Our Voice Australia
Australia’s voice for people with an intellectual disability and their families.
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Championing the voice of supported employees
Our Voice Australia (OVA) is a systemic advocacy organisation, championing the voice of people living with intellectual disability and their family carers and advocates. At the heart of our efforts is the recognition that Australia needs a disability services sector as diverse as the people it supports — with mainstream and specialist employment, education and community settings for people to choose from.
Telling the DRC ‘My Job, My Choice’
Last December, we surveyed 655 supported employees on their lived experience and career preferences. The results said, overwhelmingly, that supported employees liked their job, the people they work with, and want to stay where they are now.
We shared that message with the Disability Royal Commission. Scroll down to see a summary of our submission, key findings and campaign coverage.
Keeping supported employees in the conversation
We plan to do the survey annually. But we need your help garnering responses. By signing up to our employer network, you’ll receive a link to our survey which you can share with supported employees and their family carers and advocates, as well as a copy of the final report.
“We have now read your submission regarding the importance of maintaining Australian Disability Enterprises as an option for the employment of people with disability. We hear your assertion that dismantling Australia’s current supported employment model would override the career aspirations and desires of many workers.”
— Disability Royal Commission
My Job, My Choice
Last year, Our Voice Australia shared with the DRC the wishes and experiences of 655 supported employees and their family carers and advocates.
These voices were captured through an independent national survey, circulated with support from disability enterprises. Overwhelmingly, we heard that supported employees liked their job, the people they work with, and want to stay where they are now.
Backed by these results, our submission said that everyone has the right to:
Define what meaningful work and inclusion means to them
Choice and control over their employment journey
Access job opportunities that match their abilities, aspirations, and strengths
Do the type of work they want, where they want
Key survey findings
88% of supported employees wanted to continue working at a disability enterprises like their current job.
If they couldn’t work somewhere like their current workplace, most said they would feel sad, bored, worried and anxious, and lonely.
80% of supported employees said they didn’t want to stop working at places like their current job in the future.
87% of supported employees liked their job (and over half liked everything about their job).
The two most popular reasons supported employees liked their job was because they felt accepted and included at work and get on well with their workmates.
Less than 10% of supported employees said they wanted to leave their current job to work in open or self employment.
Voice of supported employees
OVA was pleased to share the voice of supported employees at National Disability Services second Disability Social Enterprise Futures Forum.
We spoke to key survey findings and insights from the national survey. A copy of our presentation materials can be accessed by clicking the following links:
Government must include people with intellectual disability in debate about their own future
“There is a tremendous gap between the lived experiences of people living with intellectual disability and the conversation taking place on supported employment. We join the call for our government to immediately elevate these voices and ensure its disability reform agenda reflects the diversity of the individuals it represents.
“Without dedicated, inclusive dialogue, Australia will inevitably follow the footsteps of New Zealand and the United Kingdom — enacting social policy which not only leaves behind the most vulnerable members of its labour force, but opposes a human rights framework underpinned by choice and control.”
~ Our Voice Australia on the second Consensus Statement released by Endeavour Foundation
News and coverage
Survey finds employees enjoy supported employment
Removing supported employment in its current form “would override the career aspirations and desires” of thousands of employees across Australia, according to a submission to the DRC.
We need heart in the conversation about social inclusion
There’s no question Australia needs to be inclusive of all abilities. However, there’s an exceptional irony in the parameters currently being set; they exclude a large cohort.
“Our loved ones with an intellectual disability often cannot read, write or communicate. They cannot self-advocate, nor navigate the complex systems in our society that matter to them.
They need more support from family to attain a normal life as they are more likely to suffer systemic neglect, marginalisation and abuse – more than any other group in society.”
~ Mary Walsh, Co-Founder, Our Voice Australia