PatchWORK Employment Pathways
Supporting people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder into Employment
Participating in meaningful employment is crucial to our wellbeing.
Everyone deserves a high quality of life. This includes having access to housing, healthcare, social and community support and meaningful employment.
Meaningful employment is important for our overall wellbeing. It improves our social connection, sense of belonging and self-esteem. It markedly improves the welfare of families and communities.
However, people with disabilities remain at a disadvantage when seeking employment. Only about half of Australians with disability are currently participating in the workforce.
People with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) are at particular risk of underemployment.
People with FASD are also more likely to be involved with the justice system.
The risk of contact with the justice system is approximately 30 times greater for a person with FASD compared to a person without FASD. A suite of impairments that are inherent to FASD has been found to increase the person’s vulnerability to engage in unlawful behaviour and therefore engage with the justice system.
These factors can greatly affect the person with FASD at every stage of the justice system from their initial interactions with Police, giving evidence in Court, during incarceration and adhering to bail conditions on release.
People with both FASD and justice involvement often seek employment as part of their transition and social reintegration to support a productive and meaningful life.
To support people with FASD and justice system involvement Patches in cooperation with UWA launched the FASD Justice Employment Resource.
Click on the image to view the Resource.
PatchWORK employment pathways support people with FASD and justice system involvement to obtain and maintain meaningful employment.
PatchWORK employment pathways provide an efficient and supported referral process to our partner APM, a Disability Employment Service provider.
Through support from a dedicated Patches Case Manager, participants will be guided to determine employment goals and objectives and understand additional supports that will enhance workplace engagement.
NDIS Support Coordination can also be provided through Patches services.
In this initial stage, PatchWORK is receiving referrals for participants, 18+ from the Perth metro area.
February 2022: We are unable to take referrals until further notice.
Would your workplace benefit from FASD employment training?
PatchWORK is offering free of charge training to support employment agencies, employers and those in the justice workforce, to improve knowledge and skills, to enhance interactions with people with FASD.
This interactive and engaging training will prepare your team to be better equipped to understand the strengths of, and to be better able to support, the needs of an employee with FASD.
If you would like more information or to book workplace training contact patchwork@patches.com.au
