At School 5-18

Support for Students with a Disability - Specialist and Community Based Options

A range of specialist and community based services and programs are offered to support young people in their transition to further education, training or employment. These include:

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Futures for Young Adults

Futures for Young Adults (FFYA) is a Victorian program, that provides information, advice and support for up to three years to young people with a disability, to help them make a successful transition from school to further education and employment.

FFYA transition planners are available to assist young people with a disability, families and school personnel to explore a range of post school options. They can provide specialist information and advice regarding services available in the community for young people with a disability to support them to meet their post school goals.

The type of support provided may include:

  • Advice and guidance regarding the availability of post school options
  • Identification and referral to appropriate post school programs
  • Provision of funding to specialist disability services to assist young people achieve their goals.

FFYA can provide funded support for disability specific services for young people for whom generic community services are not able to meet their needs.

To be eligible for FFYA funded supports a young person must be:

  • a permanent resident of Victoria
  • aged 18 years of age before 31 December, in the year that they leave school
  • currently receiving support through the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s Program for Students with a Disability (PSD) or equivalent in the Catholic or Independent school sector.

For more information, see: Futures for Young Adults (FFYA)

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Transition to Employment

Part of the FFYA program, the Transition to Employment (TTE) initiative, provides assistance to young people interested in pursuing employment, but who are not yet ready to move into employment or receive assistance through a Commonwealth employment program. TTE is focused on supporting this group to build the skills, capacity and work experience to facilitate entry into the paid workforce.

Transition to Employment aims to help young people with a disability by:

  • Supporting them to develop work and industry related skills and qualifications
  • Improving access to employment opportunities
  • Increasing participation rates in the workforce
  • Building their capacity to independently participate in the community.

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Community Access and Support

Community Access and Support refers to flexible support that might be required for a young person to access a community based service that is beyond what is available from the service provider e.g. attendant care to allow a young person with a disability to participate in a mainstream education course such as that provided through a Neighbourhood House.

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Community based day activities

Day activities provided by a specialist disability service provider, which focus on skill development and enhance community participation.

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More information

You can access further information regarding support available for young people with a disability through the following links:

  • Futures for Young Adults (FFYA) - provides information, advice and support for up to three years to young people with disabilities leaving school, including the Transition to Employment initiative
  • Disability Investment Group and Disability Enterprises - explore innovative funding ideas from the private sector that will help people with a disability and their families access greater support and plan for the future. Disability Enterprises are commercial businesses that provide employment for people with a disability
  • Inner Melbourne VET Cluster (IMVC) – numerous resources relating to young people with disabilities 
  • Australian Disability Enterprises - are commercial businesses operating across a wide range of industries - from design, printing and packaging, to manufacturing, laundry and landscaping
  • Disability Investment Group and Disability Enterprises - explore innovative funding ideas from the private sector that will help people with a disability and their families access greater support and plan for the future. Disability Enterprises are commercial businesses that provide employment for people with a disability.