Employment support

Job seeker services and resources

Getting employment ready

• Employment and vocational services externalat CCS Disability Action: CCS Disability Action has been working with disabled people and their families since 1935. They offer employment support for disabled people aged between 16 and 65, who are not currently in school and are looking to build their community connections or move into employment.
• Health and disability job support externalat Work and Income: Getting work ready can sometimes involve costs. For example, training, workplace costs, travel and clothing costs. Work and Income may be able to help with these costs depending on your situation.
• Project SEARCH external: Available in Canterbury, this initiative offers internships for high school leavers aged 18 to 21 years old who have learning disabilities, and who want to enter the workforce.
• Mahi Tika - Equity in Employment external: This Waikato-based employment programme is designed to increase opportunities for disabled people, who are significantly under-represented in the workforce. With a focus on working or training for disabled people in the industry of their choice, Mahi Tika also supports participants to become mentors for others.
• Evaro Employment external: This Wellington, Porirua and Hutt Valley based organisation provides support to adults with disabilities to transition to employment, including help with CV writing, interviewing techniques, job searching and assisting a person to maintain employment.

Finding a job

• Workbridge external: The largest New Zealand-owned employment service for people with a disability or health condition, Workbridge helps many disabled people every year find work. Their goal is to help you find right job, and support you while you’re in it. They offer free employment support services for both job seekers and employers.
• Employment support externalat Emerge Aotearoa Trust: This organisation provides a wide variety of services aim to help communities thrive, including employment support. For example, Emerge Aotearoa's Flexible Disability Support Service, helps young people to build a support network around the goals they want to achieve, like education or employment options.
• Workwise Employment Agency external: Workwise are committed to helping people facing personal or health challenges to find the right role to suit their skills and dreams – and help them to keep it.
• YES Disability Resource Centre external: This NGO is working to ensure young people with disabilities and learning differences are well represented in governance, planning and employment.
• Employment Tertiary Internship Programme external: Through a paid internship programme, Be.Lab help create career pathways, develop skills and provide mentoring and guidance for tertiary students with disability or access needs.
• New Zealand Down Syndrome Association (NZDSA): There are a range of support services across the country that can assist people with Down Syndrome to find work. Find a list of supported employment services external.
• PolyEmp Employment Support and Advice external: PolyEmp is a charitable trust that supports young people with learning disabilities with finding sustainable paid employment.

Disability support worker services and resources

• Disability support at Careerforce external: Whether you are new to your role or want to explore on-the-job training, Careerforce can help find a disability support qualification that's right for you. They provide pathways for disability support workers to upskill and ensure their practices are aligned with the principles of Enabling Good Lives.
• Disability support at Mycare external: With thousands of pre-approved carers, Mycare lets you choose and contract the local person who’s right for you. If you are looking for support at home, you can post job listings with MyCare. If you are a carer interested in finding work you can register with them.
• Carers New Zealand external: Established in the 1990s by and for family carers, Carers NZ provides information, advice and support for carers in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Employer support services and resources

• Just Say Yes external: This Workbridge initiative helps organisations increase their confidence and capability when employing disabled and health impacted people. They provide training, one to one advice and bespoke workforce services.
• Employment for Disabled People external at Employment New Zealand: Find advice on recruitment and hiring, as well as ways to actively support disabled employees in your team.
• Lead programme of work external at Ministry of Social Development (MSD): Become an advocate for the disabled community in your workplace. Whether you're a support leader, manager or human resource professional, find a toolkit and other resources to create an inclusive and welcoming environment.
• New Zealand Disability Employers' Network external: A network of employers committed to improving their disability inclusion and accessibility practices. Members can attend regular meetings, go through the Accessibility Tick programme and access resources and support.