Written by the Good Company Disability Services team, NDIS mentoring providers in Perth and Melbourne. Reviewed October 2026.
Moving from school to work or study is one of the biggest changes a young person with disability will make. The NDIS can help through School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES), which are usually available for up to two years after leaving school, along with mentoring, employment supports and microenterprise support. The best transitions start planning in the final years of school, build real skills like travel, routines and confidence, and include real work experience, not just workshops.
This guide explains each step, what the NDIS can fund, and how a mentor can help a young person move from school into work, study or their own small business.
Why the school-to-work transition matters
School provides structure, routine and familiar people. When it ends, all of that changes at once. For many young people with disability, especially autistic young people, those with ADHD or anyone who finds new situations stressful, the gap between school and adult life can feel huge.
Good transition support fills that gap with a plan, practice and a trusted person to work alongside. The aim is not just a job, but the skills that make work last: getting there on time, managing a routine, talking to a boss and knowing what to do when something goes wrong.
What NDIS supports can help?
| Support | What it helps with | When |
|---|---|---|
| School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES) | Work readiness, work experience, travel to work, workplace skills and confidence | Usually for up to two years after leaving school |
| Finding and Keeping a Job | Job searching, applications, interviews and support to stay in a job | When you are ready to look for or keep work |
| Mentoring and life skills | Routines, independent travel, money, communication and confidence | Any time, often alongside SLES |
| Microenterprise support | Planning, setting up and running a small business | When self-employment suits your goals |
Outside the NDIS, Inclusive Employment Australia, which replaced Disability Employment Services on 1 November 2025, can also help people with disability find and keep work. TAFEs and universities have disability support services for students too.
Read more in our SLES funding guide.
How to plan the transition, step by step
1. Start talking about goals in Years 10 to 12
What does the young person enjoy? What are they good at? What would a good week look like after school? Add work or study goals to the NDIS plan early, so the right supports can be funded at the next plan reassessment.
2. Plan SLES in the final year
Talk with your planner, local area coordinator or support coordinator about SLES. Look for a provider that offers real work experience and one-to-one support, not only group workshops.
3. Build the skills around work
Many jobs are lost because of the things around the work, not the work itself. Practise catching public transport, getting up on time, packing lunch, using a phone to manage shifts and asking for help.
4. Try real work
Work experience, volunteering or a small paid role builds confidence faster than anything else. A mentor can go along at first, then step back as confidence grows.
5. Choose the next step
That might be a job, a TAFE course, university or a microenterprise. There is no single right path. The best path is the one that fits the young person’s goals and strengths.
How a mentor helps
A mentor is a steady, trusted person who works alongside the young person through each stage. At Good Company, that means:
- One regular mentor matched on goals, interests and personality, introduced in person before sessions start
- Practice in real places, like the bus route to work, the TAFE campus or the first shifts in a new job
- Skills handed over step by step, so the young person needs less help over time
- Neurodiversity-affirming support that works with how the young person thinks and communicates
- A team behind every mentor, so support keeps going if their mentor is away
We offer SLES, employment support and mentoring in person across Perth and Melbourne, and online across Australia. Not sure we’re the right fit? Take our 1-minute check.
Frequently asked questions
When should we start planning the move from school to work?
Ideally from Year 10 or 11. Adding work and study goals to the NDIS plan early gives time for the right supports to be funded before school ends.
How long is SLES funded for?
SLES is usually available for up to two years after a young person leaves school. Check the details for your plan with your planner, local area coordinator or support coordinator.
What happens after SLES?
Many people move into a job with Finding and Keeping a Job support, start TAFE or university, or start a small business with microenterprise support. Mentoring can continue alongside any of these.
Can a mentor come to work experience or the first day of a job?
Yes, where the workplace agrees. A mentor can help with the first few shifts, then step back as the young person settles in.
Is SLES only for people who want a regular job?
No. SLES builds work readiness, which helps whether the next step is a job, further study or your own business.
Sources and further reading
- NDIS: Leaving school
- Services Australia: Inclusive Employment Australia
- Good Company: SLES funding guide
This article is general information only and was current at 31 October 2026. NDIS rules, and how they apply to individual plans, can change, and we can’t guarantee the article is complete or up to date. It is not advice about your plan and you should not rely on it to make decisions about your supports. Check ndis.gov.au, call the NDIS on 1800 800 110, or speak with your support coordinator or plan manager. Good Company Disability Services is an independent provider and is not affiliated with the NDIS or the NDIA.
