Mainstream Employment Programme

About the Mainstream Employment Programme

The Mainstream Employment Programme provides a package of subsidies, training, and other support to help people with significant disabilities get work.  By taking part in the Programme, employers are tapping into the benefits of employing someone with a disability and future-proofing their workforce.

What the Mainstream Employment Programme provides

• A 100% salary subsidy for the first year of employment, and 80% of the salary for the second year.
• Funding for external training for Mainstream participants and their direct supervisors.
• Funding to meet participants’ adaptive technology or specialised assistance costs.
• An advice and referral service for employers and Mainstream participants.
• Follow-up support for participants and their direct supervisors.

News and events about Mainstream

Why the Programme exists

• Mainstream helps to ensure that the State sector workforce reflects the make-up of the people it serves, and the private sector workforce reflects the make-up of its customers and clients.
• It empowers employers to feel confident about giving work opportunities to people with disabilities.
• It gives people with disabilities and little work experience the chance to show they are an asset to the workforce.
• It is a stepping-stone to independent sustainable employment for people with disabilities.

Features of the Programme

• It's a four-way partnership among Work and Income, supported employment agents (disability employment experts), employers, and people with disabilities.
• Positions must be created and, in the case of State sector placements, are outside of the staff allocation or staff cap.
• The specially-created positions are tailored to the skills and aptitude of the participants, and the needs of the employers.
• Participants are not expected to be 'job-ready' when they start. They are trained on the job and have access to extra training funding from Mainstream.
• Pay is comparable to the pay of others performing similar duties.
• Knowledge and skills are built up over time, with the support and goodwill of co-workers.
• After two years, it is expected that participants will be much better equipped to compete for advertised vacancies. 
• No guarantee of on-going employment is expected but most participants go on to get sustainable employment.
• Mainstream participants work throughout New Zealand, from large cities like Wellington to small centres like Kaikohe.

Principles of Supported Employment

Mainstream subscribes to the principles of Supported Employment, which are:

1. Placement First, followed by Training and Support

The traditional approach of assessment, training and placement is reversed. Rather than being concerned with whether people are work-ready, people who experience significant disability are placed in employment and then training and support needs are established and met.

2. Ongoing Support

The establishment of natural support mechanisms with colleagues like your supervisor and workmates are essential to successful employment.

Employers provide:

• Supervision and support;
• The same training they would provide to other employees; and
• Additional training not provided to other staff, to enhance the participant's ability to gain permanent employment.

3. Financial Remuneration

Mainstream Participants get the same rate of pay as anyone else completing similar tasks.

4. Universal Eligibility

All people should have the right to employment.

5. Integrated Settings

People who experience disability(s) have the right to employment alongside people without disabilities.

6. Career Development

Mainstream Participants have the right to choose their own career path.

There is more information about the principles of Supported Employment on the website of the Association of Supported Employment in New Zealand.

Mainstream Internship Programme

The Mainstream Internship Programme provides a subsidy and other support to enable employers to employ disabled students in short-term internships in their chosen field of study.

Questions and answers about Mainstream

You can find the answers to some common questions here, or contact Work and Income.

Four-way partnership

There are four key parties involved in the placement of people who experience significant disability under the Mainstream Employment Programme. You can read about their roles and responsbilities below.

Contact the Mainstream Employment Programme

Phone: 0800 559 009

Links to more information about Mainstream