Over the last decade, Jigsaw has paid $11.8 million in award wages to people with disabilities. Photo: Fighting Chance Australia.
One in seven Australians aged zero to 64 have some form of disability. While workplaces across the board have come a long way for inclusivity, people with a disability still find it much harder to land – and keep – meaningful work.
Luckily, social enterprise Jigsaw recently made its way into Canberra and is pioneering a new way for locals with disabilities to transition into mainstream employment.
On the one hand, Jigsaw is a document and data management business that offers digitisation, information management, admin support and more to corporate and government clients.
On the other hand, it’s a social good organisation that comprehensively supports, trains and provides work experience for participants as they work towards their employment goals.
The best part? Work through Jigsaw isn’t “just a job” – it’s meaningful, fulfilling and transferable to any industry.
General manager Valerie Richards has spent the last 15 years in the not-for-profit industry. She says Jigsaw’s approach is what makes the program so successful. In her opinion, preparing for work through work is the best way to transition into a mainstream job.
“Our participants are taught workplace soft skills that include communication and collaboration in the workplace, punctuality, focus, professional behaviour, problem-solving and more,” Valerie says.
“These skills are designed to get them ready for work in any industry so they can pursue a career of their choice.
“Once they demonstrate a majority of these soft skills, they can apply for award-wage employment with Jigsaw or work with our team to reach their employment goals, whether that’s for further study or mainstream employment in another field.”
Jigsaw helped Kaitlyn train for the workplace and pays her an award wage for her role in quality control. Photo: Jigsaw Canberra.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, people with a disability are twice as likely to struggle finding employment. Local participant Kaitlyn identified with this until she joined Jigsaw Canberra in June 2023.
She had previously enrolled in a local “day program” for people with disabilities but felt like she wasn’t getting much out of it and wanted to work in a paid role.
“I struggled to find any sort of work that I liked and kept getting pushed aside by every business for a long time,” Kaitlyn says.
“Now I help other people at Jigsaw do their jobs well.
“I also work with the Connect team on my job goals, making applications to open employment and doing CV workshops or cover letter writing. It feels wonderful to contribute to something important while I’m earning a good wage.”
Kaitlyn struggles to focus effectively in loud places, so she enjoys the calm work environment Jigsaw provides. With simple adjustments, she is able to give work her all, just like anyone else.
“It just shows that hiring people with a disability doesn’t have to be scary or stressful,” Kaitlyn says.
“To businesses in Canberra, I would say we have just as much to give, and if you offer just a bit of support, we can work hard for you. So please consider hiring someone like me just as closely as other applicants!”
If you’re a person with a disability and are working towards mainstream employment, check out Jigsaw Academy.
If your business is interested in creating a more inclusive workplace by outsourcing work to or employing people with disability, visit Jigsaw Business.
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