At Warrah Specialist School, preparing young people for life beyond school is an essential part of education.
For senior students in our Transition Program (Years 10 – 12), learning does not only happen in the classroom. Through meaningful work experience and community-based learning, students have opportunities to develop practical skills and begin to understand what it means to contribute to a workplace.
These opportunities are particularly important for young people with disability, who continue to face significant barriers to employment. In Australia, 56% of people aged 15–64 with disability were employed in 2022, compared with 82% of people without disability. People with disability were also more than twice as likely to be unemployed*.
For young people with moderate to severe intellectual disability and complex learning needs, opportunities to experience real workplaces can be especially valuable. Work experience provides a chance to practise skills in authentic environments, learn from supervisors and colleagues, build familiarity with workplace routines and discover personal strengths and interests.
Thank you to our community partners
We are incredibly grateful to the organisations that have welcomed our students and provided opportunities for them to learn in real workplace settings.
A special thank you goes to Kings Langley Adventist Aged Care, where our Transition students attend each Monday. We have been visiting the service since 2024, and the relationship has provided students with a range of meaningful work experiences over the past three years.
Currently, students are helping to water and maintain the gardens while also developing their customer service skills by assisting residents during lunchtime.
Transition teacher, Monique Anderson explains:
“The Transition Class students are developing a wide range of practical, work-based skills at Adventist Aged Care. They are building their customer service skills by serving residents their lunch, while also drawing on skills developed through their experiences at the Warrah Biodynamic Farm by helping to maintain and water the surrounding gardens.
The benefits extend well beyond learning individual work tasks.
It has been wonderful to see the students bring a smile to the residents’ day as they engage with them during lunchtime. Giving back to the community has also been a highlight for our senior students, who are developing a strong sense of purpose and understanding of ‘why we work’ through these meaningful experiences.”
We are deeply appreciative of the staff and residents at Kings Langley Adventist Aged Care for welcoming our students and recognising the value of creating opportunities for young people with disability to participate in their community.
Building skills through real work
During Semester 1, our students also attended Access Industries, where they participated in practical workplace activities including sorting and packing products such as toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner and coffee sachets.
The students developed skills ranging from following instructions and persisting with tasks to completing multi-step processes with gradually reduced prompting.
These experiences build upon the practical and vocational learning that takes place across Warrah, including experiences on our biodynamic farm, organic farm shop and artisan bakery, as well as through other community-based activities.
We have also worked with organisations including Endeavour Foundation and Scope Disability Services, where students have participated in a variety of workplace activities. These have included sorting materials, assembling products, packing goods and completing tasks for external organisations and businesses.
Each workplace is different, and that is part of the value.
Students have opportunities to experience different environments, meet new people and practise adapting their skills to new tasks and expectations.
Could your organisation provide an opportunity?
We would love to hear from businesses, organisations and community groups that may be interested in supporting our Transition students through meaningful work experience opportunities.
Opportunities do not need to be large or complicated. Depending on the workplace and individual students involved, they might include practical tasks such as gardening, packing, sorting, retail or other workplace activities.
With the right support and a willingness to think creatively, workplaces can provide valuable opportunities for young people to develop practical skills, confidence and a greater understanding of the world of work.
We sincerely thank Kings Langley Adventist Aged Care, Access Industries, Endeavour Foundation, Scope Disability Services and the many organisations and community partners who have opened their doors to Warrah students and supported their learning beyond the classroom.
If your business or organisation may be interested in providing a work experience opportunity for students at Warrah Specialist School, please contact the school office to start a conversation.
Together, we can help create more opportunities for young people with intellectual disability to build skills, discover their strengths and develop a sense of purpose as they prepare for life beyond school.
