Mr. Robert Murtagh:

I will answer Senator Dolan's query on EmployAbility, which Senator Higgins touched on as well. It is great that such service exists but it does not go far enough, so perhaps it is not centred around the individual needs of certain individuals. It is more centred around people being job-ready. I know from our experience, and we come into contact with many people, that such people want to get some work experience. There is no real outlet or place they can go to get this work experience and then get a job. This can be addressed in different ways. There are some good practice models of job coaching, with people going in with a person with a disability to model the tasks that the person might have in a role. The person with a disability would slowly learn the task required as part of the job. That job coaching does not necessarily require that the coach should be there for the entire term of employment. It is about giving the person with disability the supports needed in order to learn those tasks and be more independent in a job. There is nobody saying the job coach would have to be with the person all the way through. It could be phased out, leaving the person more independent in doing his or her job. The main point about EmployAbility and it does not go far enough. It needs to look more at the individual needs of people who want to get jobs.

We have not really spoken that much about accessible information so far. There are two aspects. The first relates to some of the recommendations and much of what we have said today with respect to schools, etc. There should be more accessible and easy to understand resources in schools so that people with disabilities can be more properly equipped to further their education. Similarly, in employment, there should be more accessible information supports so that employers can support employees in working well. Plenty of people who want to know what is going on in committees like this or in Departments come to us. There are plenty of opportunities for consultation but these are not in an accessible format. There are people with disabilities with much to say and who want to get their opinions across. Departments put out consultation documents or surveys but because they are not in an accessible format, people are unable to have their voices heard. It would be something for the committee to consider. There was mention of a report and plenty of people would be very interested what it would state. Perhaps there could be an easy to read section as part of the report when it is eventually published. It is something to be considered. There are clued-in people who regularly come to us and they want to know what is going on. It is about ensuring they have the information that helps them understand.