Welcome to Martin's blog

Focus on Ability Film Festival 2017 NOVA Employment’s Focus on Ability Short Film Festival 2017 is almost upon us. It’s been called ‘the most inclusive film festival in the world’ and we love it. Inclusive because of its theme, because it’s open to everybody, and because there are no entry fees. Plus there are so many ways you can participate: by making films, watching them online (and voting for your favourites), or organising a festival

Disability Employment Services – staff churn and burn I am the first to admit that working in a disability employment service is demanding, complex and requires great commitment. And yet I still find it shocking – and unacceptable – that staff turnover in the sector runs at 50 per cent. It has become a ‘churn and burn’ environment. Instability in our workforce has serious flow-on effects for our job seekers. Consistency of environment boosts the

Little support from disability employment services We recently met a young lady (I’ll call her Hannah) whose story had me equally impressed, angry and baffled. Impressed by her energy, ambition and resilience. Angry that she had had so little support from disability employment services. And baffled by the red tape she has to untangle to move forward with her goals. Hannah has been trying for over six years to get a job. I’ll write that

Market forces are one thing; vulnerable lives are another When markets are growing and investment is high, of course you are going to find a buzz of interest and activity. But when you’re talking about a national government-supported scheme, bees around a honey-pot can suddenly transform into snouts at the trough of public funds. A troubling scenario. We’ve seen this before, haven’t we? We know how badly it can end, in Royal Commissions and worse.

People with disability can’t work ‘People with disability can’t work.’ Not true. ‘People with disability don’t want to work.’ Not true. ‘People with disability should be protected in sheltered workshops.’ Where do these ridiculous notions come from? Unfortunately, they come from within the disability services industry, as well as without. In my thirty years of experience finding award-wage jobs for people with disability, I have encountered very few people who fit the myth of being

The soft bigotry of low expectation Speechwriter for George H. W. Bush, Michael Gerson, is credited with the phrase, ‘The soft bigotry of low expectation’ used by his boss at the NAACP’s 91st annual convention. I do not have the experience to speak in relation to African Americans but do feel qualified to speak to the situation of people with a disability in Australia. Such persons find themselves in an environment that seems almost designed