17 January 2023, Guardian Australia, Stephanie Convery. Access the full article here.
Participant in BusyBeans program told the disability royal commission the training left her with a ‘broken life’
A company that received nearly $1m in federal government funding has been advised by the disability royal commission to apologise and make appropriate redress to a woman employed in an “artificial” and “inadequate” barista training course that she said left her with a “broken life”.
The commission on Tuesday released its report and recommendations into the case of Disability Employment Services (DESDisability Employment Services is an employment services program targeted to dis...) participant Mzia*, who was enrolled in 2019 in the BusyBeans “coffee school”, billed as a barista training course for people with disability.
The commission heard allegations in February last year that at least one of multiple BusyBeans training centres had “no established policies, procedures, safety measures or proper facilities to train the participants” and lacked basic equipment.
AimBig should also consider “making appropriate redress to Mzia for the adverse impact on her health, wellbeing and the impairment to her future employment prospects as the result of AimBig’s acts and omissions
– Disability Royal Commission report
Employment services survey
The Punishment for Profit report is based on hundreds of responses to surveys conducted by the Antipoverty Centre. This research is ongoing. If you are in Workforce Australia, Disability Employment Services or a similar program, we welcome any information you are able to share about your experiences.