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A new pilot program aims to improve employment outcomes for people with disability (Bigstock).

A peak Catholic body says a new pilot program between the Commonwealth and the Business Council of Australia to expand job opportunities for Australians living with disabilities was an important step in helping people with disability get into the workforce. Source: CSSA.

The agreement is part of a broader plan to create 250,000 new jobs.

Amanda Rishworth, the Minister for Social Services, says the new disability employment pilot will improve employment outcomes for people with disability. 

Chair of Catholic Social Services Australia, Francis Sullivan, said the pilot program with the BCA is an important step in helping people living with disabilities get into the workforce.

“A project like this has the capacity to help people living with a disability get into the workforce and help them reach their full potential,” he said.

“There are currently around 250,000 Australians with a disability who are not in the workforce but are job-ready. Any initiative that makes it easier for them to get into the workforce needs to be applauded.”

The Memorandum of Understanding will see the BCA work with the Department of Social Services to set up a “demand-driven model” that will link people with disabilities to major employers looking for workers.

It will also test new ways to drive organisational cultural change and develop a corporate capacity to open up development and advancement opportunities for people living with disabilities.

The $3.3 million agreement binds BCA member organisations to create an inclusive environment for people living with disabilities and ensure strategies are in place for pathways to leadership positions.

FULL STORY

New pilot plan to help people living with a disability get into the work force (CSSA)