Work Integration Social Enterprise
Connecting Pathways to Employment
CSI researchers have been working with Disability Enterprises (previously known as Australian Disability Enterprises or ADEs) to develop an organisational design model to support pathways to mainstream employment for Participants. This model is called the Work Integration Social Enterprise Ability model.
The WISE-Ability Model
The WISE-Ability model highlights the key ingredients necessary in Disability Enterprises that adopt a WISE approach to support increased employment opportunities, particularly mainstream employment, for people with disability. The benefit of the model is that it builds on organisational strengths already present in some Disability Enterprises (formerly ADEs).
The model includes elements that support individuals with a disability, for example, wrap around support, on-the-job learning opportunities, and safe spaces. It also includes elements that Disability Enterprises require, for example, strong structure, good partnerships, stable funding, pathways to mainstream employment.
The model is housed within a disability/social enterprise structure, but it also has a bridge to employment outside the social enterprise, and this is captured by the Pathways to employment domain.
The domains of the model are: Organisational structure, Space and environment, Culture, Relationships, Finance and funding, Industry, Policy and procedure, and Pathways to employment. Each domain identifies and describes some key organisational features that strengthen the wellbeing and employment outcomes for people with disability in the enterprise.
The WISE-Ability Training Guide
This guide provides practical advice on how you might implement the WISE-Ability approach in your organisation to design a supportive work environment and employment pathways for people with a disability.
The Training Guide is to be released in the coming months.
