Employment supports for people with disabilities

There are supports available to help you in your career

Written by spunout

Factsheet

Fact checked by experts and reviewed by young people.

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If you have a disability, it is not always immediately obvious what services are provided to help you with your job hunt or work life. This employment guide includes information about supports available to you.

Job seeking support for people with disabilities

If you need help finding a job, there is support available.

EmployAbility Service

If you have a disability, illness or injury and want to find a job, the EmployAbility Service can provide you with support. The service can help you both before and after you get a job. The EmployAbility Service works through sponsor organisations in local communities on behalf of the Department of Social Protection (DSP).

If you access the service, you will mainly be working with a job coach. Their job coaches take a hands-on role to ensure that clients have the best chance of obtaining employment, and their functions include:

CV/interview preparation
Finding work experience opportunities
Accompaniment to interviews
Travel training to prepare clients for their daily commute to work
On-the-job support, and ensuring that you’re provided a suitable workplace

EmployAbility tries to source jobs that meet candidates’ experience, qualifications and working requirements. They will also inform you of various grants available to you such as readers, interpreters and Back To Work allowances. They also offer advice on specialised transport services and personal assistants.

Find out more about EmployAbility and how it can support you.

WAM and Get AHEAD

The Association for Higher Education Access and Disability (AHEAD) delivers the Willing Able Mentoring (WAM) programme and the Get AHEAD programme for third-level students and graduates with disabilities.

The Get AHEAD programme aims to upskill graduates with disabilities by providing training and information on things such as interview preparation, writing a CV and more. Find out more about Get AHEAD.

WAM is a work placement programme that connects graduates with disabilities with employers through paid and mentored work placements. Find out more about the WAM programme.

Intreo

Intreo is the name of the Public Employment Service in Ireland. It is responsible for managing a range of resources around employment and income support. Your local Intreo Centre can provide you with support and advice on job-seeking services and skills, relevant job vacancies, training opportunities, disability supports and grants and more. Find out more about Intreo.

National Learning Network (NLN)

The National Learning Network (NLN) is an initiative that offers free and flexible courses for anyone who is facing challenges in finding a job and is interested in learning new skills. This includes people with disabilities.

NLN courses cover a wide range of areas including Computer and IT, Horticulture and Environment and Career Exploration and Employment. You can access NLN courses in a variety of ways, including in your local NLN centre, with a local employer or from home via online learning. Find out more about the National Learning Network.

Community Employment Scheme

The CE Scheme helps people who are long-term unemployed or otherwise disadvantaged to get back to work. It does this by offering part-time and temporary work placements in local communities. By taking part in a CE scheme, you can gain new skills and experiences that may help you to find a job later on. Find out more about CE Schemes.

Grants available for people with disabilities

There are various grants available to people with disabilities who are looking for a job or are currently in employment.

If you have an interview and have a hearing or speech impairment, the Job Interview Interpreter Grant scheme can fund an interpreter.

If you are starting a job or are already working with a disability, you or your employer can apply for the Workplace Equipment and Adaptation Grant to adapt the workplace or to buy equipment. The Personal Reader Grant allows you to employ someone part-time to help you with work-related reading during your work day. The grant covers a personal reader for a maximum of 640 hours of work a year, paid at the national minimum wage.

Need more information?

We are here to answer your questions and talk through your options. Our online chat service is for 16 to 25 year olds and is available Monday to Friday, 4pm to 8pm. Chat to us now about your situation.