For a young person with disability, saying “I want to get a job” can be an important first step.

But when an NDIS planning conversation or plan reassessment is approaching, families often have more questions.

Should the goal name a particular job? How specific does it need to be? What if the young person does not know what type of work they want yet? Should confidence, communication, transport or work experience be included? And how does an employment goal connect with SLES, NDIS SLES funding or Finding and Keeping a Job NDIS supports?

These are important questions because a useful employment goal does more than describe a distant ambition. It helps everyone involved understand what the young person wants to work towards and what barriers may need to be addressed along the way.

Current NDIS guidance encourages participants to think about their employment goals and share them during their plan meeting. Employment goals can reflect different stages of the employment journey, from discovering suitable types of work through to getting a job, increasing work hours or becoming more independent in an existing workplace. The NDIS also makes an important distinction: having a goal does not automatically mean a particular support will be funded. Goals help inform planning, while funding decisions are based on the participant’s individual disability support needs and the relevant NDIS funding criteria.

At NextGen Youth Employment, we work with young people with disability who are preparing for employment through personalised School Leaver Employment Supports. We know that a strong employment pathway rarely begins with a perfectly written sentence. It begins by understanding the young person’s strengths, interests, support needs, barriers and ambitions.

This guide explains how parents, school leavers and support coordinators can prepare useful employment goals for an NDIS planning conversation or reassessment, with practical examples across different industries and stages of work readiness.

Important: This article provides general information and does not guarantee NDIS funding or replace advice from the NDIA about an individual participant’s plan. NDIS funding decisions depend on individual circumstances, disability-related support needs, evidence and current NDIS rules.

What Is an NDIS Employment Goal?

An NDIS goal describes something the participant wants to work towards.

An employment goal therefore describes what the participant would like to achieve in relation to work, career development, work readiness or participation in employment.

For one school leaver, that might be:

“I want to build my confidence and workplace skills so I can find a part-time job in retail.”

For another participant, it might be:

“I want to explore different types of work so I can identify a career pathway that suits my strengths and support needs.”

For someone who already has a job:

“I want to become more independent at work and build the skills I need to increase my working hours.”

The NDIS states that goals may be short-term or long-term, broad or specific. Participants are also encouraged to consider smaller goals that contribute towards larger ambitions.

That flexibility is particularly important for school leavers.

Not every 17, 18 or 20-year-old knows exactly what career they want. Young people without disability are often still experimenting with industries, courses and first jobs at this age, so it is reasonable for a young NDIS participant’s employment goal to include exploration.

At NextGen Youth Employment, career discovery can be an important part of a SLES program. Rather than assuming a participant should immediately apply for any available vacancy, we can help them explore their strengths, interests, preferred working environments and potential job pathways.

Why Employment Goals Matter When Preparing for SLES

School Leaver Employment Supports are designed to help young people build the skills and confidence needed for the transition towards employment.

Current NDIS guidance for young participants says employment supports can help with areas including extra work experience, finding a part-time job outside school hours, transitioning from school into work, developing work skills and settling into a workplace. The guidance currently describes young participants as those aged 14 to 24.

A clear employment goal gives that support direction.

Imagine two participants both entering an employment support service.

The first says:

“I want help finding a job.”

The second says:

“I want to build my confidence communicating with supervisors, gain practical warehouse experience and work towards a part-time job in warehousing or logistics.”

Both goals express an interest in employment, but the second gives a much clearer picture of the pathway.

It identifies:

• an intended employment outcome
• an industry of interest
• an existing barrier or skill-development area
• an intermediate step through work experience
• a realistic first employment target.

This allows employment support to become more individualised.

At NextGen Youth Employment, our aim is not to push every participant through exactly the same sequence of activities. A young person interested in hospitality may require a very different pathway from someone interested in administration, warehousing or a trade.

Good goals help us turn those differences into practical plans.

A Goal Is Not the Same as a Funding Request

This distinction is essential.

An NDIS employment goal describes what the participant wants to work towards.

A request for employment support describes what disability-related assistance may be needed to help them work towards it.

For example:

Employment goal:
“I want to get a part-time job in retail.”

Possible disability-related barriers:
The participant may have difficulty understanding unfamiliar instructions, initiating conversations with supervisors, travelling independently to a workplace or managing anxiety in unfamiliar environments.

Possible support pathway:
They may require structured employment preparation, travel skill development, supported workplace experience, communication practice and individual employment coaching.

These are related, but they are not the same thing.

Current NDIS guidance says a participant’s goals help inform funded supports but are not directly linked to funding. NDIS supports must also satisfy applicable funding criteria, including being related to the participant’s disability, helping them work towards their goals and supporting participation in activities such as work or study.

So simply writing:

“My goal is to get a job, therefore I need SLES funding”

does not explain the full picture.

A stronger planning conversation connects three things:

Goal → disability-related barrier → support need.

This connection is particularly relevant when discussing SLES funding eligibility, NDIS SLES funding or Finding and Keeping a Job funding.

What Makes a Useful NDIS Employment Goal?

There is no single sentence structure that every participant must use.

A practical employment goal is usually:

Personal

It should reflect what the young person actually wants.

A parent, teacher, therapist, support coordinator or employment provider may help the participant express the goal, but the direction should come from the participant wherever possible.

Relevant to the participant’s current stage

Someone who has never entered a workplace may need an exploration or work-readiness goal.

Someone who has completed several work trials may be ready for a job-seeking goal.

Someone already employed may need a job-retention or independence goal.

Clear enough to provide direction

“Become independent” may be an important life goal, but it does not tell us much about employment.

“Become more independent travelling to work and communicating with supervisors so I can maintain a part-time job” provides much more direction.

Flexible

Young people change their minds.

A participant may initially be interested in hospitality and then discover through practical experience that a quieter stock or warehouse environment suits them better.

That is useful learning, not failure.

The NDIS recognises that goals can change over time.

Connected to meaningful outcomes

A useful employment pathway should ultimately move the young person closer to meaningful participation in work.

That may involve smaller milestones first: learning to catch public transport, completing work experience, developing communication strategies, becoming comfortable with workplace routines or learning how to ask for help.

At NextGen Youth Employment, these smaller steps can be important because they turn a large outcome such as “get a job” into manageable progress.

Weak Versus Strong NDIS Employment Goal Examples

There is nothing inherently wrong with a simple goal. Participants should be able to express themselves in their own words.

However, when preparing for a planning conversation, adding some context can help everyone understand what the participant wants.

Example 1: Getting a job

Broad goal:
“I want a job.”

More useful version:
“I want to build the skills and confidence I need to find and maintain a part-time job in retail or customer service.”

Why is the second version useful?

It still uses straightforward language, but it identifies the desired employment type and acknowledges that preparation may be required before the outcome is achieved.

Example 2: Confidence

Broad goal:
“I want to be more confident.”

More useful version:
“I want to become more confident meeting employers, attending job interviews and communicating with supervisors so I can move towards paid employment.”

This turns “confidence” into an employment-related outcome.

Example 3: Independence

Broad goal:
“I want to be independent.”

More useful version:
“I want to become more independent travelling to work, following workplace routines and completing tasks so I can maintain paid employment.”

Example 4: Work experience

Broad goal:
“I want work experience.”

More useful version:
“I want to complete practical work experience in hospitality and retail so I can understand which type of workplace suits me and develop the skills needed for paid work.”

Example 5: Career exploration

Broad goal:
“I don’t know what job I want.”

That statement can actually be the beginning of a very useful goal.

More useful version:
“Over the next 12 months, I want to explore different industries and identify types of work that match my strengths, interests and support needs.”

The current NDIS employment-goal guidance specifically recognises that participants may have goals centred on discovering whether they want to work and learning what types of employment may suit them.

At NextGen Youth Employment, this type of exploration can provide the foundation for a much more informed employment pathway.

NDIS Employment Goal Examples by Industry

A participant does not need to nominate a specific occupation if they are unsure.

However, when there is already a clear interest, including it can help make an employment pathway more meaningful.

Here are examples for several common industries.

NDIS Employment Goals for Retail

Retail roles can involve customer service, stock handling, merchandising, cleaning, teamwork, point-of-sale systems and following workplace procedures.

Possible goals include:

“I want to build my customer service and communication skills so I can work towards a part-time job in retail.”

“I want to learn how to complete retail tasks such as stocking shelves, organising products and following instructions so I can become ready for paid employment.”

“I want to gain practical retail experience and become more confident speaking with customers and supervisors.”

“I want to develop the independence needed to travel to a local shopping centre and maintain a regular retail shift.”

At NextGen Youth Employment, we can help participants explore whether customer-facing retail, stock-based work or another type of retail role is the best match for their strengths.

NDIS Employment Goals for Hospitality

Hospitality can include cafés, restaurants, food preparation, kitchen support and other food-service environments.

Possible goals include:

“I want to gain café experience and build the skills needed to work towards a part-time hospitality job.”

“I want to improve my confidence communicating with customers and co-workers so I can pursue work in a café.”

“I want to learn workplace routines, food preparation tasks and time-management skills to prepare for a back-of-house hospitality role.”

“I want to explore front-of-house and back-of-house hospitality roles to identify the work environment that suits me best.”

Not every participant interested in hospitality will thrive in the same position.

Someone who finds continuous customer interaction difficult may demonstrate excellent attention to detail in food preparation, stock management or back-of-house tasks. Practical exploration can therefore be extremely valuable.

NDIS Employment Goals for Administration

Administrative work may involve data entry, filing, email, document preparation, reception tasks, scheduling or other office duties.

Examples include:

“I want to improve my computer, organisation and workplace communication skills so I can work towards an entry-level administration job.”

“I want to gain office work experience and learn how to complete administrative tasks more independently.”

“I want to develop strategies for managing instructions, deadlines and workplace communication so I can maintain a part-time administration role.”

“I want to explore office-based employment and identify the types of administrative tasks that suit my strengths.”

A participant with strong attention to detail may discover that structured administration is particularly suitable, while another participant may learn that they need support with task switching, phone communication or managing multiple instructions.

At NextGen Youth Employment, those discoveries can shape the next stage of the participant’s career plan.

NDIS Employment Goals for Warehousing and Logistics

Warehousing can appeal to participants who prefer practical tasks and structured routines.

Possible employment goals include:

“I want to develop the workplace skills and independence needed to find a part-time warehouse or logistics job.”

“I want to gain practical experience with picking, packing, stock handling and workplace safety routines so I can prepare for paid employment.”

“I want to improve my ability to follow multi-step instructions, manage my time and communicate with supervisors in a warehouse environment.”

“I want to explore warehouse and logistics work to determine which roles match my strengths and abilities.”

At NextGen Youth Employment, practical work exposure can help turn an abstract interest in warehousing into a clearer understanding of actual tasks, workplace expectations and support needs.

NDIS Employment Goals for Trades

A young person may be interested in construction, automotive work, landscaping, carpentry, electrical work or another trade-related pathway.

Their goal might be:

“I want to explore trade-based careers and identify a pathway that matches my practical strengths and interests.”

“I want to develop the communication, routine and work-readiness skills required to work towards an apprenticeship or entry-level trade role.”

“I want practical work experience in a trade environment so I can better understand employer expectations and decide which career pathway suits me.”

“I want to become more independent following workplace instructions, organising equipment and managing a workday so I can prepare for employment in a practical trade.”

Some trade qualifications, apprenticeships and training responsibilities sit outside the NDIS. However, the NDIS may fund disability-related supports that enable a participant to engage with employment or training where those supports meet the relevant criteria. Current NDIS guidance also distinguishes between what education or training organisations are responsible for and disability-related supports that may be required by the participant.

Employment Goals Do Not Have to Be About a Job Title

One of the most important things families can understand about NDIS SLES support is that an employment pathway can involve several connected goals.

The destination may be paid employment, but the participant may first need to work on barriers that make employment difficult.

These goals can include confidence, communication, transport, routines, work experience and independence.

Goal Example: Building Confidence

Confidence is often difficult to measure when it is written only as a broad concept.

Instead, connect confidence with actions.

For example:

“I want to build enough confidence to meet employers, participate in interviews and complete work experience so I can move towards paid employment.”

Progress might later be demonstrated through milestones such as:

• attending an employer meeting
• completing a workplace tour
• practising an interview
• introducing themselves to a supervisor
• completing their first work experience shift
• applying for suitable vacancies.

At NextGen Youth Employment, we can break confidence-building into practical experiences rather than expecting a participant to suddenly “feel confident” before beginning.

Goal Example: Workplace Communication

A participant may have strong practical skills but find workplace communication challenging.

A goal might be:

“I want to improve my workplace communication so I can understand instructions, ask questions when I am unsure and communicate more independently with supervisors and colleagues.”

Practical skills might include learning to:

• ask for clarification
• tell a supervisor when a task is finished
• request help
• respond to feedback
• communicate when overwhelmed
• participate in simple team conversations
• understand workplace boundaries.

These are genuine employment skills.

Goal Example: Travel to Work

A job is not sustainable if the participant cannot reliably get there.

Current NDIS guidance for young participants specifically identifies learning to catch a bus or train as one type of skill that may support preparation for employment.

A goal might therefore be:

“I want to increase my independence using public transport so I can travel safely and reliably to work.”

Depending on the participant, steps might include:

• learning one regular route
• reading a timetable or transport app
• practising what to do when a service is delayed
• identifying who to contact if something goes wrong
• learning to arrive at work on time.

At NextGen Youth Employment, employment preparation can consider the whole journey to work, not simply what happens after a participant walks through the employer’s door.

Goal Example: Work Experience

For someone who has never worked, it can be difficult to know whether they will enjoy a particular industry.

A suitable goal could be:

“I want to complete work experience in different environments so I can understand my strengths, identify the work I enjoy and build experience for paid employment.”

Work experience can provide information that a classroom exercise cannot.

It may show that a participant:

• enjoys repetitive tasks
• prefers quiet environments
• performs well when instructions are visual
• enjoys customer interaction
• needs additional breaks
• works best with predictable routines
• learns practical tasks quickly
• prefers working independently
• enjoys being part of a team.

At NextGen Youth Employment, these observations can help refine the participant’s employment plan.

Goal Example: Moving into Paid Employment

When the participant is ready to pursue vacancies, the goal can become more directly focused on paid work.

For example:

“I want to find and maintain a suitable part-time paid job in warehousing where I can continue building independence and workplace skills.”

Or:

“I want to obtain a paid hospitality role of approximately two shifts per week and develop the skills needed to maintain my employment.”

The aim is not to make the goal artificially complicated. It is simply to explain what the participant is trying to achieve.

Connecting Disability-Related Barriers to Employment Goals

When families prepare for an NDIS planning conversation, one of the most useful things they can do is identify not only the young person’s ambition, but what disability-related barriers make that ambition harder to achieve.

Consider a participant who wants a retail job.

The employment goal alone tells us where they want to go.

The barriers explain why additional disability-related assistance may be required.

For example:

Employment goal

“I want to find a part-time retail job.”

Disability-related barriers

The participant may:

• find unfamiliar social situations difficult
• struggle to initiate conversations
• need extra time to process verbal instructions
• find it difficult to organise several tasks
• experience sensory overload in busy environments
• require support developing independent travel skills.

Skills or supports that may be relevant

The employment pathway might involve:

• practising workplace communication
• developing strategies for processing instructions
• exploring suitable retail environments
• completing supported work experience
• learning travel routes
• developing interview skills
• learning strategies for managing the workplace environment.

This is much more useful than saying only:

“They have disability and need employment support.”

Current NDIS funding criteria require funded supports to relate to the participant’s disability and individual support needs. Supports must also satisfy other applicable requirements, including helping the participant work towards their goals and being effective, beneficial and value for money.

The goal explains the desired destination.

The evidence explains the barriers.

The proposed supports explain the bridge between them.

How Do Employment Goals Connect With Finding and Keeping a Job NDIS Funding?

Families sometimes encounter several different terms while researching employment assistance:

• SLES
• School Leaver Employment Supports
• employment assistance
• NDIS employment supports
• Finding and Keeping a Job
• finding and keeping a job NDIS
• Capacity Building employment support.

This terminology can be confusing.

The NDIS currently describes Finding and Keeping a Job as Capacity Building funding that can be used for employment-related NDIS supports. Examples listed by the NDIS include building work skills, developing a career plan, work experience and assistance transitioning into work or further education.

SLES is commonly used to describe employment support in the school-to-work transition context.

In practice, families should look carefully at the participant’s actual NDIS plan and discuss the available funding with the NDIA, plan manager, support coordinator or prospective provider rather than assuming every plan will use exactly the same terminology.

At NextGen Youth Employment, we can help families understand how the employment funding shown in their plan may relate to the services we provide.

Does Having an Employment Goal Guarantee SLES Funding?

No.

This is an important point when discussing SLES eligibility or SLES funding eligibility.

Having an employment goal is highly relevant because it establishes that employment is something the participant wants to pursue.

However, an employment goal by itself does not automatically create an entitlement to a particular level or type of funding.

The NDIS explains that supports are based on individual circumstances and disability support needs, as well as information and evidence provided to the NDIA.

This means two school leavers with similar employment goals could have different support needs.

For example:

Participant A

Wants a retail job and can:

• travel independently
• communicate confidently
• search and apply for jobs without disability-related assistance
• learn workplace tasks using standard employer training.

Participant B

Also wants a retail job but has disability-related difficulty with:

• independent travel
• understanding unfamiliar instructions
• workplace communication
• adjusting to new routines
• interviews
• learning tasks without additional prompting.

Their employment ambition may be similar, but the disability-related support needs are different.

This is why individual evidence matters.

What Evidence Can Families Prepare for an NDIS Planning Conversation?

You do not need to turn the planning process into a giant folder of paperwork simply for the sake of having paperwork.

Useful evidence should help explain the participant’s actual situation.

Depending on the person and their circumstances, relevant information may include:

• school transition reports
• work experience feedback
• therapist assessments or reports
• functional assessments
• reports from current support workers
• previous employment-provider reports
• support coordinator reports
• information about unsuccessful work experiences
• information about travel or community-access barriers
• examples of the support currently provided by family
• information about current employment, volunteering or training
• evidence of strategies that have or have not worked.

For plan reassessments, current NDIS guidance says information and evidence may include assessments or reports from health professionals, therapists or support workers showing how current supports are helping the participant work towards their goals and what support may be needed in future.

For employment specifically, it is useful to think about evidence in practical terms.

1. Where Is the Young Person Now?

Describe the starting point.

For example:

• final year of school
• recently left school
• never had paid employment
• has completed one school work-experience placement
• currently volunteers once a week
• has a casual job but needs considerable family assistance
• has previously left jobs because the environment was unsuitable.

2. Where Do They Want to Go?

This becomes the employment goal.

For example:

“I want to work towards a paid part-time administration job.”

3. What Is Preventing Them From Getting There Independently?

Describe disability-related barriers.

Examples might include difficulties with:

• communication
• executive functioning
• social interaction
• emotional regulation
• sensory processing
• learning unfamiliar routines
• time management
• travel
• workplace stamina
• adapting to change
• recognising when to ask for assistance.

Avoid assuming that a diagnosis alone explains the functional impact.

The useful question is:

How does the participant’s disability affect their ability to prepare for, find or maintain employment?

4. What Has Already Been Tried?

Examples might include:

• careers counselling at school
• school work experience
• volunteer work
• family-assisted job applications
• mock interviews
• travel training
• a previous employment program.

This provides valuable context.

If something did not work, explain why.

For example, a participant may have completed generic group-based job-search training but still be unable to independently communicate with an employer. That information may help explain why a different or more individualised approach is required.

5. What Practical Outcomes Would Support Aim to Achieve?

Instead of simply saying:

“We want SLES.”

describe what employment assistance is intended to achieve.

For example:

• identify suitable career pathways
• increase independence
• develop workplace communication
• gain practical experience
• improve travel skills
• learn workplace routines
• apply for suitable vacancies
• transition into a job
• reduce the level of prompting required at work.

At NextGen Youth Employment, we can help participants turn broad employment ambitions into practical stages that can be understood, worked on and reviewed.

A Simple Formula for Writing an NDIS Employment Goal

If you are unsure where to begin, try this structure:

I want to [employment outcome] by developing/improving [important skills or experience] so that I can [longer-term result].

For example:

“I want to explore retail and hospitality work by gaining practical workplace experience so I can identify a suitable pathway towards paid employment.”

Another useful formula is:

I want to [goal] and need to improve [area] so I can [employment outcome].

For example:

“I want to improve my workplace communication and confidence so I can participate more independently in interviews and work towards a part-time job.”

Or simply:

I want to [clear employment ambition].

For example:

“I want to get a part-time job in a warehouse and become more independent at work.”

The wording does not need to sound as if it was written by a lawyer.

It should sound like the participant.

Examples of Complete Employment Goal Pathways

Here are several examples showing how the goal, barrier and support pathway can connect.

Example: Mia Wants to Work in Retail

Goal:
“I want to build my confidence and retail skills so I can find a part-time job in a local shop.”

Current situation:
Mia is finishing school and completed one short work-experience placement.

Barriers:
She finds unfamiliar social situations difficult, struggles to ask for help and requires additional time to learn workplace routines.

Possible pathway:
Mia may work on communication, employer interaction, retail task practice, workplace experience and job applications.

At NextGen Youth Employment, a participant with a similar goal could work with a Youth Coach to explore suitable retail environments, practise practical skills and gradually build confidence in real employment situations.

Example: Noah Does Not Know What Job He Wants

Goal:
“Over the next 12 months, I want to explore different types of work and identify jobs that match my strengths and interests.”

Current situation:
Noah has no previous employment experience and is unsure whether he would prefer practical or office-based work.

Barriers:
He has limited understanding of different workplaces and finds it difficult to imagine tasks he has not previously experienced.

Possible pathway:
Career discovery, workplace visits, practical work trials and reflection on which environments and tasks suit him.

This is a valid employment pathway.

A participant does not have to choose their lifelong career before employment support can be meaningful.

Example: Sophie Wants an Administration Job

Goal:
“I want to build my office skills, organisation and workplace communication so I can work towards part-time administration employment.”

Current situation:
Sophie is comfortable using a computer but has limited workplace experience.

Barriers:
She finds multitasking difficult and becomes overwhelmed when instructions are unclear.

Possible pathway:
Practising administrative tasks, learning strategies for managing instructions, work experience and developing appropriate workplace communication.

Example: Ethan Wants a Warehouse Job

Goal:
“I want to gain warehouse experience and become more independent following workplace routines so I can find and keep a paid logistics job.”

Current situation:
Ethan enjoys practical tasks but has never worked.

Barriers:
He requires additional support learning multi-step tasks and travelling to unfamiliar locations.

Possible pathway:
Workplace readiness, travel skill development, supported industry experience, task sequencing and employer engagement.

Example: Ava Already Has a Part-Time Job

Goal:
“I want to maintain my café job, become more independent at work and gradually increase my hours.”

Current situation:
Ava works one short shift each week.

Barriers:
She requires considerable prompting to manage transitions between tasks and communicate when she needs clarification.

Possible pathway:
Developing task-management strategies, workplace communication and independence, with the aim of gradually reducing support where appropriate.

Finding and Keeping a Job funding is not limited conceptually to getting the first job. Current NDIS guidance also recognises supports that help participants maintain employment and develop greater independence at work.

What Happens After Employment Funding Is Approved?

Getting NDIS SLES funding or employment-assistance funding into a plan is not the end of the process.

It is the beginning of the employment pathway.

The next step is choosing an employment provider that can translate the participant’s goals into individualised support.

Current NDIS guidance says that once a participant has employment-support funding, they can connect with a provider to build skills, find employment and maintain work. Employment providers are expected to develop a tailored support plan that includes the participant’s goals, barriers to employment, supports to be delivered, where and how frequently those supports occur and how progress will be reviewed.

At NextGen Youth Employment, this is where the written goal begins turning into action.

Depending on the participant, the pathway may involve:

• discovering strengths and career interests
• building a personalised career plan
• developing job-readiness skills
• preparing a résumé
• practising interviews
• improving workplace communication
• building travel independence
• developing routines
• completing work experience or work trials
• gaining relevant training
• engaging with employers
• applying for suitable vacancies
• settling into employment
• receiving ongoing mentoring as independence grows.

A good SLES program should not become a list of activities completed simply because they appear on a standard timetable.

Each activity should have a purpose.

If a participant spends time practising interviews, everyone should understand why interview practice is relevant to their goal.

If they complete work experience, there should be something to learn from it.

If travel training is included, it should contribute to greater employment independence.

If an employer placement does not work out, the experience should help refine the pathway.

That is the approach NextGen Youth Employment takes: employment preparation that connects back to the individual young person.

How Should Progress Towards an Employment Goal Be Measured?

Paid employment is an important outcome, but it should not be the only way progress is recognised.

Imagine a participant who started the year unable to:

• travel without a parent
• speak to an unfamiliar employer
• attend a work trial
• identify any industries they enjoyed
• complete unfamiliar tasks without constant prompting.

Twelve months later, they may be able to:

• travel independently on a familiar route
• speak directly with a supervisor
• complete two work-experience placements
• identify warehousing as their preferred industry
• complete routine tasks with occasional prompting
• participate in job applications.

They may not yet have secured a permanent paid job, but meaningful employment progress has occurred.

Current NDIS guidance says participants can discuss progress towards their goals during plan reassessment, and employment-support providers can provide information relevant to that reassessment.

At NextGen Youth Employment, we believe progress should be understandable.

Participants and families should be able to see:

Where did we start?
What did we work on?
What changed?
What did we learn?
What still needs support?
What is the next employment step?

That creates a much stronger picture than simply counting sessions attended.

Preparing for a Plan Reassessment

A plan reassessment is an opportunity to look at what has changed.

For employment goals, consider discussing:

What progress has been made?

Be specific.

Instead of:

“Communication improved.”

Try:

“The participant can now independently introduce themselves to a supervisor and ask for clarification when given an unfamiliar task.”

What remains difficult?

Do not hide continuing barriers simply because progress has occurred.

A young person may have become more confident at work but still require support travelling independently.

Another may have learnt workplace routines but continue to need help communicating when instructions change.

Has the employment goal changed?

That is okay.

The NDIS recognises that goals can change.

A participant might begin wanting to work in a café and discover that warehouse work suits them better.

The important question is what was learnt and how the new direction reflects the participant’s strengths, interests and support needs.

What is the next stage?

Perhaps the next goal is:

• moving from exploration into work experience
• moving from work experience into job applications
• moving from one short shift into more hours
• reducing workplace support
• developing travel independence
• beginning a different career pathway.

At NextGen Youth Employment, we can help participants and families understand the progress made during employment support and identify practical next steps.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Employment Goals

Making the Goal Someone Else’s Goal

A parent may desperately want their young person to work.

A school may believe one industry is suitable.

A provider may see opportunities in another.

But the participant’s own preferences matter.

Good employment planning starts with the young person.

Making the Goal Too Narrow Too Early

A participant who has never had work experience may not need a goal such as:

“I will become a full-time automotive mechanic.”

A better starting point may be:

“I want to explore automotive and other practical trade-based work so I can identify a suitable employment pathway.”

There is room to become more specific later.

Focusing Only on Deficits

Employment planning should identify support needs without reducing a person to a list of difficulties.

Include strengths.

A participant may have:

• excellent attention to detail
• strong visual memory
• reliability
• practical problem-solving skills
• deep knowledge of a particular subject
• patience with repetitive tasks
• creativity
• strong computer skills.

At NextGen Youth Employment, strengths help shape career direction just as much as barriers.

Assuming SLES Funding Is Automatic

An employment goal is important, but SLES funding eligibility and individual funding decisions depend on more than the presence of a goal.

Describe the disability-related barriers and evidence that explain why employment assistance may be required.

Using Generic Goals Without Context

“Improve social skills” may relate to many areas of life.

“Improve workplace communication so I can ask supervisors for clarification and work more independently” makes the employment connection clearer.

A Checklist Before Your NDIS Planning Conversation

Before the meeting, try answering these questions with the young person:

• What type of work interests you?
• If you do not know, what jobs would you like to explore?
• Do you want paid employment?
• Do you have any previous work experience?
• What did you enjoy about it?
• What was difficult?
• What are your strongest skills?
• What workplace tasks might suit you?
• What disability-related barriers make preparing for work harder?
• Can you travel independently?
• How comfortable are you speaking with unfamiliar people?
• Can you follow workplace instructions independently?
• How do you respond when routines change?
• Do you need additional help learning unfamiliar tasks?
• What support do you currently receive from family?
• What would you like to be able to do more independently?
• What would progress look like over the next 6 to 12 months?
• What would your longer-term employment outcome look like?

You do not need perfect answers.

The purpose is to make the planning conversation more meaningful.

How NextGen Youth Employment Can Help

Writing an NDIS employment goal is only one part of preparing for work.

The bigger challenge is turning that goal into a practical pathway.

At NextGen Youth Employment, our personalised SLES support is designed around the individual young person rather than a one-size-fits-all employment program.

We can work with participants to explore:

• what they are good at
• what they enjoy
• which jobs and industries may suit them
• which barriers are making employment difficult
• which skills they want to develop
• what workplace experience would be valuable
• how they can increase confidence and independence
• what practical steps can move them closer to meaningful employment.

For some participants, the first step may be discovering what work they enjoy.

For others, it may be learning to travel independently.

Another young person may need help speaking to employers.

Someone else may already be ready to apply for vacancies and needs support making the transition into a real workplace.

There is no single correct SLES journey.

What matters is that the employment pathway belongs to the participant and keeps moving towards meaningful outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions About NDIS Employment Goals and SLES

Does my NDIS plan need an employment goal before I can access SLES?

Employment goals are highly relevant when discussing employment-related NDIS supports. Current NDIS guidance encourages participants to share employment goals during their plan meetings. However, funding decisions are individual and depend on the participant’s disability-related support needs, evidence and applicable NDIS funding criteria.

If you are unsure about SLES eligibility or the employment funding in your plan, NextGen Youth Employment can discuss your circumstances and help you understand our service.

What if I don’t know what job I want?

That is completely reasonable.

Your employment goal can be about exploration.

For example:

“I want to explore different types of work so I can understand what jobs suit my strengths, interests and support needs.”

Current NDIS guidance specifically recognises employment goals that involve learning more about work before deciding on a specific pathway.

Career discovery is also an important part of the way NextGen Youth Employment can work with school leavers.

Can my goal be about confidence rather than getting a job?

Yes, but it can help to explain how confidence relates to employment.

Instead of:

“I want to improve my confidence.”

consider:

“I want to build confidence speaking with employers and participating in work experience so I can move towards paid employment.”

Can travel be part of an employment goal?

It can be relevant where disability-related travel barriers affect the participant’s ability to prepare for or maintain employment. Current guidance for young NDIS participants identifies skills such as learning to use buses or trains as possible areas of employment preparation.

What is Finding and Keeping a Job NDIS funding?

Finding and Keeping a Job is a Capacity Building funding area for employment-related NDIS supports. Current NDIS information lists examples such as developing work skills, career planning, work experience and transitioning into employment or further education.

People researching finding and keeping a job funding may also encounter terms such as employment assistance and SLES. Always check the wording and funding within the individual participant’s plan.

What is NDIS SLES funding used for?

The exact support delivered should depend on the participant’s goals and disability-related employment needs.

For a young school leaver, employment support may involve areas such as building work skills, confidence, workplace communication, work experience, travel independence, understanding employer expectations, finding suitable employment and settling into a workplace.

At NextGen Youth Employment, support is personalised around each young person’s employment pathway.

Can employment goals change?

Yes.

Goals can change as the participant gains experience and learns more about themselves.

Discovering that one workplace or occupation is not suitable can actually provide valuable information that leads to a better employment pathway.

Who can help write an employment goal?

The young person should be central to the process.

They can also discuss their goals with people who know them well, including parents or carers, their my NDIS contact, support coordinator and other relevant professionals. The NDIS specifically notes that participants can seek help when setting goals.

NextGen Youth Employment can also help participants explore their employment ambitions and turn them into practical career-development steps once they engage with our service.

Start Building Your Employment Pathway

A useful NDIS employment goal does not need impressive terminology.

It needs to describe something meaningful to the young person.

For one participant:

“I want a part-time retail job.”

For another:

“I want to find out what type of work I am good at.”

For another:

“I want to learn how to travel independently so I can get to work.”

And for someone already employed:

“I want to become more independent and keep my job.”

Each can be a starting point.

The next step is understanding the person’s strengths, the disability-related barriers standing between them and employment, the evidence that explains those barriers, and the practical support that may help them move forward.

That is where personalised employment assistance matters.

At NextGen Youth Employment, we help young people with disability move from career exploration towards workplace skills, practical experience and meaningful employment through individualised SLES support.

Have employment goals but aren’t sure what support would help achieve them? NextGen Youth Employment can discuss your employment pathway and help you understand how our SLES support works.

Contact NextGen Youth Employment today for more information, to discuss your NDIS employment goals, or to learn more about our SLES program and how we can support your journey towards finding and keeping a job.