Self Help Workplace was established on 17th December, 1962. Self Help Workplace is a Not for Profit Incorporated Association run by a voluntary board and our ongoing mission is to provide people with a disability with productive and meaningful employment so they can enjoy independent and fulfilling lives.
Self Help Workplace is a registered Australian Disability Enterprise (ADE) that entitles us to some government funding provided we maintain strict compliance against the National Disability Service Standards. We are audited against those standards annually. There are currently 220 independently run ADEs in the country employing 20,000 people with a disability. There is no mandatory retirement for employees with a disability working in and ADE. The oldest employee in an ADE in Australia was 83 years old!
Self Help Workplace’s 50+ supported employees work between 2-5 days a week, 9:00am to 3:30pm. They receive all the normal employee entitlements, including wages, superannuation and leave (annual leave, sick leave and long service leave) and range in ages from 20 to 64 years. Employees are supported by 9 staff.
Self Help Workplace’s team produce quality products at competitive prices delivered in full and on time in 5 main work areas:
Merit Commercial Solutions: Print finishing, mailout preparation, product and packaging assembly, security shredding and rag production.
Prime Timber Production: Manufacture of timber pallets, platforms, garden stakes, produce bins, survey pegs, crates and industry specific items for the bee, berry and wine industries.
Encore Clothing: Quality secondhand clothing outlet located on site.
Plenty Catering and Hire: Corporate catering service, training room hire and bus rental.
Spruce Grounds Maintenance: Providion of domestic, commercial and industrial yard maintenance services
Our business model means that we select and design work to meet the following criteria in the following order:
1. The employees must be able to do the work
2. The employees must enjoy the work and find it rewarding
3. It must do no harm
4. It must be commercial viable
MORE THAN JUST A PLACE OF WORK
Our unique, supportive work environment means that we can also provide valuable independent living skills to our employees through our Life Skills Program. The program is important because this is the first generation of people with a disability who will outlive their carers and it provides skill enhancement in: Cooking, personal and work hygiene, kitchen garden maintenance, book club, laundry duties and accredited training.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Become a member • Donate – goods, time, money • Spread the word
