People commonly refer to a disability employment agency as a DES provider. These agencies are a variety of non-profit organisations offering employment support to people living with disabilities, injuries and severe health conditions. They help them look for suitable employment opportunities, prepare them for work, and engage them in sustainable employment.
Disability employment agencies comprise two areas: employment service support and disability management services. Each of these two areas is different depending on the services they offer to people living with disability. For instance, those people whose disability is caused by a short-term illness or injury and who require employment support for a short time get their help from disability management services. Employment service support, on the other hand, specialises in assisting job seekers whose disability, illness or injury is permanent in getting continued and consistent support before and after they get a sustainable working environment.
Important Questions One Should Ask Their Disability Employment Agency
In case you either have a permanent illness, injury or disability, you may need the help of the disability employment agencies around you so that you can find better job opportunities. However, before you start working with your DES provider, you must ask them some questions to ensure that the whole process will be a success. The following are four essential questions that you need to ask your Disability employment service provider;
Who is eligible, and am I?
Not everyone qualifies to use the services of a disability employment agency. For this reason, you must make sure that you are an eligible candidate even before the disability employment agency starts looking for a job for you. In most cases, people who are eligible to engage the services of a DES provider include;
- People living with a health condition, injuries and disability
- Are 14 years and above
- Do not study full time
- Have been assessed and recommended a Disability employment service provider by a respective body like Employment Services Assessment or Job Capacity Assessment
- Can I work a minimum of eight hours every week?
- Their work does not exceed their assessed working capacity
What kind of funding is available?
Disability employment agencies receive funding to offer their support to persons with disabilities who are seeking jobs. The funding people with diability get depend on the services that these individuals require. Some will require disability management services, while others require employment service support depending on the kind of disability or illness they have. Though the finding level keeps changing with time, you need to find out the funding available for you.
What funds can one access?
Apart from finding out the available funding, it is your right to know whether you can access the funds if you need them. The employment assistance fund is accessible to people living with disability and access to funds to cover any necessary adjustment expenses that one needs to make in their workplace. These expenses may include workplace equipment, appliance modification, work vehicles, and communication equipment.
What services do you offer?
When you are sure you are eligible for support from the DES provider, you need to find out the services and programs they offer their eligible participants. Ensure that you compare the services and programs offered by different disability employment agencies to select the agency that offers the best services and those that suit your needs.
If you have had difficulty getting a job, it is time to engage with spoecialised disability employment services to help you find a suitable job. Fortunately, there are so many agencies that you can rely on whenever you are a job-seeking person living with a disability. However, if you feel like your DES provider needs to offer you the support you need, you can always find another one that shares your dreams and visions.