For many families, finishing school brings exciting new possibilities – and tough questions. School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES) and Inclusive Employment Australia (the new name for the former DES program) both offer employment help for people with disability. But which one is right for your child or young adult? In short, SLES is an NDIS-funded pathway specifically for school leavers, focusing on intensive work-readiness skill-building. Inclusive Employment Australia (IEA) is a mainstream government employment program (replacing Disability Employment Services from November 2025) that helps people with disability find and keep open-market jobs. Both can be helpful, and in some cases a young person might tap into both supports – but only if they address different needs and don’t overlap.

NextGen Youth Employment specialises in personalised NDIS SLES support for young Australians. We can help you navigate these options. This guide explains:

• What SLES means under the NDIS, and what services it provides
• What Inclusive Employment Australia is, and who it’s designed to help
• How they differ and when both can apply (including joint planning)
• Where Finding and Keeping a Job funding fits into an NDIS plan
• Examples to illustrate intensive SLES support vs mainstream job support
• Questions to ask when deciding which service suits your young person
• How NextGen Youth Employment can assist you with the right employment pathway.

All information below is based on current NDIS guidance and government programs (as of 2026). We always encourage families to talk to their NDIS planner, support coordinator or provider for advice tailored to their child’s unique situation.

What is SLES (School Leaver Employment Supports)?

SLES (School Leaver Employment Supports) is an NDIS program specifically for students with disability in their final year of school or up to 2 years after leaving school. In practice, SLES funding appears in an NDIS plan under the Finding and Keeping a Job (capacity-building) category. The goal of SLES is to build the participant’s skills, confidence and independence for employment. It provides targeted, individualised support – often 1:1 or small-group – in areas such as:

• Work readiness training: learning workplace routines, communication skills, time management, following instructions and employer expectations.
• Work experience placements: short-term industry or on-the-job trials to explore what jobs suit the young person and to gain real experience.
• Career exploration: activities to identify the person’s strengths, interests and suitable job types. This might include site visits, job-shadowing or project-based tasks.
• Confidence building: programmes that help the young person present themselves to employers, practise interviews and social skills in a work context.
• Practical preparation: writing resumes, practising interview technique, developing public-transport travel plans, budgeting and other pre-work skills.

SLES is time-limited and highly personalised. The NDIS typically funds SLES for up to two years after school, so long as the participant is under 25 when approved. Unlike some supports that must be reviewed annually, SLES often has a clear 1–2 year window to help the young person transition into work. During this time, families and providers work together (often with a support coordinator or occupational therapist) to regularly update a tailored plan of activities and measure progress.

Importantly, SLES funding is linked to the individual’s disability-related support needs. In your child’s NDIS plan, the support goal might simply say they want employment or work experience. The plan then needs to show why NDIS-funded SLES is required. For example, it might note that the participant “wants a retail job but requires extra coaching to communicate with supervisors, interpret instructions, manage workplace anxiety and travel to work safely.” That explanation justifies the need for SLES coaching and capacity-building.

Because SLES is NDIS-funded, participants and families have choice of NDIS-registered SLES providers. These are private or not-for-profit organisations experienced in disability employment. NextGen Youth Employment is one such provider. We offer a personalised SLES program with youth coaches who understand each young person’s strengths and challenges. In short, SLES is the NDIS “finding and keeping a job” support stream for school leavers, focused on building work skills rather than immediately placing the person into a paid job.

What is Inclusive Employment Australia (IEA)?

Inclusive Employment Australia (IEA) is the new name (since Nov 2025) for Australia’s mainstream disability employment service, replacing the old Disability Employment Services (DES) program. It is not part of the NDIS – it’s funded by the Department of Social Services – and it operates like a general job agency for people with disability. Think of it as an “open employment” or “open job market” pathway.

IEA is available to anyone with a disability (or long-term health condition) who wants to work, not just school leavers. To use IEA, a person generally must:

• Be aged from 14 (Year 10+) up to pension age (no upper limit beyond that).
• Have a disability, injury or health condition that affects their ability to work (an official Employment Services Assessment typically confirms this).
• Be able to work up to 30 hours per week (even with support).
• Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.

IEA provides broader employment assistance. Services include:

• Job search and placement: IEA providers help find job vacancies, tailor applications, and submit applications for the participant. They connect job seekers with employers.
• On-the-job support: Once a job is obtained, the IEA provider may offer initial coaching and support to help the person settle in. This can include training the employer on reasonable adjustments.
• Ongoing support: Unlike SLES, IEA providers typically continue assisting a person after placement to keep the job (with a limit).
• Wage subsidies: IEA offers employers incentives (up to $10,000 per eligible participant) to hire someone with significant support needs. This wage subsidy is a distinct incentive outside the NDIS.

Inclusive Employment Australia is intended for the broader population of working-age people with disability. This includes people who have never been in the NDIS, as well as NDIS participants. For example, a 30-year-old with a disability who is looking for work would go through IEA. Under SLES vs IEA specifically: IEA can also support school leavers once they age out of NDIS SLES, or any young person who needs general job-search assistance rather than intensive developmental support.

One important difference is that IEA has no set time limit. A person can stay with an IEA provider for years (depending on their ability to work) as long as they’re actively employed or seeking employment. In contrast, SLES ends after the school-to-work transition period.

In summary, SLES is an NDIS program focused on intensive skills and readiness for new school leavers, while Inclusive Employment Australia is a mainstream job-matching and support program for people with disability of all working ages.

Who Does Each Service Support?

• SLES (School Leaver Employment Supports): For NDIS participants finishing school or recently out of school (usually up to 2 years post-school, under 25) who need structured support to prepare for employment. This often includes young people with moderate to complex disabilities that impact their ability to find or keep work without help. SLES can include one-to-one job coaching, travel training and work trials. It’s pre-employment or early employment support. Families use SLES when the young person’s goal is to get into work, but they first need help developing basic work skills and confidence.
• Inclusive Employment Australia (IEA): For anyone with disability (including some NDIS participants) who is ready to find a job or who needs help staying in a job. It does not require being a school leaver or part of the NDIS. IEA providers work with people who have varying levels of ability. Typically, this is people who can engage in the regular workforce with some supports, but might struggle with certain aspects (applications, interviews, on-the-job adjustments). For example, IEA is suitable for a young adult who is confident in their skills and can work several hours per week, but just needs assistance applying for jobs or negotiating workplace adjustments.

Examples of Who Might Use Each Service

• Intensive SLES example: Riley is 17 and has left school after Year 12. Riley has autism and sensory processing differences that make busy retail environments overwhelming. They also find independent travel challenging. Riley’s NDIS plan includes a goal “develop workplace skills and confidence to work in hospitality or retail.” However, Riley needs extra help practising shopping, doing mock interviews, and building travel routines. An NDIS SLES provider like NextGen Youth Employment could work with Riley on confidence-building, tailored work experience in a quiet café setting, travel training and communication strategies over the next year. The focus is on learning skills in a supported setting before seeking paid work.

• Mainstream IEA example: Jordan is 20 and has a mobility disability. Jordan is an NDIS participant but has good independent living skills. He has no formal work experience but has a strong interest in graphic design. Jordan can write his own emails and get around town via taxi. He might not need skills training so much as connections to local job opportunities. An IEA provider could help Jordan by finding internships or entry-level jobs in design, training him for interviews, and helping his future employer understand his reasonable access needs. Here, the emphasis is direct job search and placement (with some coaching) rather than first needing to develop confidence or basic tasks.

• Using both: A person might benefit from SLES and Inclusive Employment at different stages. For example, Megan left school a year ago and joined a SLES program to learn work routines and try a few jobs. By the end of her SLES support, she is ready to apply for paid work. She then transitions to an IEA provider who helps her secure a part-time role and provides some on-the-job support. In this case, SLES built her skills, and the mainstream program handled the job placement. The two providers would coordinate to make sure their plans (and claims) don’t overlap.

Can You Use Both SLES and IEA?

Yes – but carefully. NDIS SLES support and Inclusive Employment Australia support serve different funding systems. They can apply to the same person at the same time, provided each is funding distinct activities. The NDIS rules require that duplicate claiming is not permitted. In practice, if a young person has SLES in their NDIS plan and is eligible for IEA, then each provider must agree on a joint plan. This joint plan spells out who is doing what: for example, the SLES provider might run a workplace trial, while the IEA provider works on job applications, ensuring they are not billing the NDIS and DSS for the same service.

The Tenax Supports guide emphasises: “Both systems can operate concurrently for the same participant, but only where they fund different, complementary activities with no overlap. Where both providers are involved, a joint plan must be developed to clearly outline which provider is delivering which support”. In other words, SLES (NDIS) might cover the groundwork and on-site training, and IEA (government) might cover the actual job placement and initial on-job support.

NextGen Youth Employment can help families coordinate these arrangements. If your child’s plan includes “Finding and keeping a job” funding (the NDIS category for SLES), we can team up with an IEA provider if needed and help you understand who covers what. We have experience working alongside mainstream providers for a smooth transition from intensive preparation into the open labour market.

Where Does “Finding and Keeping a Job” Funding Fit?

“Finding and keeping a job” is the name of the NDIS capacity-building support category that includes SLES. In NDIS plans, you might see an allocation under Category 10 – Finding and Keeping a Job (often written as “Capacity Building – Finding and Keeping a Job”). This funding is specifically for employment-related supports, and SLES is usually funded from this pool.

The NDIA describes “Finding and keeping a job” supports as those that build work skills, career planning, work experience, and the ability to transition into employment. That description covers much of what SLES does. When a plan has SLES funding, it will appear as line item 10_021_0102_5_3 (“School Leaver Employment Supports”) under that category. Families often hear “Finding and keeping a job providers” in the community; these were traditionally DES providers (now IEA providers) who help with the same employment journey, just outside the NDIS.

In short, any SLES support is paid from “Finding and keeping a job” funding in the plan. After those 2 years, a participant might still have that category for further supports if they continue in NDIS beyond school age, but often the emphasis shifts to IEA. Always check the NDIS plan or ask your planner: if you see funding in the Finding and Keeping a Job section, you can use it for SLES services (NDIS providers) or sometimes for mainstream services (some IEA activities may be claimable there, depending on service agreements).

Key Differences: SLES vs IEA

Here’s a quick comparison of the two pathways:

• Target Group:

  • SLES (NDIS): School leavers (recently out of school, under 25) with disability who need extra help before or during early work.
  • IEA (mainstream): Any person with disability (age 14 to pension age) who is ready to enter or remain in open employment.

• Funding Source:

  • SLES: Funded by the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme). Provided as part of an NDIS plan’s capacity-building budget.
  • IEA: Funded by the Australian Government’s DSS (Department of Social Services) via the Workforce Australia framework. Not part of the NDIS plan.

• Duration and Limits:

  • SLES: Time-limited to generally 2 years post-school. Discontinued after that unless some capacity-building remains.
  • IEA: Ongoing as needed. Participants can receive IEA support for many years (so long as they meet the criteria and remain engaged).

• Type of Support:

  • SLES: Skills and readiness. One-to-one or small-group training, practice, workshops, and short work trials. Focus on building the person’s ability to work. May include travel training, confidence-building, and experiences in different jobs.
  • IEA: Job-focused. Help with finding actual jobs, writing resumes, applying, interviewing, and then supporting the person in a real job. Employers can receive wage subsidies. Includes longer-term support to keep jobs.

• Intensity:

  • SLES: Often very hands-on. Frequent check-ins, personalised coaching, small groups or individual mentoring tailored to a teenager’s pace.
  • IEA: Relies more on the person’s existing independence. Largely office-based and employer-driven. Coaches focus on matching and initial support.

• Provider Selection:

  • SLES: Families can choose any registered NDIS provider that delivers SLES (like NextGen Youth Employment).
  • IEA: Participants generally choose from any IEA provider network (similar to choosing a DES provider). This is usually arranged through Centrelink/Services Australia with an Employment Services Assessment (ESAt).

As one NDIS guide put it: “SLES is an NDIS capacity-building program focused on skill-building, work experience, and job readiness training. [DES/IEA] is a mainstream government service focused directly on job placement and ongoing workplace support once a person is job-ready.”.

Questions to Help Decide the Right Path

Families often have similar questions when deciding between SLES and mainstream support. Here are some to consider:

• Is my child still at (or just out of) school? If yes, SLES is specifically designed for that transition period. If they left school more than 2 years ago, it’s beyond the typical SLES timeframe.

• What does their NDIS plan say? Check if the plan includes Finding and Keeping a Job funding or mentions School Leaver Employment Supports. If that line-item is in place, SLES is likely available. If the plan already lists an employment-related goal, that’s a signal to discuss SLES.

• What stage is the participant at? Are they just getting ready (need to learn basic work routines, try work experience) or are they almost job-ready?

  • If they need intensive coaching to build basic work skills and confidence, SLES is usually the right starting point.
  • If they already have many real-life skills and just need help actually getting a job (like finding vacancies, doing interviews, negotiating with employers), then IEA might be enough.

• What are their support needs?

  • High support needs (e.g. difficulty understanding social cues, learning new tasks, or travelling) often call for SLES.
  • Mild to moderate needs (e.g. nervous about interviews, needs employer advocacy, occasional workplace adjustments) can often be managed within an IEA program.

• Can we work towards both? If you’re thinking of using both SLES and IEA, ask: Are we asking them to do the same thing? There must be no overlap. For instance, SLES could cover building communication skills, while IEA covers writing applications. If both providers understand their roles, you can effectively get “complementary support”.

• What is the long-term goal? If the aim is long-term open employment, both routes can lead there. If the person might eventually move to supported employment (ADE) or needs a sheltered setting, consider how SLES might help bridge to that or if other programs (like Capacity Building – Daily Living or Vocational Education) are relevant.

• Are mainstream employers supportive? One reason the new IEA program exists is to encourage inclusive hiring. If you have identified local employers willing to try an inclusive hire, IEA’s wage subsidy and support might facilitate that faster. If you need to first prove it’s a good fit through trial experiences, SLES can help build that case.

• Budget/plan constraints: Remember SLES funding is limited to the plan’s allocation. If you find the person will need longer-term support than 2 years, be ready to transition to IEA or other services afterwards.

A good rule of thumb from providers is: “If the participant still needs to learn how to work, start with NDIS SLES support. If the participant is essentially work-ready and just needs to find or keep a job, use the Inclusive Employment Australia (formerly DES) pathway.”

Example Questions to Ask Providers or Planners

• Does my child’s NDIS plan list Finding and Keeping a Job or School Leaver Employment Supports funding?
• Has an Employment Services Assessment been done for IEA eligibility (by Centrelink/Services Australia)?
• What specific activities will each provider do? Is there a risk of overlapping services?
• For SLES providers (like NextGen): “How do you personalise the program to my child’s strengths?”
• For IEA providers: “How would you match my child with an employer, and what support is given to the employer?”
• If using both: “Can you coordinate on a joint plan with the other provider (NDIS vs IEA)?”

Answering these will give clarity. Remember, you have the choice of provider in both systems. NextGen Youth Employment can talk through what SLES support looks like and help liaise with an IEA provider if needed.

Key Takeaways

• SLES (NDIS) is for school leavers and is skill-building, pre-employment support funded in your NDIS plan. It is highly individualised.
• Inclusive Employment Australia is for broader disability employment assistance and is job search and placement support funded outside the NDIS. It replaced DES in Nov 2025.
• You can use both SLES and IEA only if each covers different, complementary activities (no double-dipping). Providers must agree on a joint plan.
• SLES funding appears under “Finding and keeping a job” in the NDIS plan. It must be reasonable and necessary and connected to the participant’s employment goal.
• Examples: A young person needing intensive coaching and confidence-building will likely start with SLES. A person who is nearly job-ready and needs placement help might go straight to IEA.

NextGen Youth Employment specialises in helping school leavers get the most out of their NDIS SLES support. We can also connect participants to mainstream job agencies when needed. If you’re deciding between SLES and Inclusive Employment Australia, our team can clarify the options.

Have employment goals but aren’t sure what support would best help achieve them? Contact NextGen Youth Employment for more information and assistance. We can talk about your child’s individual situation, explain how SLES works, and discuss how we can help build an effective pathway – whether through our NDIS SLES program or in collaboration with a mainstream provider.

We’re here to help families navigate the transition from school to work. Reach out to NextGen Youth Employment to learn more about our services and how we can support your young person’s journey toward meaningful employment.