Past projects

The Aspire Foundation - Past projects

Onemda: ‘Pathways – Transitions’ – 2011

Onemda is a non-for-profit providing services to adults with intellectual disabilities. Onemda has recognised a need for additional services to young adults with an intellectual disability seeking to transition from school to further study or work. The Pathways – Transitions program was developed to better support these young people through this transition. The program aimed to increase community engagement with young intellectually disabled adults as well as to encourage greater independence and community integration through a series of targeted workshops.

Participants aged 18-21 were supported to develop networks for pathways to further study and work and connections with local businesses and training providers who wish to be involved. The workshops assisted participants to identify their goals and career aspirations and skills in need of further development.

This project finished in December 2012.

Funding: $11,380

AQA: ‘Discovering the Power in Me: Creating a Future of Strength and Hope after Spinal Cord Injury’ - 2011

AQA is a non-for-profit providing services to quadriplegic people of all ages. In 2011, AQA identified a need for additional services to men aged 18-35 who have recently acquired a spinal cord injury. This demographic are at the highest risk of acquiring spinal cord injuries due to lifestyle choices and other factors, yet they are also the least likely to seek additional support during the recovery process and beyond.
AQA developed the Discovering the Power in Me project to respond to the specific needs of these young men. The project aimed to empower young men who have recently acquired a spinal cord injury to seek out the tools and resources needed to reconstruct their lives post-injury and to find a new sense of self-fulfilment and inner strength after such a traumatic and life-changing experience. AQA ran these workshops from April through to December 2011 in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. This project helped create connections for young men living with spinal cord injuries with much needed services, as well as with others in their community through shared experiences of spinal cord injury.

Funding: $5,940

NDS WA: Empowering People with a Disability to Raise the Standard of Support Worker Training – 2011

NDS WA is a non-for-profit providing services to people with disabilities living in WA. NDS WA has recognised a need to improve the standard of vocational education and training of people studying qualifications in disability work and responded with the Empowering People with a Disability to Raise the Standard of Support Worker Training project. This project funded ten people living with a disability to complete a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, so they could, upon graduation, undertake roles as trainers and assessors of learners studying towards qualifications in disability work. The aim of this project was to provide opportunities for people living with disabilities to transfer their knowledge and experience as recipients of disability services to learners seeking entry or higher roles and responsibilities in the sector.

The project not only provides people studying qualifications in disability work with a unique insight into the sector by receiving training from those who receive disability services, but also created jobs and networking opportunities for the participants.

Funding: $13,610

Rockdale Community Services: 'Pre-employment training for refugees' - 2010-11

Research from the Refugee Council of Australia acknowledges a need to create and build awareness within refugee backgrounds communities about career pathways. This project involved pre-employment and work preparation workshops for refugees in 3 Sydney locations: Liverpool, Bankstown and Rockdale. Each workshop ran full time for 10 days and covered the following topics:

Resume writing
Job searching
Job applications and interviews
Employability skills
Vision and goal setting

Participants received support for at least 3 months after the program with mentoring and counselling services.

Refugees were empowered to move forward by developing new skills, learning to improve employment opportunities and breaking poverty cycles.