In this final episode of season two of the Imagine More Podcast, you’ll hear from Gus Reichelt and his father, Ronny. Gus works as a Research Technician at CSIRO and, more recently, as a Barber’s Assistant. 

Gus explains how he landed each of his part-time jobs, beginning with his role at CSIRO, which he secured straight after Year 12 thanks to a workplace connection that recognised his abilities. Because he worked in a professional environment and needed to look well-groomed, Gus began visiting Martinos, a well-respected barbershop located near his home. He quickly built a rapport with the owners and was subsequently offered a job. 

Ronny describes what led to Gus “being in the right place at the right time” to be offered the role at Martinos. This role has evolved over time under the guidance of two employers with high expectations and a keen eye for potential. Gus’s story demonstrates that life after school can be full of exciting employment opportunities for young people with disability, especially when they embrace a typical pathway in their local communities.

You can watch this presentation on our website.

The presentation transcription is also on our website.

On our website, you’ll find:

• all the presentations from our Opening Opportunities conference in 2023
• many other resources about helping a person with disability find meaningful employment
• events related to employment and other topics relevant to people with disabilities seeking to enjoy a typical life.

Many thanks to Osher Marks, who is the voice of this season of the Imagine More podcast.

In this episode, Michelle Wakeford, the founder of Ticket to Work, discusses the importance of creating meaningful employment opportunities for young people with intellectual disability and how families and schools can make this happen. She draws on her extensive experience as both a professional in systems change and a parent of a child with Down syndrome. 

Research has shown that the key indicators of post-school success for students with disability are work experience and paid work while still at school. Michelle described how both can be difficult for students with disability to access, especially with prevailing low expectations within schools and other government agencies.  Other barriers are the fragmentation of funding for employment support and a lack of collaboration between entities.

Michelle established Ticket to Work, an evidence-based pilot program to support young people with disability in exploring work during their high school years. Her current area of exploration is Transition to Work, a youth-specific, evidence-based employment support program designed to assist young people with disability in transitioning from school to further education and training and ultimately into work. 

You can watch this presentation on our website.

The presentation transcription is also on our website.

On our website, you’ll find:

• all the presentations from our Opening Opportunities conference in 2023
• many other resources about helping a person with disability find meaningful employment
• events related to employment and other topics relevant to people with disabilities seeking to enjoy a typical life.

Many thanks to Osher Marks, who is the voice of this season of the Imagine More podcast.

Throughout the Opening Opportunities conference, Milton has introduced several essential elements of Customised Employment. In this, his fourth and final presentation, you’ll learn how Milton used these elements and the exact steps he took to support a young man named Sam as he started work in an equestrian centre.  

Well before Sam started his first day, Milton used what he’d learned about Sam (Discovery) and the workplace (through the Employer Needs Benefits Analysis) to understand Sam’s new role and set the workplace up for success. This involved a training framework called the seven-phase sequence. The first four phases ensure the workplace’s natural workflows can support the new employee. The final three phases are applied if some additional support from the Job Supporter is necessary.

 As Milton walks you through the seven-phase sequence, you’ll notice that the Job Supporter’s role requires keen observation, trust-building, problem-solving, and effective communication. It’s an approach that ensures everyone - the employer, the employee, and the entire organisation - is aware of the Job Developer's role and responsibilities, ensuring no one ever has to ask, “Who are you?”

You can watch this presentation on our website.

The presentation transcription is also on our website.

On our website, you’ll find:

• all the presentations from our Opening Opportunities conference in 2023
• many other resources about helping a person with disability find meaningful employment
• events related to employment and other topics relevant to people with disabilities seeking to enjoy a typical life.

Many thanks to Osher Marks, who is the voice of this season of the Imagine More podcast.

In this episode, we hear from Corinna Gilligan, a dedicated mother of three, as she shares the remarkable employment journey of her youngest son, Ryan. Since moving to Canberra several years ago, Ryan and his family have set high expectations for his capabilities and aspirations, defying the common deficit-based perceptions of disability and its impact on employment. 

Corinna discusses the vital importance of believing in the potential of young people with disability. Despite initial challenges with traditional employment services, Ryan and his family embarked on an exploration of customised employment, which ultimately led to the creation of two microenterprises under Ryan's stewardship. 

You’ll learn why the pursuit of meaningful employment has become a critical component of Ryan's vision for his life and career, and how this fosters his growth, financial security, and a sense of belonging within the community. Thanks to Corinna’s detailed explanations, this episode is a wonderful resource for families considering microenterprise as a viable and fulfilling employment option for their young family members with disability. 

You can watch this presentation on our website.

The presentation transcription is also on our website.

On our website, you’ll find:

• all the presentations from our Opening Opportunities conference in 2023
• many other resources about helping a person with disability find meaningful employment
• events related to employment and other topics relevant to people with disabilities seeking to enjoy a typical life.

Many thanks to Osher Marks, who is the voice of this season of the Imagine More podcast.

In this episode, Erosha Bakmiwewa discusses how she helped her daughter, Sethmi, develop a micro business based on Sethmi’s interests and ideal working environment. Erosha delves into the importance of Discovery, a process that helps identify Sethmi's strengths and motivations, and how Discovery was used in conjunction with Sethmi’s vision for her future. 

As a result of a meticulous and unhurried Discovery process, Sethmi and her family established a micro business, Serendib Treats, where Sethmi crafts delicious rice bliss balls that celebrate her Sri Lankan heritage. You can learn more about Sethmi and her business on her website.

Erosha strongly encourages other families to be curious about what interests and motivates their family members with disability. The process may well identify skills that will be valuable to a future employer or within a microenterprise designed around the individual.

You can watch this presentation on our website.

The presentation transcription is also on our website.

On our website, you’ll find:

• all the presentations from our Opening Opportunities conference in 2023
• many other resources about helping a person with disability find meaningful employment
• events related to employment and other topics relevant to people with disabilities seeking to enjoy a typical life.

Many thanks to Osher Marks, who is the voice of this season of the Imagine More podcast.

In this episode of "The Imagine More Podcast," we share a brilliant presentation from Helen Neale. Helen works for Community Living Project in South Australia as the lead of a project called Discover Micro Enterprise: Exploring Possibilities. She is also a parent of a young man who has had a very successful microenterprise for many years.

Building on the theme of discovering potential, Helen shares her insights on micro enterprise as a valuable and flexible career pathway for individuals with intellectual disability. She illustrates this with stories of individuals who have successfully embarked on their own small business journeys. 

By the end of this episode, you’ll see that there’s a wealth of possibilities when creating meaningful work roles and how micro enterprises can open doors to many new opportunities.

You can watch this presentation on our website.

The presentation transcription is also on our website.

On our website, you’ll find:

• all the presentations from our Opening Opportunities conference in 2023
• many other resources about helping a person with disability find meaningful employment
• events related to employment and other topics relevant to people with disabilities seeking to enjoy a typical life.

Many thanks to Osher Marks, who is the voice of this season of the Imagine More podcast.

In this episode, we hear from Jack, a 21-year-old with a diverse range of interests and experiences, including being a CrossFit member, a Lifeline volunteer, and a reception worker at UniLodge. Jack shares how his Circle of Support, including his job mentor Julia, has played a crucial role in his journey toward employment. 

Julia discusses her role as a job developer, emphasising the importance of truly understanding the interests and strengths of the jobseeker through the Discovery process. She explains what it’s like to work as a job developer, the opportunities she managed to uncover, and the nuances of her interactions with Jack’s colleagues and managers. 

The conversation highlights the success of Customised Employment and how personal connections, rather than traditional job advertisements, have led Jack to fulfilling roles that align with his interests. We hope you’ll finish this episode with a good understanding of the impact of tailored but fading support in achieving workplace success.

You can watch this presentation on our website.

The presentation transcription is also on our website.

On our website, you’ll find:

• all the presentations from our Opening Opportunities conference in 2023
• many other resources about helping a person with disability find meaningful employment
• events related to employment and other topics relevant to people with disabilities seeking to enjoy a typical life.

Many thanks to Osher Marks, who is the voice of this season of the Imagine More podcast.

In this episode, Milton Tyree challenges us to rethink the fundamental question: "Who are you?" when we show up in workplaces as job supporters, and how our answer to that question can make or break employment success for people with intellectual disability.

Drawing on Social Role Valorisation (SRV) theory, Milton unpacks the delicate balance between being an employee and being a client, and why getting this balance wrong can inadvertently sabotage the very people we're trying to help. Through real stories from his decades in the field, he reveals how well-meaning support can create a "flying wedge" effect that pushes coworkers away and reinforces the client role over the employee role.

This session introduces Mark Gold & Associates' seven-phase sequence for job support, starting with understanding the "ways of the company" - from learning the tasks to discovering the unwritten rules about who brings the doughnuts. You'll discover why the very first day of work is absolutely critical, and how the principle of "once funky, always funky" can guide supporters to start with what's typical and valued rather than immediately jumping to specialised approaches.

Whether you're a family member advocating for meaningful work, a job supporter refining your practice, or a disability employment professional seeking to enhance outcomes, this presentation will challenge your assumptions and provide practical frameworks for ensuring that the people you support are seen first and foremost as valued employees, not perpetual clients.

You can watch Milton’s presentation on our website.

The presentation transcription is also on our website.

On our website, you’ll find:

• all the presentations from our Opening Opportunities conference in 2023
• many other resources about helping a person with disability find meaningful employment
• events related to employment and other topics relevant to people with disabilities seeking to enjoy a typical life.

Many thanks to Osher Marks, who is the voice of this season of the Imagine More podcast.

In this episode, Anna and Will Coventry share their journey in finding meaningful work for Will, who has embraced both paid and volunteer roles since leaving school. It’s a fabulous story about meaningful employment, support networks, and the importance of pursuing one's passions.

Will discusses his experiences as a junior administrative assistant in various firms, highlighting the tasks he enjoys and the sense of community he finds in his workplace. He also discusses his volunteer work with Meals on Wheels and his passions for sports and photography. 

Anna reflects on their family's vision for Will's life, emphasising the importance of preparing for independence and creating a Circle of Support to guide and support their efforts. Together, they explore the strategies that helped Will find his place in the workforce, including identifying his interests and abilities, as well as the role of supportive relationships in fostering his success.  

You can watch Will and Anna’s presentation on our website.

The presentation transcription is also on our website.

On our website, you’ll find:

• all the presentations from our Opening Opportunities conference in 2023
• many other resources about helping a person with disability find meaningful employment
• events related to employment and other topics relevant to people with disabilities seeking to enjoy a typical life.

Many thanks to Osher Marks, who is the voice of this season of the Imagine More podcast.

Daisy was in year 12 and working as a trainee vet nurse when she and her mother, Gillian, described their journey from school to meaningful employment. They discuss the unique challenges faced by young people with disability, particularly when traditional educational systems often overlook their potential. When Daisy struggled to attend school during her early high school years, Gillian chose to see this as an opportunity to educate her at home and build skills within the community. In the meantime, they continued to search for suitable educational environments that would support Daisy’s learning style and rebuild her confidence.

Gillian highlighted the importance of identifying passions and interests, sharing how Daisy's love for animals played a crucial role in keeping her engaged in education and guiding her toward career opportunities. They both emphasise the value of community involvement and the need for customised support.

By sharing her story, Daisy and Gillian hope to inspire educators, parents, and individuals with disability to forge unique pathways to success. 

You can watch Daisy and Gillian’s presentation on our website.

The presentation transcription is also on our website.

On our website, you’ll also find:

• all the presentations from our Opening Opportunities conference in 2023
• many other resources about helping a person with disability find meaningful employment
• events related to employment and other topics relevant to people with disabilities seeking to enjoy a typical life.

Many thanks to Osher Marks, who is the voice of this season of the Imagine More podcast.