DES Participant

3:37

Transcript

Disability Employment Services, also known as DES, is the Australian Government's employment service that can help you find and keep a job if you have a disability, an injury or a health condition.

I've been here 14 years. I like my job a lot. Ben's an important part of the team. We can't imagine life without Ben because he does such a great job.

DES helped Lucie land the job she wanted and she's never looked back. They matched me to the right job to the right job for my skills.

DES provides a suite of services that can help you get a job, as well as ongoing support when you are in a job.

My DES provider helped me get ready for my interview. I've been working for four months now and it's really fun and enjoyable.

My DES provider helps me get extra training if I need it. They let me know of programs and services that I can use.

There are two types of DES services depending on the level of support you need. Disability Management Services is for people who need help to find a job and need occasional support at work.

If your disability is permanent and you need ongoing assistance, Employment Support Services is for you.

You can visit the JobAccess website or call a JobAccess Adviser on 1800 464 800 to work out which
service you should use.

The DES program lets you choose your own provider. Some providers specialise in different disability types and they can cater more to certain people's needs.

You can find information on the JobAccess website that will help you make the choice.

You can search for a DES provider on the JobAccess website.

You can also look up information about the DES providers on the Connections for Quality page on the JobAccess website to help you choose.

I like work here and I make new friends. It's great to talk to someone. If you are not happy with the Disability Employment Service you are working with, you can easily switch to a new provider by contacting the National Customer Service Line.

If you need to make a complaint, you can call the Complaints Resolution and Referral Service.

If you are finding it hard to do your current job because of your illness or disability, there is a free service that you may be able to access called Work Assist.

A DES provider can work with you and your employer to redesign your job or certain tasks so you can keep working.

Your DES provider can also organise a workplace assessment. The assessment identifies equipment or changes that make it easier for you to do your job.

You don't need to be receiving income support payments to access Work Assist.

I definitely recommend DES to anyone looking for a job. It certainly worked for me. It's changed my life heaps working here. I feel like a completely different person.

I feel full of self-confidence. I feel like I'm doing something with myself and getting places in life finally and it's really good.

For information about DES and Work Assist, visit www.jobaccess.gov.au or call JobAccess on 1800 464 800.

Last updated: