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The Geelong Region Local Learning and Employment Network (GRLLEN)

ASbAT

The Geelong Region Local Learning and Employment Network (GRLLEN) joined the national Ticket to Work initiative in 2013, by establishing its own stakeholder network, originally called the Ticket to Work Geelong network, now known as the Geelong Inclusion Network (GIN), and the group hasn’t looked back.

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Ticket to Work participants: Where are they now? Video

ASbAT

Where are they now? This video shows Jack, Phil and Nomaan 6 years later talking about their experiences during school and participating in the Ticket to Work initiative.

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Everyone Can Work - Getting Work Experience

ASbAT, Parents

Getting extra work experience during high school is an important step in the transition from school to work. This film is about things families and young people can do during high school to get ready for life after school and getting their first job in open employment.

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Sarah's story

Customised Employment and Micro Business

“Working has been great for Sarah’s independence. Through doing work experience while at school, she learned the skills to use public transport. She can now get all around Perth via bus or train” says Sarah’s mum Miriam.

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Jenny: BIZLINK Support Coordinator (Support Coordinator for Sarah)

Customised Employment and Micro Business, Employers

Jenny is a Support Coordinator for Disability Employment Services at BIZLINK in WA. Her role is to assist clients in their jobs and support them to maintain open employment, focusing on personalising the support to the client’s needs to ensure they have meaningful participation in employment.

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Charlotte's story

After School Jobs

Charlotte got her first taste of work in 2018 at Two Before Ten Café while in year 12. This after school job is where she brewed her love for food and coffee. The early participation in work has opened more employment doors for Charlotte. She is now 20 years old and has two jobs

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Dean (employer of Harry)

After School Jobs, Employers

Like many good opportunities, this one came about over a coffee with a local.

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Danielle's story

After School Jobs

Ticket to Work presents Danielle Tascas’s story, showcasing how connecting a student with disability to the world of work through a collaborative approach can have a positive impact for all involved.

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Watch Danielle's story

After School Jobs

Danielle was absolutely thrilled to be part of the Ticket to Work After-School Job Pilot; she had wanted a job and to do something more than school.

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Emma's story

After School Jobs

Emma was looking for her first job, to start to earn some of her own money. She was keen to work as a crew member at McDonalds, just like many of her peers. Through the Ticket to Work network and support of the After School Job pilot, Emma now has that job!

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Krystal's story

After School Jobs

I wanted Krystal to experience a supportive working environment where she can get some real world experience, so when the time comes for her to attend her first job interview, she will have more confidence in herself.

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Deb (employer of Kyle)

Employers

Deb feels that having Kyle join the team has contributed to everyone’s ability to communicate with each other, especially in the kitchen.

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Kane (employer of David)

Employers

Kane says a highlight of working with David is that “He is here 10 minutes early every day, which is what I look for in an employee. That brings a little bit of a smile to my face.”

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Helen's story

After School Jobs

Helen works as an employment consultant for EGF Solutions in Geelong and is part of the Ticket to Work network alongside other key services for young people with disabilities.

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Dot's story

After School Jobs, Parents

Dot is a big believer in giving kids the encouragement to try new things. She is the grandparent and primary carer to Danielle, a young participant in the Ticket to Work After Schools Job pilot.

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Petros' story

After School Jobs

Petros, a year 12 with an intellectual disability at Berendale Secondary School, has landed his first ever job at Big W. Supported by the Ticket to Work network through the After School Jobs pilot project, Petros has a chance to be like all other secondary students and be supported to have a part-time after school job.

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Harry's story

After School Jobs

Cozido’s Bakery in Moorabbin was the perfect first ever job for Harry, a year 12 student at Berendale Secondary School. With the support of his local Ticket to Work network and a pilot project, Harry now works 4 hours a week at his local bakery as a kitchen hand and is loving it.

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Julian’s story

After School Jobs

Julian loves basketball and with the support of Ticket to Work has scored himself a job at Nunawading Basketball Stadium – a dream of his. As a year 11 student with Down syndrome, Julian wanted the same rite of passage as his peers – the chance to have an after-school job.

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Sean’s story

After School Jobs

Sean is a year 12 student at Berendale School in Moorabbin. He also just saved the Bunnings Moorabbin store from being thieved $2,500 in stock! Sean has an intellectual disability and was supported to get his first job at Bunnings though the ‘After School Job pilot’ run by his local Ticket to Work network.

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Matt's story

Customised Employment and Micro Business

Matt has a passion for tinkering with engines and bringing new life to old machines. Matt has been repairing garden equipment and small motors since he left school. To learn more about engines Matt did the Certificate in Small Engines course at Chisholm Institute in 2012.

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Lynda (mother of Charlotte)

Parents

Lynda is the mother of Charlotte, a year 12 student with Down Syndrome who has been busy over the past year taking part in six difference work experience placements. Through Ticket to Work and the support of Charlotte’s school, Lynda now feels more positive about Charlotte finishing school.

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Maryborough Sports Club (employer of Brock)

Employers

Since starting his career at the Maryborough Sports Club, Brock has gone from strength to strength and is a valued member of the organisation. Brock is a young man with speech language impairment who commenced his Australian School based Apprenticeship and Traineeship at the Maryborough Sports Club three years ago.

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Sue (parent of Michael)

Parents

Michael’s dream job is to own his own a coffee cart, where he can make biscuits and coffee and can employ other young people with disability from his school. Michael is in year 12 at Black Mountain School and has autism spectrum disorder.

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Gandel Philanthropy

ASbAT

Exacerbated by high youth unemployment – sitting at 21% in “hot spots” such as Tasmania – research shows that less than 10% of people with a significant disability participate in the workforce, yet there are more than 680,000 students with disability in Australia.

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Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Specialist School

ASbAT

By Garry Heald from Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Specialist School. I attended a forum two years ago on Ticket to Work held by Community Transition Support (CTS). The element that jumped out at me was the great opportunity for our students to participate in the Ticket to Work interview process.

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Kyal's story

Customised Employment and Micro Business

Kyal is a 19 year old student with autism and ADHD. He started out by making healthy treats for the family husky Apollo, which soon turned into a successful business with thousands of happy furry customers. Kyal began his micro-business ‘Kyal’s Doggy Delights’ when he was 16 years old.

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Elias pathway (so far)

Customised Employment and Micro Business

Elias is part of Ticket to Work, a partnership initiative to support young people with significant disability make a transition from school to work. Elias is a recent school leaver from Busselton who is working as a trolley collector while preparing for his future.

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Sarah's story

Customised Employment and Micro Business

Serco Employee Sarah enjoys working in the HR department for Serco at Fiona Stanley Hospital. Sarah works four days a week in a role that was specifically designed to maximise her skills and abilities. The job involves a range of tasks including the assembling of induction packages and greeting new staff.

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Jack finds success in gardening

ASbAT

Jack is a 20 years old and works as a gardener with Concerns R Growing. In his final years of school at Berendale School in Victoria, Jack was offered the opportunity to participate in Ticket to Work.

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Brayden's story

ASbAT

Brayden has been completing the work experience component of his Certificate II in Retail Services at IKEA, North Lakes. The Team Leader, Jess, says she’s seen real improvements in Brayden’s initiative and willingness to solve problems on his own.

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Anthony's story

ASbAT

Anthony decided to commence a Certificate II in Business to prepare him for work life and increase his opportunities. Ever since then, he has been focused on the future. He’s confident that he will reach his employment goals now that he has work experience.

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Kevin (father of Kallen)

Parents

A highlight for Kevin was when he saw his son going to work wearing a uniform for the first time and looking part of the team. “He feels like he’s progressing through life, it makes him feel like he’s one of the boys” Kevin said.

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Maddie (employer of Mia)

Employers

“I think my favourite time was watching Mia use her initiative to take an order. It was really amazing to see that happen, that her confidence had grown that she is doing things of her own bat,” Maddie says.

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Fara’s story

ASbAT

“Fara has the gift of customer service for sure—smiling and communicating, so retail was a great choice for his traineeship,” Phillip said.

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Lachlan’s story

ASbAT

Every Tuesday Lachlan has a day away from school, heading to an eight-hour shift at Woolworths Garden City. Despite never having worked prior to starting his traineeship, Lachlan is progressing well.

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Simu’s story

ASbAT

Simu says the traineeship has really boosted his confidence and ability to talk to customers and employees, which he previously found challenging due to a speech impairment.

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Student Ashleigh gets dream job & meets the PM

ASbAT

At just 18, Ashleigh has already achieved her dream job – sorting letters and parcels in the mail room at Parliament House.

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Blake’s Story

ASbAT

“Blake struggled at times with some of the heavier tasks associated with his traineeship, like concreting and shoveling,” explained Don and Christine, owners of the Nursery. “So he took it upon himself to start going to the gym to improve his strength, which worked well. He showed a lot of initiative, and was very dedicated to completing the traineeship.”

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Program helps youth into work

ASbAT

“I really enjoyed working at the surf lifesaving club. I love talking to people and being around them” he said. My Parsons said he worked at the club three times a week and was full of praise for the program.

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Ella's story

Customised Employment and Micro Business

High school students with disability are receiving the support they need to prepare for work and community life as part of an Australian-first project.

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Tasmanian Ticket to Work participants recognised for great work

ASbAT

Ticket to Work participants have taken a clean sweep at the Tasmania training awards.

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Oliver's story

ASbAT

“Ticket to Work has worked for our business because they were able to match us with a student that was interested in our workplace,” said store manager Andrew.

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Jayden's passion for cooking

ASbAT

Through the school involvement in the Ticket to Work initiative, Jayden identified hospitality as an area that would suit his passion for cooking. A local Ticket to Work network, made up of local businesses and organisations, worked with Jayden to find a suitable placement.

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Hannah wins an award of excellence

ASbAT

Once they have identified a young person with employment goals, Ticket to Work networks collaborate to support work preparation, training and placements with an approach that considers the local context and the needs of the young person. Local networks aim to involve a broad range of stakeholders including schools, DES (Disability Employment Services) and other community agencies.

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Jack (Employment Consultant Perspective)

After School Jobs

Colby and his parents have wanted to find employment that could fit around his school commitments and was close to home. For Colby, an understanding employer that would provide consistency and allow him to learn his own way was important.

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Nomaan’s journey from school to work

ASbAT

Nomaan is thrilled with what he’s achieved so far and the confidence that he has built through work and training. He attributes a lot of his success to the support he received through Ticket to Work.

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Snippers Garden Care

ASbAT

Phillip was thinking about a horticulture career, but it was only after working one day per week with Snippers Garden Care that he decided this type of work genuinely suited him.  Phillip has said that the early starts, manual work and on-site locations made him “really enjoy gardening and maintenance”.

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Arnold's swings a retail golf career

ASbAT

Work experience is an ideal way of assisting students to identify potential career interest areas, become ‘work ready’ and build employability skills.

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Sam launches into his business administration career

ASbAT

Sam expressed interest in Business Administration and, after work experience placements in this field, determined that this was a career he was interested in

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Ticket to Work- Community Transition Support

ASbAT

The following video provides six different perspectives about participating in Ticket to Work.

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NDIS School to Work trial

Customised Employment and Micro Business

The NDIA school to work trial looks at getting young people the opportunity to get work experience and casual jobs in out of school hours, while they’re still at school, because we know that will help them get employment after school finish.

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NDIS stories - Oni's choice and control with the NDIS

Customised Employment and Micro Business

Oni says that the NDIS has been there for a lot of this year and they’ve really been helping me through with the speech therapist and all other sort of stuff.

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Jayden's story

Parents

I’m writing this as a very proud mother who has watched her son battle adversity for years and seen him come out on top, a ‘winner’.

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Bruce (employer of Gavin)

Employers

Since taking Gavin on, and with the help of staff from Epic Assist, GMG has taken on two more students with disability from within the Ticket to Work network for a traineeship, with the hope to offer them employment when they finish school.

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