FAQS: FROM SCHOOL TO EMPLOYMENT

NOVA Employment is a Disability Employment Service (DES) and an Australian non-profit has been in operation since 1990.  NOVA has a reputation within the community for actively advocating for the rights of people with a disability to participate in employment within the general community.  NOVA assists people with a disability to find and keep meaningful, sustainable award-wage jobs.  Since 1990, NOVA Employment has actively sought out and worked with young people with disability in schools to ensure a smooth transition from school to employment.  NOVA provides job-seeking and post-placement support to people who have a disability. You can read all about NOVA at www.novaemployment.com.au

NOVA Training is NOVA’s Registered Training Organisation that allows NOVA Transition to deliver a nationally accredited certificate 1 course FREE of charge to NOVA participants. This means every eligible person participating in NOVA Transition’s program has the opportunity to achieve a Nationally Recognised Qualification. 

Yes.  

NOVA Transition and NOVA Employment Ltd have been providing disability employment supports to school leavers since 1990 which means we have the experience to help you to transition from school to employment.   

NOVA accepts NDIS SLES (School Leaver Employment Supports) or Find and Keep a Job, or self funded participants.  

NOVA Employment is also registered for Coordination of Supports.  This means NOVA can assist you to use the funding on your Plan to help you connect and find services to achieve your goals.

If employment is one of your goals, come and talk to us about your NDIS plan for supports while still at school or after leaving school.

NOVA assists people with a disability to find and keep meaningful, sustainable award-wage jobs.  Since 1990, NOVA Employment has actively sought out and worked with young people with disability in schools to ensure a smooth transition from school to employment.  NOVA provides job-seeking and post-placement support to people who have a disability.

If you are not yet ready for work, we analyse your progress to date and meet together to plan the best opportunities for you. Depending on your individual circumstances and your package of supports, you can continue to learn and progress until you move into employment. When you are ready a NOVA Employment Consultant works with you to find a job that suits you.

NOVA Employment staff have extensive training in job-search skills, including finding a position that suits your skills, abilities, choices and circumstances, that pays award wages or productivity-based award wages, for as many hours as you can and want to work. Once we find you suitable employment, we support you to settle in, learn the job and feel confident. For those who need it, we provide support into the future through NOVA Employment’s Disability Employment Service (DES).

Depending upon your individual circumstances, NOVA’s job coaches can help you to arrange work experience or community activities.  You can also enjoy resting from the busy days or partake in leisure activities with other participants.

Participants meet at regular intervals with their Job Coach and their parents or carers, to review progress and plan what happens next.  This is a great opportunity to view how far we have come, and what we need to focus on next.  We review work experience placements and feedback from employers. We use these meetings to talk over the goals required to progress towards employment.

Learning to travel independently is important for your future employment.  Learning to travel takes place in a supervised, supportive environment at a pace that suits you. Special assistance is discussed with all parties and planned at the outset.

All NOVA’s participants have a disability, and additional barriers to work in one way or another.  We get to know your skills and interests and then set achievable goals based on your employment choices.  At NOVA Transition, everyone gets a chance to find and maintain employment.  

NOVA has experience successfully supporting school leavers with all types of disabilities to prepare for work and develop a lifestyle that supports employment. 

All the activities are covered within the bundled supports NOVA has been providing to School Leaver’s since 2005.   

Your bundled supports are funded by the NDIS SLES (School Leaver Employment Supports) or Find and Keep a Job.

Occasionally there might be an activity that requires an extra contribution, but these are voluntary and negotiated well ahead of time.

Participants develop lasting friendships with young people also participating in employment supports.  After all, work is where we spend most of our time.  We need to be able to get along with others, work in a team, and have good friendly working relationships with our colleagues.

All the activities we do explore learning about the world of work, preparing for a job and the life skills needed to be successful.  Along the way, participants enjoy social activities, excursions, end-of-year celebrations and many milestones along the way.

Work experience in a variety of industries and local businesses is an important component of getting ready for work.  

At NOVA Transition we provide real workplace experience working side by side with local staff in a variety of industries.  Work experience placements are a regular component and are accompanied by an experienced staff person until each young person gains confidence and skills.  Participants learn so much from work experience placements, not only about the skills required by a particular role, but also general workplace skills, such as which bus to catch to get there, how to make conversation at lunchtime and taking feedback from employers.

NOVA operates three days per week from 9.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m.  Depending upon the area, this may be Monday to Wednesday or Wednesday to Friday. Supports are available for up to two years, but participants may be ready to transition through to employment earlier.

Activities are a combination of group and individual. We go at your pace and cater to different learning styles. Supports include work-experience placements, industry visits, guest speakers, discussions, practice job interviews, resume development, goal setting, planning, communication skills, and more. The content of the program is about developing confidence for the world of work, developing a lifestyle that supports work and learning workplace skills that are important in every industry and to every employer. Our program is hands-on, for example, to learn how to catch public transport, we learn about the timetable, discuss any difficulties and then practice this either individually or in a group.

If you are a young person with a disability at school or leaving school soon, and one of your goals is to get a job – then NOVA is the right provider for you.

The eligibility criteria for the National Disability Insurance Scheme says you would have a disability that is likely to be permanent and stops you from doing everyday things for yourself, and your ability to participate in ordinary life is substantially reduced because of this impairment or condition. That means you need extra support to transition from school to employment successfully, and are likely to require ongoing support once you are in employment. 

If that sounds like you, please come and talk with us about your pathway to employment.

NOVA STEP Job Club is a taster work skills program that you can participate in free of charge while still in school.

NOVA Transition offers a bundled package of supports for recent school leavers that covers everything you need to develop a lifestyle that supports employment. Your bundled supports are funded by NDIS SLES (School Leaver Employment Supports), or Find and Keep a Job, or self funded.

NOVA Employment can find you a great job and then provide ongoing support for as long as needed for eligible participants.

Come and talk to you about your eligibility and future plans.

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