⚠️ Content note: Discussion of ableism
“There’s a really common attitude that we (disabled youth) should just ‘get on DSP’ and not pursue study or careers, and while that certainly can be the best option for some disabled people, it is a dangerous narrative because it contributes to the ideology that disabled people are a ‘waste of taxpayer money’ and ‘a bludge’.”
CYDA welcomes the opportunity to respond to the discussion paper that outlines the DES Quality Framework, designed to enhance the existing system for the two-year extension period announced by the government in October 2022. CYDA also eagerly supports more wholesale, evidence-based reform that will deliver meaningful change to the way employment services are delivered to people with disability.
This submission draws on and amplifies our previous submission to the New Disability Employment Support Model in February 2022, which highlights the inadequacy of monitoring and evaluation of existing programs and underscores the piecemeal approach to service delivery that occurs in isolation to mainstream employment services. Citing peer reviewed research, and data collection undertaken by CYDA, we present 12 recommendations with supporting discussion, as a contribution to this consultation.
This submission draws on the insights and lived expertise of young people in our community. Specifically, we use data from the following consultations, all involving young people with disability as participants and also facilitated by young people with disability. The Lived X consultations were also co-designed with young people and four of the five reports were written by young people with disability—the fifth was written by a CYDA employee and reviewed by a young person.
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