School Leaver
Employment
Supports (SLES)
Participant and provider FAQs
Updated April 2017
Updated April 2017 | SLES Participant and Provider Frequently Asked Questions
School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES) overview
The NDIS funds reasonable and necessary supports that help a participant to reach their goals,
objectives and aspirations. School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES) is a reasonable and
necessary support for Year 12 school leavers, to assist them transition from school and reach
their employment goals. Supports may include work experience, generally in open employment,
job skills training, travel training and activities that contribute to achieving an employment
outcome
Participants can have SLES and other reasonable and necessary funded supports in their NDIS
plan. They also have choice and control over how they use funded supports in their plan. This
includes choice of how the supports are given and which service provider/s they select to
achieve their goals.
Purpose of this document
This document provides participants and providers with answers to common SLES frequently
asked questions.
The FAQs in this document are broken down into seven key categories:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
SLES timelines
Previous and existing employment support programs
SLES and other NDIS funded employment supports
SLES supports in your NDIS Plan
SLES providers and selection
Managing success
More information
A. SLES timelines
When and where is SLES available?
For Year 12 school leavers phasing into the NDIS in 2017/18, SLES will be offered to them as a
reasonable and necessary support as part of their NDIS plan. SLES will be rolled out in the
following States / Territories across 2017/18:
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Australian Capital Territory (territory wide)
Tasmania (state-wide)
New South Wales (as per Local Government Area in the phasing schedule)
Victoria (as per Local Government Area in the phasing schedule)
South Australia (state-wide).
Planning is also underway with Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia.
B. Previous and existing employment support programs
How is SLES different to previous and existing programs like Transition to Work (TTW) in
NSW?
SLES is not a program; it is an individualised approach to funding employment supports which
are considered alongside other supports in the participants plan. SLES can include a range of
supports for participants for up to two years to assist them to become work-ready. Participants
have choice and control over the provider they use to implement their SLES funding.
Updated April 2017 | SLES Participant and Provider Frequently Asked Questions
C. SLES and other NDIS funded employment supports
I am a Year 10 student and I want to leave school and start SLES early. Is this possible?
No, at the moment SLES is designed for Year 12 school leavers. If you are eligible for the NDIS,
the NDIS may assist you to achieve your employment goals through other funded supports in
your individual NDIS plan.
I am not in Year 12 but I would like assistance to get a part-time job or a job after school.
What support will the NDIS provide?
If you are eligible for the NDIS, the NDIS may assist you to achieve your employment goal
through your individual NDIS plan. Other NDIS funded supports may be available for you to
assist you in achieving your work goals.
If I have already started TAFE or another type of activity, can I choose to start SLES later?
Yes. You can start SLES when it suits you from the date the plan is approved until the plan is
reviewed. Plans are reviewed every 12 months. The SLES funding is reviewed at the same time
the whole NDIS plan is reviewed. Some participants may choose to start TAFE or another type of
activity and then change to SLES later in the year. We envisage that most participants will start
SLES straight after finishing school.
How am I assessed as suitable for SLES?
In all jurisdictions where SLES is available, students will be assessed by teachers using a
Functional Capacity Assessment or FCA (previously known as a Functional Work Assessment or
FWA).
I am assessed as suitable for SLES supports, but due to my level of disability support
needs, I may require more funding. How will the NDIA ensure my needs are met?
If you are eligible for the NDIS, the NDIS may assist you to achieve your employment goals
through other funded supports in your NDIS plan. For example, you may need help with
household tasks and personal activities, mobility equipment or therapy. All funded supports are
funded using reasonable and necessary decision making. A participant’s plan may include a
range of supports provided by informal, mainstream and community networks.
I am an NDIS eligible school leaver who is assessed as not yet ready for SLES supports or
not requiring SLES supports. Who helps me access a suitable alternative post-school
option?
Your Local Area Coordinator or your school can assist you in the transition from school to post
school options.
How does the SLES approach intersect with other Commonwealth funded supports, for
example Disability Employment Services (DES) or Australian Disability Enterprises
(ADE)?
The aim of SLES is to support participant’s aspirations for employment and to develop
pre-employment skills through activities such as work experience.
The NDIS and the employment system will work closely together at the local level to plan and
coordinate streamlined services for individuals requiring both employment services and disability
services to provide a smooth transition from one to the other or across service systems.
You can find more information about responsibilities of the NDIS and other service systems on
the Principles to Determine the Responsibilities of the NDIS and Other Service Systems page of
the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) website.
Updated April 2017 | SLES Participant and Provider Frequently Asked Questions
D. SLES supports in your NDIS Plan
What types of support could I get from a SLES provider?
Your supports should be individually designed for you. The provider should work with you to
identify your goals and your supports should focus on employment.
Supports could include:
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Work experience
Job skills training
Travel training.
This support will equate to about 3 days of support per week.
When can I start receiving SLES?
You can receive supports from the date your NDIS plan is approved and once you have found a
provider of your choice to deliver SLES.
How does the SLES funding get added to my plan?
This is done through your Planner or Local Area Coordinator or via a plan review if you are a
current NDIS participant.
What happens to the funding if I find a job before the end of two years?
The funding remains in your NDIS plan until the plan is reviewed. You do not have to use all of
the SLES funding. If you find a job before you plan is reviewed you can request a plan review
due to a change in circumstances. Your goals may have changed and other funded supports
may be more beneficial.
E. SLES providers and selection
Who can deliver SLES?
Any provider registered with the NDIA can deliver SLES supports. Providers need to ensure they
have completed the NDIA registration process before delivering supports.
Can providers register at any time to deliver SLES?
Yes. New providers who want to deliver supports can register at any time. You can find out about
all registered providers on the NDIS website Find Registered Providers page.
How do I select a provider who is right for me?
Your choice of provider should align with the goals you have outlined in your NDIS plan. For
example, you might want to develop your budgeting and finance skills or transport skills and
would prefer a provider who can offer you the opportunity to build these skills. Alternatively, you
might want to work with people and prefer to build your interpersonal and customer relations
skills. Your Local Area Coordinator or Support Coordinator will help you to consider your
post-school SLES options that will best contribute to achievement of your employment goals.
Can I change providers?
Yes, as an NDIS participant you can change providers. We encourage you to choose a provider
that you think can best assist you to meet your work goals and then give that provider enough
time to get you ready for employment. When you first choose a provider, we recommend that you
develop a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with them about how you will work together, what
activities you will be doing to reach your employment goal.
Updated April 2017 | SLES Participant and Provider Frequently Asked Questions
What type of SLES support should providers be offering?
SLES supports will be tailored to meet individual employment goals outlined in that person’s
plan. This may include work experience, job skills training and specific travel training such as
commuting to and from work experience. Participants will meet with their Local Area
Coordinators or Support Coordinator to discuss their options for SLES supports that contribute to
achieving an employment outcome. In general, participants will receive SLES support for about 3
days per week; however, the actual days and hours of support received will vary and will be
agreed between the participant and their provider.
F. Measuring success
How will success be measured?
The NDIA is currently developing a provider reporting tool. The NDIA’s monitoring and evaluation
framework will capture participants’ outcomes. Together this information will be used to shape
the design of future NDIS funded employment supports.
How will success be measured?
There are two parts to measuring success:
1. We will survey participants and family / carers to find out what benefits you are getting
from SLES, and
2. We will ask providers to report on the kinds of support they are providing and the
outcomes of those supports.
We will use this information to make improvements to SLES.
What data will be published?
The NDIA will publish the SLES outcomes data. We anticipate that for the first year we would
publish key themes and findings from across all SLES participants and provider experiences with
detailed reporting at the provider level in year two.
G. More information
For more information about SLES visit: www.ndis.gov.au or call the NDIA contact centre on
1800 800 110*
For people with a hearing loss or speech loss: TTY: 1800 555 677
Speak to Listen (Speech-to-relay): 1800 555 727
For people who need help with English: Translating and Interpreting Service: 131 450
*The call centre is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm EST. 1800 calls are free from fixed
lines. However, calls from mobiles may be charged.
Updated April 2017 | SLES Participant and Provider Frequently Asked Questions