Thank you for your interest in the School to Work Project and for registering to attend this on-demand event. These are the webinars that were designed for students in Years 11 and 12 and recent school leavers.
On this page, you’ll find
- the recording of the two Finding Work webinars we recorded in August 2021
- all of the resources we mentioned in the webinars.
Important: All of the references that were referenced in the video have been added to the page below the video. We will not be sending these resources by email as was stated in some of the series videos.
Use these links to jump directly to your replay of choice
- Webinar 1: Finding Work – Getting Started (Recorded on Thursday, August 12, 2021)
- Webinar 2: Finding Work – The Next Steps (Recorded on Thursday, August 19, 2021)
You have until 5:00 PM AEDT on Sunday, 21 November to review the replays and resources.
We’d Love to Get Your Feedback
Please let us know what you thought of this presentation. Your feedback helps us to improve our webinars.
Return to the School to Work Webinars On-Demand Hub Page
Webinar 1: Finding Work – Getting Started
- Recorded on Thursday, August 12, 2021
Please consider watching this with your young person and begin a discussion about what they imagine for themselves in the future.
- Running time: 1:45:42
- Download the Presentation Slides (PDF, 6 MB) >>
Resources from Webinar 1: Getting Started
Making A Start
The Good Life
Vision
Clarity of Vision by Wendy Stroeve
- Video playing time 00:15:08
Developing a Vision Statement
Visit our page about vision statements for more examples and inspiration.
Customised Employment – The Hiring Chain
As you watch this video, pay attention to
- what the employees look like
- what the employees are doing
- whether they look like they work in the role.
- Video playing time 00:01:45
Customised Employment in a Microenterprise: Let’s Get to Work – Pa’s Produce
Annie’s family thought very carefully about customising a work role to suit her interests, strengths, and attributes. Notice that
- this microenterprise was developed for one person
- the family was very focused on growing Annie’s skills
- the family used their connections to set things up.
- Video playing time 00:05:54
Customised Employment
Discovery
Cultivating Opportunities
Cam Can
This is a fantastic example of having a deep understanding of a person’s attributes, interests, and strengths. Cameron’s business has been built around his attribute of ‘waiting’. Notice that
- most other people had very low expectations of Cameron
- It took a combination of vision, belief, intentional observation, and serendipity to find the right role for Cameron
- Video playing time 00:03:35
- This is a segment of a longer presentation that was recorded at the National Inclusion Conference in May 2018. You can watch the full presentation elsewhere on our website.
Discovering the tasks associated with workplace roles
Engaging Employment Supports
Roles-based Recruitment
Visit our resource page about roles-based recruitment for information about how to employ a mentor or coach for your family member.
Types of Experiences
In this video, you’ll see that Jack’s work experience at the University of Canberra led to paid employment. His family was very intentional about asking for paid employment. They also learned a lot about Jack’s skills and what he enjoyed doing, and they documented this as part of the process.
- Playing time: 6 minutes, 41 seconds
- Airtasker is another place to get ideas about work
Please Support These Local Enterprises
Key Messages of Webinar 1
- Have a positive mindset and take action
- Start with a vision for your family member that aspires to achieve the good life and a typical pathway
- Reach out to others to help you achieve your vision, and consider engaging a job mentor early
- Build a discovery profile with the input of others
- Brainstorm possible workplace links based on Discovery
- Gather information about workplaces
- Make a visual resume (in writing or video)
- Propose and opportunity (in person, in writing)
- Set the young person up for success on the job
- Pursue many options: informal work, work experience, microenterprise, part-time paid work, ASBA.
Don’t forget to tell us what you think about webinar 1.
Webinar 2: Finding Work – The Next Steps
- Recorded on Thursday, August 19, 2021
Webinar Recording
- Video playing time: 1 hour, 59 minutes
- Download the presentation slides (PDF, 3 MB) >>
- Please let us know what you thought of this presentation. Your feedback helps us to improve our webinars. We’d like your feedback for each of the two Finding Work webinars that you have watched.
Please tell us what you thought of this webinar
The Customised Employment Approach
Ruth’s Story
Video playing time: 00:04:03
Enriching the Discovery Process
Here are some links to discovery profiles used by Customised Employment leaders in the United States. Please note the following material is aimed at service providers, but it may also give you ideas that you would like to ask in your discovery process
- From LEAD Center – Self-guided Discovery Facilitator’s Guide – Building a Personal Profile (page 26)
- From Griffin Hammis – Discovery Staging Record
- From Marc Gold and Associates – Discovery Profile – Download from their page containing Forms, Samples, Guides and Plans
You can explore the websites of these organisations for more resources:
Discovery In Action – Let’s Get to Work: Zellner Services
Video playing time: 00:06:10
- Contact Zellner Services at zellnerservices@gmail.com
Cameron’s Discovery Timeline
Jack’s Discovery Timeline
Cultivating Opportunities Through Connections
Cultivating Employment Opportunities
These are the links to the sites shared on slide XX:
- Job Outlook website
- Skillshare – an online learning platform
- Meet the Tradies
- Seek – a job vacancy website
- Australian Apprenticeship Pathways website
- The Australian Apprenticeship Pathways YouTube Channel
- You can also search YouTube for terms such as “[type-of-worker] day in the life”
- And don’t forget to visit employment expos (and not just expos for people with disability)
Researching Workplaces

Positive Pitch
Asking for an Interview Alternative – Let’s Get to Work: The Research Technician
Video playing time:4 minutes, 13 seconds
Engaging Employment Supports
Employment Planning Workbook
- Download the Let’s Talk About Work booklet from the NDIS website
- Explore other resources about Finding, Keeping, and Changing Jobs on the NDIS website
Roles-Based Recruiting Resource
If you are seeking to employ a job coach or workplace mentor, take a look at our resource about roles-based recruitment.
Task Analysis
To teach a task well, you must first understand it yourself. The teacher or trainer must break the task down into discrete steps and communicate these clearly.
Getting Task Analysis Right
This video demonstrates, in a humorous way, the importance of doing an accurate task analysis.
Video playing time: 00:06:45
Systematic Instruction
Once a task has been accurately analysed, it can be taught in a systematic way. This means that tasks that seem quite complex can be learned and mastered. In the demonstration below, June and Jack had never worked together before. It was filmed as part of a workshop in front of a room filled with people. Please take note of how well June knew the task, how seldom she spoke, and the degree of concentration that Jack demonstrated as he completed the task.
This methodology is based on Marc Gold’s pioneering work in the 1970s. We’ve included a video of the original work below this one.
Video playing time 00:08:14
Try Another Way – Marc Gold and Associates
Video playing time: 00:27:01
Marc Gold is the pioneer of the Try Another Way approach that June used in the video above. This video was filmed in the 1970s.
Microenterprises
Example of a Microenterprise – Made by Brad
Video playing time: 00:02:25
Microenterprise Stories
Visit the website of these organisations to watch stories about successful microenterprises and resources
- Community Living Project Microenterprise Project (South Australia)
- Valued Lives Microenterprise Project (Western Australia)
ACT Resources to establish and grow a microenterprise
Opportunities are often advertised on the Facebook pages of these organisations.
- The Australian Government’s Business website
- Southern Region Business Enterprise Centre
- Southern Region Business Enterprise Centre Facebook page
- Canberra Innovation Network
- Canberra Innovation Network Facebook page
- Lighthouse Business Innovation Centre
- Lighthouse Business Innovation Centre Facebook page
- Canberra Business Chamber
- Canberra Business Chamber Facebook page
- Skillshare
- Valued Lives’ resources about Microenterprise
- Search YouTube for search terms such as “tutorial + particular work task/role/industry”
Some additional resources:
Please contact Fiona if you are not yet a member of our Employment Peer Group and would like to join.
Key Messages of Webinar 2
- Explore many interests
- Capture learnings about attributes and conditions of success
- Practice your pitch, positive introduction, and asking for a wage
- Ask for interview accommodations
- Plan and apply for NDIS funding if relevant
- Research DES and NDIS services (if relevant)
- Know what good-practice on-the-job training looks like
- Plan for meaningful work
Please tell us what you thought of this webinar
Events That May Be of Interest
If you are not already receiving our digital newsletters, please consider joining our mailing list so that you receive information about interesting events like the following:
Get That Good Life! Conference On-Demand
Our annual conference was held in October 2021. You can still register to watch replays of most sessions. They will be available on-demand and for free until Sunday, November 29, 2021.
What else would you like to know about Finding Work?
Is there a topic that you’d like to explore in greater depth in future webinars and workshops? Please let us know by sending an email to Fiona McIntosh: fiona@imaginemore.org.au