Hurstville, NSW — For Linda Soussa, years of searching for meaningful employment opportunities for her autistic son finally came to an end when Australia’s new disability employment initiative launched last month.
“It has been wonderful,” Soussa told The Epoch Times at the official opening of the Help Enterprises Hurstville office on December 2. Her son Ronan, diagnosed with autism at just two and a half years old, now has access to specialised employment support that wasn’t previously available.
“He’s come a long way. It was very difficult when he was young,” she said.
The new Hurstville office, officially opened by the Hon. Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for Social Services, represents a significant milestone in the national rollout of the Inclusive Employment Australia (IEA) program. The initiative replaces the previous Disability Employment Services program and marks a new chapter in how Australia supports workers with disabilities.
The IntoWork Group, through its disability support businesses Help Enterprises and Interact Australia, was selected by the Department of Social Services to deliver the program, which commenced on November 1, 2024. The expansion extends services across 12 Employment Services Areas spanning Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia.
For families like the Soussas, the program represents more than policy change—it’s a pathway to independence and opportunity that many thought would never come. Read more about Linda’s story in the Epoch Times here.
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