The pathway to a career is not always a simple one, and the School Leavers’ Employment Support program (SLES) uses a variety of innovative ways to help school leavers find their way into meaningful employment.
The SLES, offered under the NDIS category Finding and Keeping a Job, is available for year 12 students though to 22-year-olds who have a significant disability and require support with the transition from school to employment.
Matt, a Shepparton SLES participant with a passion for designing video games, has been working with WDEA Works consultant, Reggina Vasi via virtual sessions, researching the skills, education and experience needed to get a job in the game development field.
Despite social restrictions, video calls have provided the opportunity to link participants in different regions.
Matt’s games were shared with the broader SLES team, connecting Matt with Phoenix – an SLES participant from the WDEA Works Ballarat office. The pair now discuss gaming and are planning to collaborate.
WDEA Works operates the SLES program from all 16 of its sites, and the SLES team meets on a weekly basis to discuss ideas, challenges and find opportunities, including linking participants to increase social connections and learning opportunities.
