- Published:
- Thursday 25 January 2018
The Andrews Labor Government is helping people on the autism spectrum find sustainable work thanks to $200,000 from the Jobs Victoria Innovation Fund.
Minister for Industry and Employment Ben Carroll today visited La Trobe University’s Bundoora campus to officially launch Specialisterne Australia’s Dandelion Program Victoria at its new Melbourne office.
The grant will enable Specialisterne, one of the first companies in the world to highlight the benefits of a neuro-diverse workforce, to work with small and medium businesses to employ 20 adults with autism.
The program will deliver job opportunities across Melbourne and regional Victoria. Specialisterne will work with La Trobe and Autism CRC, to deliver the program, ensuring high retention rates and job satisfaction.
Established in Australia in 2015, the company has set a goal of enabling 12,000 career pathways for people on the autism spectrum by 2025.
As an innovative social enterprise Specialisterne provides assessment, training, education and IT consultancy services for those with autism.
Victoria is home to an estimated 3,500 social enterprises – about 25 per cent of Australia’s social enterprises – which contribute $5.2 billion in gross output to the Victorian economy.
A report from the Centre for Social Impact shows that there are at least 60,000 jobs created by social enterprises in Victoria, with more than 25 per cent of their employees coming from groups that face barriers to employment.
This includes jobs for more than 12,000 Victorians with disability, 4,000 long term unemployed people and 985 jobs for indigenous Australians.
The Labor Government’s Jobs Victoria program has placed more than 2,800 long-term jobseekers into work since it was launched in late 2016 – at a rate of almost 40 jobs a week.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Industry and Employment Ben Carroll
“Every Victorian should be given the opportunity to find a sustainable job to support themselves and their family.”
“Specialisterne’s Dandelion program complements what we’re already doing with Jobs Victoria - creating thousands of jobs for long term jobseekers facing barriers to employment.”
Quotes attributable to the Member for Bundoora Colin Brooks
“I’m delighted to see a government that understands the benefits of a diverse workforce providing direct support to this exciting social enterprise right in the heart of my electorate."
“This funding and new office in Bundoora will help Specialisterne place more than 20 people with autism into employment across a range of industries.”