Alicia and Brynn
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
Alicia is a young adult with intellectual disability. She is also a job seeker. Her mother Brynn told the Royal Commission about her daughter’s experiences trying to find work.
Three years ago, Alicia signed up with Disability Employment Services (DES) and its service providers. Brynn says Alicia hasn’t been offered any job interviews in this time. ‘The longer this goes on the harder it will be to find [a job].’
One agency told Alicia that if she completed a course, they would look for work for her. Brynn described the theory-based courses as ‘absolutely useless’ with no real-life experience. ‘The likelihood of these courses adding to your chances of getting work are Nil.’
Alicia has since received a letter from DES that she has been ‘exited’ from the system after having successfully completed two semesters of study. Brynn said clients like her daughter should be fully informed of the consequences for completing courses while looking for a job.
Brynn feels that the DES is ‘a waste of government money’. She says employment agencies are a money pit and should be made more accountable.
‘I am absolutely furious that my taxes are being paid to companies who will not even make a basic effort to do their job.’
She is worried that employment agencies think her daughter is unemployable.
‘If this is so, why make her jump through all these hoops all the time? Do you have any idea how disheartening it is to get one of these letters – “You have been exited from the DES”. Wow.’
Brynn says this is not the first time Alicia has been ‘kicked off’ DES.
Brynn is calling on employment agencies to offer more on-the-job training.
‘My daughter would be OK in some jobs with a lot of support, encouragement and side training (cash register/EFTPOS machine). I cannot imagine her getting a job without a lot of support to start with.’
Brynn says the government is asking her daughter ‘to constantly prove she is needful while these employment agencies are getting away with murder’.
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.