Please find a number of research reports and documents pertaining to this topic area below.  If you know of another report or document you think should be housed in our research library please contact the BGK LLEN.

Title: Facilitating the Career Development of Young People with Disability
Author: Miles Morgan for the Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA)
Release Date: April 2012
Description: As the peak national body for the Australian Career Industry, the Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA) advocates quality career development service provision for all Australians. The Council is particularly concerned that young people with disability are able to access appropriate information, advice and guidance on life, learning and work matters. To that end CICA commissioned the development of a set of Guidelines for Facilitating the Career Development of Young People with Disability to support those who provide career information, advice and guidance to young people with disability.  The guidelines are intended for a wide audience, though it is anticipated that disability employment service providers and secondary school teachers, particularly those in the special education sector, will benefit most from the information contained in these guidelines.
Report download: Facilitating the Career Development of Young People with Disability

Title: Disability Expectations – Investing in a better life, a stronger Australia
Author: PriceWaterhouseCoopers
Release Date: November 2011
Description: The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was put forward by the Productivity Commission in its report Disability Care and Support. This paper provides a brief history of disability in Australia and, as part of its focus, draws on international experience and comparisons. One of the most telling and challenging statistics is that Australia ranks 21st out of 29 OECD countries in employment participation rates for those with a disability. In addition, around 45% of those with a disability in Australia are living either near or below the poverty line. These facts alone show us that we need to change. The paper explores the NDIS from different perspectives starting with the person with a disability, then the family, then support organisations, and finally the government or National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).
Report download: Disability Expectations – Investing in a better life, a stronger Australia

Title: National Disability Strategy 2010 - 2020
Source: Council of Australian Governments
Release Date: 2011
Description: The National Disability Strategy sets out a ten year national plan for improving life for Australians with disability, their families and carers. The Strategy draws on the findings of extensive consultation conducted in 2008-09 by the National People with Disabilities and Carer Council and reported in 'Shut Out: The Experience of People with Disabilities and their Families in Australia'.
Report download: National Disability Strategy 2010 - 2020

Title: Successful approaches to placing and supporting apprentices and trainees with disability in Australia
Authors: Lewis, Thoresen, Cocks
Source: Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation
Release Date: 2010
Description: This paper presents an amalgamation of three sequential research projects conducted by EDGE Employment Solutions over the past decade. The first project, commenced in 1999, was a local initiative to increase the number of apprentices and trainees with disability being supported by EDGE. The second research project, undertaken in 2002, surveyed all 180 Group Training Organisations operating in Australia. This was followed by a site visit of six GTOs who were most successful in their disability efforts, to discern best practice in placing and supporting apprentices and trainees with disability. The third research project, which built on the findings of the previous two projects, was initiated in 2003 and enlisted 20 Group Training Organisations and 20 Disability Employment Services from around Australia to form partnerships to capitalise on their complementary expertise and resources. This paper presents and discusses the successful strategies researched and developed through these three projects.
Report download: Successful approaches to placing and supporting apprentices and trainees

Title: The role of vocational education and training in the labour market outcomes of people with disabilities
Author: Cain Polidano and Kostas Mavromaras
Source: National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER)
Release Date: 2010
Description: Low levels of education generally among people with a disability is one of the factors contributing to their lower rate of labour market participation. What role vocational education and training (VET) plays in ameliorating this is the focus of this report. Using data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics of Australia surveys, the report finds that for people who are not working, completing a VET qualification does increase the chance of employment and more so for people with a disability.
Report download: The role of vocational education and training in the labour market outcomes of people with disabilities 

Title: Social Participation in Technology (SPiT) – a pilot project for young people with a disability
Author: Jane Burns and Michelle Blanchard
Source: Inspire Foundation
Release Date: 2010
Description: Social Participation in Technology (SPiT) was an action based research project designed to use information communication technology (ICT) to promote the social inclusion of young people aged between 15 and 25 years who have a disability and are either rurally or socially isolated. This report describes the project's successes while at the same time presenting a realistic picture of the challenges facing the young people and the families involved, their mentors and the services and professionals working to support them.
Report download: Social Participation in Technology (SPiT) – a pilot project for young people with a disability

Title: Communications for all – the role of a national disability strategy
Author: Australian Communications Consumer Action Network
Release Date: 2010
Description: This report recommends that the National Disability Strategy includes six key areas of action to ensure the communications needs of people with a disability are a key part of the Strategy, now and in the future.
Report download: Communications for all – the role of a national disability strategy 

Title: Leaving care – young people with a disability
Author: Robyn Edwards
Source: Social Policy Research Centre
Release Date: 2010
Description: For some people, leaving statutory out of home care once they turn 18 can mean a sudden move from childhood to independence and adulthood, with little community support.
Report download: Leaving care – young people with a disability

Title: Shut out – the experience of people with disabilities and their families in Australia
Author: National People with Disabilities and Carer Council
Source: Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
Release Date: 2009
Description: Once shut in, many people with disabilities now find themselves shut out. People with disabilities may be present in our community, but too few are actually part of it.  This report outlines the results of a discussion paper which asked people with disabilities and their families, friends and carers to identify the main barriers to their full participation in the economic and social life of the community.  In turn this paper will help to inform the 2010 – 2020 National Disability Strategy.
Report link: Shut out – the experience of people with disabilities and their families in Australia

Title: National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy
Source: DEERW
Release Date: 2009
Description: This new National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy sets out a number of priority actions to get Australians with disability, including mental illness, into work. It recognises the importance of education and training as a pathway to sustainable employment, and the role of employers in increasing employment opportunities for people with disability.
Report download: National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy