Published on 20/05/2008

Article Written by Karl King

VRS in its current form was launched in July 2007, and is the government funded initiative to combine vocational rehabilitation with employment assistance to help people who have an injury, disability or health condition to work independently in the open labour market.

Vocational Rehabilitation Services cont. 1

The focus of VRS is to assist the job seeker to understand, compensate for, or manage their injury and the resulting limitations or restrictions they may face. It helps the job seeker build work capacity and avoid re-injury. A jobseeker is referred to VRS after a comprehensive assessment from a Job Capacity Assessor (JCA) where all medical conditions have been disclosed, identified and proven. These jobseekers would normally not fit the usual mould of the Job Network or Disability employment Networks. Work capacity hours in VRS can vary from 8-22 hours per week.

Previously, the difficulty was where do these job seekers fit? They are not exempt from seeking work, they are activity tested and have to comply with appointments, and they do not qualify for Disability Support Pension, and are not readily available for numerous appointments with a Job Network service.

The difference in VRS compared to other services is the level of support given to each candidate.Although the VRS contract adheres to the Disability Services Act, it is a service that fits nicely between a Disability Employment Network provider and a Job Network Service. The level of support (due to the nature of the conditions in VRS) is more flexible towards jobseekers. With two consultants assessing both medical issues and employment needs with an intervention plan that at any stage could override their capacity to find or seek work, it gives the jobseeker not only support, but options, if life were to change.

Vocational Rehabilitation Services cont. 2

Have you considered working within this sector?

Employment Consultants and Rehabilitation Consultants are positions that can often be filled by people who have worked in other employment services ie. PSP, Job Network, DEN. The purpose of these positions is to provide an intervention plan encompassing the client's medical conditions and current treatment practises (eg. Yoga, walking, Physiotherapy, Chiropractics).

Once referred to VRS the jobseeker will be assessed by a Rehabilitation Consultant (RC) who will start the process, and then, usually the Employment Consultant will take over building and designing a strategy for accessing employment opportunities.

Usually the jobseekers are very responsive as they are comforted by speaking with professionals who understand their medical conditions.

Vocational Rehabilitation Services cont. 3

The 3 stages of support in VRS

Assessment – How the disability or injury affects the client in the workplace.
Development of Personal Intervention Plan - Understanding the injury or restrictions to develop strategies to improve the management of these challenges.
Employment Preparation and Job Search – Facilitated access to vocational training, or work experience, while helping you find a job which matches your skills and work capacity

As you can see, the stages of support are not dissimilar from other programs in Employment Services, and people with experience in other complementary fields often slip straight into this sector. Candidates we have placed in this area have commented on the way this sector extends their knowledge and requires them to be more creative and think outside the box. Caseloads are typically smaller and require more focussed attention. Salaries are usually higher too! This is a rewarding and growing sector, so if you are interested in being considered for vacancies in this area, please contact the Marker Consulting office in your state.

If you want to read more, try: www.workplace.gov.au/workplace/Programmes/VocationalRehabServices/