6 | Annual Performance Statement IncludeAbility The IncludeAbility project advances the human right of people with disability to equal employment. The project does this by increasing meaningful employment opportunities for people with disability and supporting employers to address employment barriers in their organisations and in the workforce. The first phase of IncludeAbility ended in 2023. To assess its impact, the Commission engaged the Centre for Social Impact Swinburne University to independently evaluate the project. The evaluation found that some employers lack awareness of disability and hold low expectations of people with disability and their employment capabilities. ‘Often the reluctance to hire people with disability, in particular intellectual disability, I think, comes from an attitude of low expectations wrapped around that if we get it wrong, we’re going to be subject to ridicule and that our company will receive bad press because we didn’t get it right.’ – IncludeAbility Ambassador IncludeAbility helped address negative attitudes and a lack of understanding about people with disability and their employment capabilities. support to the pilot employees and their direct managers and teams, to help them solve issues and adapt to new situations. One person with disability who engaged in the pilots described the opportunity as ‘life changing’. Other pilot participants highlighted outcomes such as: ‘Proved that I can work in open employment’. – Pilot employee-survey ‘Proud to show my kids anything is possible’. – Pilot employee-survey These pilots offer a useful prototype for other organisations seeking to embed good practice in disability employment in their workplaces. This pilot model highlights promoting alternative pathways to employment, providing fair pay and workplace accommodations, engaging with all organisational levels, and offering ongoing tailored support as key ingredients for success. The evaluation emphasised the important role of the Commission in promoting best-practice in disability employment. The Commission’s national reach and expertise relating to disability discrimination complaints makes it a credible and influential champion in this space. Through the IncludeAbility project, employers increased their knowledge and confidence in applying successful strategies for employing people with disability. It did this through building communities of practice between employers, linking employers to new talent pools, and providing ongoing tailored supports and practical resources. IncludeAbility also led to more paid employment opportunities for people with disability at award wages through the two Pilot Employment Programs in Perth and the Illawarra region. The pilots were ‘place-based’ and tailored to the needs of both the employing organisations and the pilot employees. They gave employers the chance to assess and improve the accessibility and inclusiveness of their organisations. They also offered intensive ongoing 52 IncludeAbility Ambassadors Tracey Corbin-Matchett and Nathan Basha.