Opening Opportunities - The life-changing power of Customised Employment for people with disability

Opening Opportunities is a two-day national conference that will help you uncover employment opportunities for people with disability. The conference will feature speakers including families, young people with disability, and professionals from Australia and overseas who have opened opportunities using an approach called Customised Employment.

Customised Employment is a tried and true method when implemented with integrity, and it has been used locally and internationally. At this conference, you’ll see abundant evidence that it’s an approach that works. Our speakers will share their lived experiences of customising employment and provide practical tips you can start implementing immediately.

Learn more about the conference, speakers, and presentations on our main conference page

Why you should attend the Opening Opportunities conference

At the conference, you’ll be part of a supportive tribe of changemakers who share your values and are walking the same path. You will rub shoulders with families and professionals who can see people’s potential and believe in creating a better employment future.

So get away from your daily grind for two days and come away with

• the realisation that there’s an abundance of employment opportunities waiting to be discovered
• a greater understanding of how to map out a customised employment pathway
• various ways to create employment opportunities
• ways to navigate stigma about disability
• insights into how to identify a person’s interests in a way that leads to employment
• networking opportunities and ways to connect with other people after the conference.

This conference is perfect if you’re

• Overwhelmed (or underwhelmed!) by the limiting post-school options for students with disability
• Feeling stuck and worried that your family member might never be able to work
• Feeling disheartened by the limiting beliefs of others about your family member’s ability to be meaningfully employed
• A family member, a mentor or paid supporter, a professional, a prospective employer, or someone who wants everyone to be meaningfully and sustainably employed.

ACT educators and career advisors can claim up to 10 hours of professional development under TQI.

Learn more about the conference, speakers, and presentations on our main conference page

Conference details

• Date: Thursday, 25 and Friday, 26 May 2023
• Time: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on both days
• Location: Hotel Realm in Canberra
• Please plan to join us for a social networking event on Thursday evening, immediately after the end of Day 1

Please note there will be no live streaming of this event.

Tickets

Early bird rate (until 11:59 pm AEST on Thursday, 6 April 2023)

• Conference only – $150.00 for people with disability and family members
• Conference and Thursday evening networking event – $165.00 for people with disability and family members
• Conference only – $340.00 for professionals
• Conference and Thursday evening networking event – $355.00 for professionals
• Strictly no shared tickets

Standard rate (from 7 April 2023)

• Conference only – $180.00 for people with disability and family members
• Conference and Thursday evening networking event – $195.00 for people with disability and family members
• Conference only – $380.00 for professionals
• Conference and Thursday evening networking event – $395.00 for professionals
• Strictly no shared tickets

Subsidised (reduced-price) tickets are available. Please get in touch with Anne at anne@imaginemore.org.au to apply.

Learn more about the conference, speakers, and presentations on our main conference page