School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES)
Empowering Young People with Disability to Thrive Beyond School
NDIS-funded Transition to Work Program
At Good Company Disability Services, we understand that the transition from school to adult life is both exciting and challenging—especially for young people living with disability. Our School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES) program is designed to bridge the gap between school and employment, empowering young people to discover their potential, develop valuable life and work skills, and take their next steps with confidence and clarity.
Whether your goal is to gain open employment, participate in supported work, enrol in further training, or become more independent in the community, our SLES team is here to walk alongside you.
What is SLES?
SLES is a specialised, capacity-building support funded under the NDIS Core Supports – Finding and Keeping a Job category. It is designed specifically for NDIS participants aged 16–22 years who are preparing to leave, or have recently left, secondary school and are not yet ready for open employment.
Rather than pushing people into work before they’re ready, SLES provides the foundational life and employment skills needed to build readiness step by step. Participants work toward realistic, individualised employment goals with the support of qualified, experienced staff.
What Supports Are Included?
Our SLES program is flexible and tailored to each participant’s goals and support needs. Depending on your individual plan and aspirations, supports may include:
Work Readiness Training
Our Work Readiness Training equips participants with the essential life and interpersonal skills they’ll need to thrive in the workplace—and in daily life. We know that before someone can succeed at a job, they need to feel confident, capable, and in control of their routines and relationships. That’s why we focus on practical, foundational development in a supportive environment.
Key Areas of Focus:
Communication and Active Listening
We help participants learn how to express themselves clearly and respectfully, listen to others, ask for help when needed, and respond appropriately in workplace conversations. Whether it’s greeting a colleague or participating in a team meeting, strong communication builds connection and professionalism.
⏰ Time Management and Routines
Participants learn to manage their day effectively—understanding how to be on time, stick to schedules, prioritise tasks, and stay on track during a shift. We use visual supports, planners, apps and role-play to practise real-world timekeeping skills.
Organisational Skills
From remembering appointments to keeping a work bag tidy, we explore strategies to stay organised in both life and work settings. These skills help participants reduce stress, take initiative, and increase their independence.
Self-Motivation and Confidence Building
Through personal goal-setting, positive feedback, and small wins, we build self-esteem and encourage a growth mindset. We support participants to recognise their achievements, overcome self-doubt, and believe in their ability to contribute meaningfully.
Stress Management and Emotional Regulation
Learning to handle challenges, frustration, and change is vital for employment success. We work can support you to implement therapist tools and techniques to recognise emotions, stay calm under pressure, and bounce back from setbacks—whether it’s dealing with a busy shift or receiving constructive feedback.
Employment Preparation
Our Employment Preparation sessions are all about getting job-ready with practical, hands-on support. We take the mystery out of applying for work and build real confidence in each participant’s ability to approach and succeed in employment settings.
Core Support Areas:
Resume and Cover Letter Development
Participants are supported to create professional, personalised resumes that highlight their strengths, experiences, and goals. We also assist with writing clear and engaging cover letters tailored to specific job types or industries.
Mock Interviews and Feedback Sessions
We offer regular opportunities to practise job interviews in a safe, supportive space. Participants learn how to answer common questions, present themselves with confidence, and receive constructive, encouraging feedback to improve with each attempt.
💼 Understanding Employer Expectations
From punctuality to workplace behaviour, we explore what employers look for in a great team member. We help participants understand how to follow instructions, ask questions, take responsibility, and contribute positively to a team environment.
Identifying Suitable Job Types
Not every job is right for every person—and that’s okay. We work with participants to explore their interests, strengths, sensory preferences and communication styles to identify the types of work environments and roles they may enjoy and succeed in.
Navigating Workplace Rights and Responsibilities
We support participants to be informed about their workplace rights under the law, including fair pay, safety, inclusion and how to speak up if something feels wrong. We also cover responsibilities like dress code, workplace conduct, and respecting others.
How SLES Funding Works in 2026
School leaver employment supports are still part of the NDIS in 2026. The NDIS now mostly talks about them as employment assistance: help to build work skills, try work experience, manage barriers to work, connect with employers and make a career plan. The WA Department of Education’s career pathways guide for families (March 2026) still uses the name SLES and says it is available in the final years of school and straight after leaving school.
Where it sits in your plan
Employment assistance comes from the Finding and keeping a job category in your Capacity Building budget. The NDIS describes this funding as time-limited support for working age participants to find and keep a job. Capacity Building funding is a stated support, so you cannot move money from another category to pay for it.
What it costs per hour
In the NDIS Pricing Schedule 2026-27 (effective 24 September 2026), the Employment Assistance item (10_016_0102_5_3) has a price limit of $83.87 an hour nationally, with higher limits in remote and very remote areas. A price limit is the most a provider can charge, so it helps to ask each provider what they charge.
How much funding you get
There is no single set amount for every school leaver. Your provider completes a typical pattern of supports that sets out how often and how intensively they will support you, so the right funding can be included in your plan. Once you have funding, the provider writes a tailored support plan with you and puts it in a service agreement.
Turning Possibility into Progress: Your Path to Employment
At Good Company Disability Services, we believe that everyone has something valuable to offer—and that with the right support, every young person can find their place in the world of work.
Through our School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES) program, we don’t just teach job skills—we unlock potential, nurture strengths, and walk alongside young people as they take confident steps toward a future filled with opportunity.
Imagine What's Possible
What if your dream job wasn’t just a dream?
What if you had the skills, the plan, and the people behind you to help you get there?
Whether you want to work with animals, serve customers, become a barista, fix cars, work in tech, or build your own small business—we’re here to help you take that vision and turn it into a reality.
Your journey might not look like everyone else’s—and that’s perfectly okay. We meet you where you are and help you move at your pace, toward goals that truly matter to you.
SLES in Perth and Melbourne
Good Company delivers SLES in person through mentors in Perth and Melbourne, including the Mornington Peninsula. Because sessions happen in your local area, you can practise the real things: the bus or train trip to a workplace, finding your way around a shopping strip, or getting ready for a work experience day.
- Perth: see our SLES in Perth page for local information.
- Melbourne: see our SLES in Melbourne page, which also covers the Mornington Peninsula.
- Other states: we offer remote support by phone or video, which can suit planning, resumes and interview practice.
Not sure if we cover your suburb? Call 08 9334 6995 (Perth) or (03) 9069 7866 (Melbourne), or use our contact page and we will let you know.
Who is Eligible?
You may be eligible for SLES if:
You are in your final years of school or have recently left school
You have an NDIS plan with Finding and Keeping a Job funding for school leaver employment supports
You are not yet ready for open employment but are motivated to develop skills for work or training
You would benefit from a transition period to build confidence, social capacity, and workplace readiness
If you’re unsure whether you or your family member qualifies, contact us—we’re happy to guide you through the eligibility process or liaise with your support coordinator or LAC.
Applying for SLES: Steps for Families and Year 12 Students
The NDIS Work and study supports guideline encourages you to think about work goals during your last few years of school. To fund supports for work, the NDIS needs a work goal in your plan. Here is how the process usually works.
- Talk about work early. Share your interests, what you have tried and what you find hard. Families, teachers and support coordinators can help you put this into words.
- Tell your my NDIS contact or planner. Say you want a work goal and employment supports in your next plan. If you need a change to your current plan, ask them about it.
- Give them the details. The NDIS asks what help you need beyond what your school, employer or other programs provide. Supports your school is responsible for are not funded by the NDIS.
- Choose a provider. Ask people you trust or your support coordinator, search online for SLES providers near you, and meet more than one provider if you can.
- Agree on a plan. Your provider completes the typical pattern of supports and a service agreement with you, including your goal, barriers, how often you meet and when you review progress.
- Track progress. Providers report on your work goal and progress. At your plan reassessment, your my NDIS contact talks with you about whether you need more funding.
More detail is in the NDIS guide to employment and its guide to employment support for young participants.
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School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES) FAQ
What is SLES?
School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES) is NDIS funding that helps young people with disability move from school into work. It pays for time-limited, practical support to build the skills, confidence and experience needed to get a job.
Who can get SLES funding?
SLES is for NDIS participants who are finishing school or have recently left, and who need more support before they are ready for work. It has to be included in your NDIS plan. If it isn’t in your plan yet, ask for it at your next planning meeting or plan reassessment.
Can I start SLES while I’m still at school?
Planning can start in your final year, so support is ready when school finishes. Talk to your school, your support coordinator or your NDIS planner early, and get in touch with us so we can line up a mentor.
How long does SLES last?
There is no fixed time limit. The NDIS describes this funding as time-limited support, and your planner decides how much is included in each plan based on your goals and progress. Some people are ready for work sooner. We review your goals with you regularly, so the support matches where you are up to.
How is SLES funded?
SLES sits in the Capacity Building budget of your NDIS plan, under Finding and Keeping a Job. Our rates are on our Service Fees page, and you get a written quote before anything starts.
Can Good Company support me if my plan is NDIA-managed?
Not currently. We are an unregistered provider, so we support participants whose plans are plan-managed or self-managed. If you’re not sure how your plan is managed, call us and we’ll help you check.
What will I do in SLES sessions?
That depends on your goals. It can include building a routine, travel training, writing a resume, practising interviews, visiting workplaces, and trying out different kinds of work to see what suits you.
Does SLES include work experience?
Yes. Where it fits your goals, we approach local employers and arrange work experience so you can practise your skills in a real workplace, with your mentor there to back you up.
Will SLES get me a job?
No provider can promise a job. SLES is about getting you ready for one. You finish with skills, experience, a resume and a clear idea of the work you want, and many participants go on to paid work, further study or an employment service.
What happens when SLES ends?
Your mentor helps you plan the next step before your funding finishes. That might be paid work, TAFE or other training, ongoing NDIS employment support, or a referral to Inclusive Employment Australia, the government service that replaced Disability Employment Services.
What is the difference between SLES and Inclusive Employment Australia?
SLES is funded through your NDIS plan and helps you build skills and confidence before you look for work. Inclusive Employment Australia is a separate government employment program that replaced Disability Employment Services on 1 November 2025. It helps people with disability, injury or a health condition find and keep a job. Many young people use SLES first, then move to Inclusive Employment Australia when they are closer to job-ready.
Can I change my SLES provider?
Yes. You choose your NDIS providers. The NDIS suggests you check your service agreement for the notice period, find a new provider before you leave so there is no gap, and then tell your current provider, plan manager and support coordinator. You can also update providers through your my NDIS contact or by calling the NDIS on 1800 800 110.
What should I bring to my first SLES meeting?
Bring a copy of your NDIS plan, your plan manager’s details if you have one, and anything that shows what you have already tried, like school reports, work experience feedback or a draft resume. It also helps to jot down a few jobs or tasks you enjoy and anything that worries you about work. A family member or trusted person is welcome to come too.
Is SLES affected by the October 2026 NDIS budget changes?
No. The NDIS has said employment supports are not affected by the budget reductions that began on 1 October 2026. Those reductions apply to Social, Economic and Community Participation and Improved Daily Living Skills budgets. Read our NDIS changes 2026 guide for the full picture.
What is a good SLES goal for my NDIS plan?
School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES) is NDIS funding that helps young people with disability move from school into work. It pays for time-limited, practical support to build the skills, confidence and experience needed to get a job.
Further reading
All articles- ArticleHow NDIS Employment Supports Can Help You Prepare for WorkFrom first steps to your first shift.Read article
- ArticleTop Skills to Build with NDIS Employment SupportThe work skills that make the biggest difference.Read article
- ArticleFinding and Keeping a Job Under the NDISHow the funding works and what support looks like.Read article
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