ACPET launches DVD for employers in Tasmania

Monday, November 25 2013

Last week ACPET launched a DVD for employers entitled:

Having the Conversation: The benefits of employing staff with a disability

The DVD presents inspiring case studies of three Tasmanian employers that have employed staff with a disability and have never looked back, namely:

•    McDonalds North Hobart
•    Ravenswood Community Garden, Launceston and
•    MEGT, based in both Hobart and Launceston.

These stories show that employing staff with a disability not only brings benefits to the individuals concerned, but also to the organisation as a whole. The DVD seeks to dispel the myths and misconceptions about what people with a disability can and can’t do in the work place and about the perceived difficulties, costs and barriers for employers. On the contrary, it shows that employees with a disability are often more committed, have fewer days off, have higher retention rates, perform just as well, and have no more injuries than other staff, becoming an asset to any organisation. The purpose of the DVD is to influence employers positively towards engaging staff with a disability, when they realise what an asset they represent for the small businesses in these three examples.

The DVD was launched jointly by the ACPET Director for Tasmania Nicole Gayewski with the CEO of the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Michael Bailey, who hosted the event. The launch was well attended by employers, RTOs, staff of Skills Tasmania and Disability Employment Service providers, in addition to the project partners and people featured in the DVD.  WIN TV Tasmania filmed the launch and screened the story the following evening.

ACPET expresses its appreciation for the three employers and their staff who participated so generously in sharing their story. The DVD was developed in partnership with MEGT and the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI) and was filmed by Roar, a local Tasmanian film production company, with funding from Skills Tasmania.

The DVD will be accessible form the ACPET website shortly.

If you would like to create a link to the video on your website please contact Joy.Deleo@acpet.edu.au 

ACPET Director for Tasmania Nicole Gayewski                 Guests attending the DVD launch  including employers and some of the staff 

launching the DVD in Hobart                                         featured in the DVD.