work experience, job development, and job support)
- have attended previous Employment Peer Groups
- reside in the ACT and the surrounding region.
- can commit to attending most sessions*
*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. The only way to participate is via live attendance.
Apply to join the Customised Employment Peer Group in 2025
Comments from past members of the Imagining Home Peer Group
“I found sharing with others, listening to others’ issues and troubleshooting together most helpful”
“I appreciate the positive outlook, overcoming challenges and encouragement to keep on. It’s really important.”
“Thank you to the wonderful facilitators. Fiona is such a patient, knowledgeable compassionate facilitator, always making room for all of us. Thank you very much!”
Our vision for employment for people with disability
Imagine More believes that all people with disability can work. We believe in everyone’s right to
- access meaningful work and
- be paid at least award wages and
- enjoy workplace conditions that enable them to give their best at work.
To help a person 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.
Apply to join the Customised Employment Peer Group in 2025
Other ways to explore Customised Employment
If you’re unable to join the peer group or are looking for additional resources, visit our Essential Customised Employment Resources page. It contains information to help you explore customised employment, including practical guides, videos, and tools.
If you’d like personalised support, reach out to us for 1:1 mentoring to discuss how customised employment can work for your family. Call the office on 0419 645 816 or email Fiona at fiona@imaginemore.org.au