As a leading service provider that offers the Disability Employment Services (DES) Program, International Day of People with Disabilities (IDPwD) is an awareness day that is very close to our hearts.
Held on December 3rd each year, the United Nations Observed Day aims to spread public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability.
Through our services, our Asuria Mentors deliver on this aim by empowering those with a disability, injury or mental illness to believe in themselves and to discover employment that supports their needs.
Asuria is proud to be able to promote inclusivity and equality through our DES services while also breaking down employment barriers and ableist views.
Recently, we supported one of our long-term unemployed DES participants into a job that respects his needs and, as a result, has reignited his confidence.
This is James' story.
When his job as a mail sorter ended in 2005 after 14 years when the company he worked for closed down, James had no idea how long and hard the road back into employment would be. Living with a neuro-developmental impairment and a Musculoskeletal Disorder which affects the types of roles he’s able to take on, James spent the next 17 years as a job seeker looking for an employer willing to give him a chance, and an employment services provider who could see his potential.
That opportunity arrived earlier in 2022, when James’ Asuria Mentors for the Disability Employment Services program, Elly and Darren, approached him about a role as a Concierge with the NSW Government's Department of Regional NSW.
Having previously helped James to complete a Certificate III in Community Engagement to improve his self-confidence and ability to engage with others, James' Asuria Mentors felt that the role would offer James a safe, structured, and supportive work environment with long-term potential. James’s Asuria Mentors then helped him to prepare for the interview, providing him with appropriate clothing as well as conducting pre-interview coaching.
Much to his and Asuria’s delight, James was offered the job, and is now celebrating his sixth month as Concierge with the Department of Regional NSW, where he spends his days helping his colleagues set up their meeting rooms, keeping the rooms organised and tidy, checking staff headcounts in the office, and assisting with administrative tasks.
James’s relationship with his Asuria Disability Employment Services Mentors remains an important part of his continuing success in the role, with weekly check-ins helping to address any questions or concerns before they become problems.
On his return to the workforce, his new role, and the support he has received from Asuria, James says: “Being out of work for so long can be really tough, particularly as a person with a disability. The important thing is never to give up, to work with people who really care about helping you to succeed, and to make the most of every opportunity you’re given.”
One of James’ Asuria Mentors, Elly, adds: “We couldn’t be prouder of James and the resilience and determination he has shown in his new role. And for everyone else out there who might be in a similar position to James, there is a job out there waiting for you – we believe in you.”
To find out more about Asuria’s Disability Employment Services program, visit www.asuria.com.au/disability-employment-services.
For more information on International Day of People with Disabilities, visit https://www.idpwd.com.au/
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