Finding Work with the NDIS: A Practical Guide for Participants

If you are an NDIS participant who wants to work, the scheme can fund supports that help you find, prepare for, and keep a job. These are called employment supports, and they sit under the "Finding and Keeping a Job" support category in your plan. The NDIS does not pay your wages, and it does not replace the mainstream employment system. But it can fund a specialist provider who works alongside you to build the skills, confidence, and practical tools you need to enter or re-enter the workforce. This guide explains how it all works in plain English.

What are NDIS employment supports?

NDIS employment supports are funded activities that help participants with disability achieve their employment goals. They are distinct from the broader Australian employment system, which includes services like Disability Employment Services (DES) run by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.

The NDIS funds supports that are directly related to your disability and that would not be funded elsewhere. Employment supports under the NDIS typically include:

• School leaver employment supports (SLES) for young people transitioning from school to work
• Specialist supported employment, where a provider helps you work in an open or supported employment setting
• Employment-related assessment and counselling, to help you understand your strengths and what kind of work suits you
• Job-specific skills training related to your disability needs
• Assistance with workplace modifications or strategies that help you manage your disability at work

What the NDIS does not fund is the job placement service itself. That role belongs to DES providers and other mainstream employment services. The NDIS funds the disability-specific layer on top of those services.

How does this fit with Disability Employment Services?

DES is a free, government-funded service available to Australians with disability who want to work. It is separate from the NDIS. Many participants use both at the same time. A DES provider might help you write your resume and approach employers, while your NDIS-funded employment support provider works with you on communication strategies, managing anxiety in the workplace, or building the daily routines that make sustained employment possible.

If you are not sure where to start, talking to your support coordinator is a good first step. You can also explore the support coordinator resources on OpenWay to understand how coordinators help participants navigate employment pathways.

Who pays for employment supports?

This is where things can get a little complicated, so it helps to break it down clearly.

The NDIS pays for supports that are directly related to your disability and are not the responsibility of another government system. Employment supports funded through the NDIS come from the "Capacity Building" budget in your plan, specifically the "Finding and Keeping a Job" category. This is not the same as your Core Supports budget, so you cannot simply redirect funding from one to the other.

The Commonwealth pays for DES and other mainstream employment services. These are available to any eligible Australian with disability, regardless of whether they have an NDIS plan.

Employers pay for reasonable adjustments to the workplace under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. This might include modifying a workstation, adjusting start times, or providing written instructions instead of verbal ones. Your NDIS provider can help you understand what to ask for and how to ask for it.

You do not pay for your NDIS-funded supports out of pocket, as long as they are included in your plan and the provider charges within the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. Always check that a provider is working within those limits before signing a service agreement.

One important point: the NDIS does not fund your wages, transport to and from work (in most circumstances), or general career coaching that any person without disability could access through mainstream services.

How to choose an employment support provider

Choosing the right provider can make a real difference to your employment outcomes. Here is a practical checklist to work through before you commit.

1. Check they are registered (if required). If your plan is NDIA-managed, you must use a registered NDIS provider. If you are self-managed or plan-managed, you have more flexibility, but registration is still a useful quality signal. You can browse NDIS employment support providers on OpenWay to compare options in your area.

1. Ask about their experience with your disability type. Not all employment support providers have the same expertise. A provider who specialises in supporting people with psychosocial disability may approach the work very differently from one focused on intellectual disability or autism. Ask directly what experience they have.

1. Find out how they work with DES. The best outcomes usually come when your NDIS employment support provider and your DES provider communicate with each other. Ask whether they have existing relationships with DES providers in your area.

1. Understand their approach to goal-setting. Good providers will spend time understanding what you actually want from work, not just what is easiest to deliver. Be cautious of any provider who jumps straight to a plan without asking what matters to you.

1. Read their service agreement carefully. Before you sign anything, make sure you understand the cancellation policy, what happens if you need to change your goals, and how they charge for travel or non-face-to-face time. Under the NDIS Pricing Arrangements, providers can charge for some of these extras, but they must be transparent about it.

1. Ask for references or case studies. A provider with a genuine track record should be able to point you to outcomes they have achieved with other participants, even if they protect individual privacy.

1. Trust your instincts. If a provider talks over you, dismisses your goals, or seems more interested in filling spots than understanding your situation, that is a sign to look elsewhere.

If you are new to the NDIS or finding the process overwhelming, the participant information on OpenWay explains how the marketplace works and how to use it to shortlist providers at no cost.

Red flags to watch for

Most NDIS employment support providers are doing the right thing. But the sector is not without problems, and knowing what to look out for protects you and your plan funding.

Watch out for providers who:

• Promise you a job. No provider can guarantee employment, and any who does is either misleading you or setting up unrealistic expectations.
• Pressure you to sign a long-term service agreement before you have had a chance to assess whether they are a good fit.
• Cannot clearly explain what they will actually do with your funding or how progress will be measured.
• Charge for services that were not delivered or inflate hours in their claims. If something does not look right on your plan statement, raise it with your plan manager or the NDIS Commission.
• Discourage you from speaking with other providers or comparing options. A confident, ethical provider welcomes your questions.
• Do not involve you in goal-setting or treat your employment goals as secondary to their own program structure.

The NDIS Commission handles complaints about provider conduct. If you have a concern, you can report it directly to the Commission. OpenWay's trust and safety information explains the verification steps providers go through to be listed on the marketplace, which can give you additional confidence when shortlisting.

What to expect from the process

Employment is not a quick fix, and honest providers will tell you that. Here is a realistic picture of how the journey often unfolds.

Initial assessment. A good provider will start by getting to know you, your disability, your work history (if any), your strengths, and your goals. This might take one or two sessions.

Goal setting and planning. Together, you will set employment goals that are realistic and meaningful to you. These should connect to the goals already written into your NDIS plan.

Skill building and preparation. Depending on your needs, this might involve practising interviews, building workplace communication skills, managing sensory needs in a work environment, or developing routines that support regular attendance.

Job search support. Your provider works alongside you (and ideally your DES provider) during the job search phase. They are not doing the job search for you, but they are helping you navigate it with your disability in mind.

Ongoing support once you are working. Many participants need some support even after they start a job, particularly in the early weeks. Check whether your provider offers this and how it is funded.

Progress should be reviewed regularly. If things are not working, you are entitled to change providers. Portability is one of the most important rights you have as an NDIS participant.

Frequently asked

Can I use my NDIS funding to start my own business?

Yes, in some circumstances. The NDIS can fund supports that help you develop the skills to run a small business, such as assistance with planning, communication, or managing your disability in a self-employment context. However, the NDIS will not fund the business itself, cover startup costs, or pay for general business advice that any person could access. Talk to your planner or support coordinator about how self-employment goals can be captured in your plan.

What if I already have a job but need support to keep it?

The "Finding and Keeping a Job" category covers both finding work and maintaining employment. If your disability is affecting your ability to stay in your current role, an NDIS employment support provider can work with you and potentially your employer on strategies to make the job sustainable. This might include workplace modification advice, communication support, or help managing fatigue or mental health at work.

Do I need a support coordinator to access employment supports?

Not necessarily. If you have a support coordinator in your plan, they can help you find and engage an employment support provider. But if you do not have a support coordinator, you can still approach providers directly. Some participants also have a plan manager who can help with the administrative side. If you are self-managing, you have the most flexibility in choosing who you work with.

How OpenWay can help

Finding the right employment support provider takes time, and it helps to have a clear picture of who is available in your area before you start making calls. OpenWay is a free-to-use marketplace for NDIS participants and families, where you can browse employment support providers across Australia, read provider profiles, and send enquiries directly.

If you are a support coordinator helping a participant explore employment pathways, the coordinator workspace on OpenWay is designed to make shortlisting and sharing options with participants straightforward.

OpenWay does not deliver supports, manage plan funds, or make placement decisions. It is simply a place to find and compare providers so you can make an informed choice.

OpenWay is not part of the NDIS, NDIA or NDIS Commission. Final scope, pricing, travel, cancellation rules and non-face-to-face charges must be confirmed in a written service agreement between the participant (or their authorised support person) and the provider.