Mainstream Supported Employment Programme
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Overview of the programme
The Mainstream Programme facilitates employment opportunities for people who experience significant disability. All placements are created within selected State sector organisations.
Mainstream is a Supported Employment Programme. This means that participants are not expected to be "job ready" when they are placed into employment. Instead they are trained on the job and also have access to extra funding for training from the Mainstream Programme.
Pay is comparable to the pay of others performing similar duties. Knowledge and skills are built up over time, with the support and good will of co-workers.
Mainstream works in collaboration with a variety of placement agencies to negotiate the creation of positions, which are subsidised for two years.
State sector employers eligible for Mainstream placements are paid a 100% salary subsidy for the first year of employment. This subsidy decreases to 50% in the second year of Mainstream Programme support.
After two years, it is expected that Mainstream participants will have gained the knowledge, skills and experience necessary to compete for employment on their own merit. Research shows that about 69% of Mainstream participants are still in employment up to five years after the completion of their Mainstream placements.
There are over 230 Mainstream participants working in various State sector organisations throughout New Zealand. Not all of these people live and work in large cities. Mainstream participants also work in areas such as Kaikohe, Gisborne, Palmerston North, Timaru and Invercargill.
Although some of the created positions gained through the Mainstream Programme are at a basic clerical level, a growing proportion are in such diverse areas as case and project management, technical support and various roles within the education sector.
The Mainstream Programme features:
- a 100% salary subsidy paid to State sector employers, for the first 12 months of the Mainstream placement.
- a 50% salary subsidy paid to State sector employers, for the second year of the Mainstream placement.
- access to funding for external training for Mainstream participant and direct supervisors.
- funding to meet the cost of adaptive technology or specialised assistance for Mainstream participants.
- induction training for Mainstream participants and direct supervisors.
- an advice and referral service for employers and Mainstream participants.
- Follow-up support for direct supervisors and Mainstream participants.
People employed in subsidised placements through the Mainstream Programme gain access to training, ongoing advice and support, and experience in the workforce that provides them with good prospects for open employment at the end of their placements.
For further information and Mainstream publications, contact the Mainstream Programme on 0800MSTREAM (678 732) , e-mail mainstream@msd.govt.nz or write to the Mainstream Programme Manager at the Ministry of Social Development, PO Box 1556, Wellington.
Roles and Responsibilities
There are four key parties involved in the placement of people who experience significant disability under the auspices of the Mainstream Programme.
These are the Mainstream Programme, the placement specialist, the Mainstream participant and the employer.
The role of the Mainstream Programme is to:
- Assess applications for Mainstream eligibility and either approve or decline these, within ten working days;
- Set start dates for placements, where eligibility is confirmed and funding is available;
- Complete all relevant placement documentation;
- Provide reimbursement of salary subsidies to employers;
- Support programme participants, by providing access to advice, information and training;
- Make induction training available to Mainstream Programme participants and direct supervisors;
- Provide programme related training and information to placement specialists; and
- Market the Mainstream Programme to potential participants, eligible State sector organisations and disability sector agencies.
The role of the placement specialist is to:
- Ensure that Application for Placement and Disclosure forms are fully completed, signed, and sent to the Mainstream Programme Manager;
- Contact eligible organisations to discuss the creation of Mainstream positions for eligible clients;
- Negotiate all placement start dates with the Mainstream Office Administrator (each placement start date will be confirmed once a Memorandum of Agreement has been signed between the Mainstream Programme and the employing organisation);
- Complete and send the Placement Application form to the Mainstream Office Administrator (including the Job Description Template provided);
- Provide a placement review to the Mainstream casework advisor at the conclusion of the first three months of the placement; and
- Ensure ongoing support is available to the Mainstream participant on request.
The role of the Mainstream participant is to:
- Take part in training opportunities offered, both by the employer and by the Mainstream Programme;
- Abide by the code of conduct for the State Services - Standards of Integrity and Conduct;
- Comply with the requirements of the Employment Agreement and any general policies and procedures of the employer;
- Complete six monthly Placement Progress Reviews and return these to the Mainstream Programme for evaluation; and
- Apply for advertised positions as these become available throughout the course of the placement.
The role of the employer is to:
- Ensure that all Mainstream Programme documentation is completed, including the Mainstream Memorandum of Agreement and six monthly Placement Progress Reviews
- Provide the Mainstream participant with an Employment Agreement setting out their terms and conditions of employment in accordance with the Employment Relations Act 2000
- Comply with the requirements of the Employment Agreement and act as a good employer
- Provide accurate salary subsidy claims to the Mainstream Programme
- Take part in induction training provided by the Mainstream Programme
- Provide on-the-job training to the Mainstream participant, over and above the usual amount
- Plan for the eventual tenure of the Mainstream participant, if at all possible.
Real Work for Real Pay - 30 years of Mainstream Partnerships
Real Work for Real Pay is a history of the Mainstream Programme published to mark the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Mainstream Supported Employment Programme. It is published on this website here, and can be viewed online or printed/downloaded.
Mainstream FAQs - for people who experience disability
How do Mainstream placements work?
A job is created by a State sector employer for a two year period and the Mainstream participant is trained on the job.
What is the State sector?
Public Service departments, such as Work and Income and IRD and most Crown Entities, like hospitals, universities and polytechnics.
Are all people with disabilities eligible for Mainstream placements?
No, eligibility is assessed by Mainstream and needs to be applied for by an employment specialist in writing.
Basic Criteria however are:
- You must experience significant disability and employment options must be limited.
- If in paid employment, you must have been working less than 15 hours per week during the last 6 months.
Who do I talk to about applying for Mainstream eligibility?
A placement specialist from a local supported employment agency in your area.
Will my disability be disclosed to people other than Mainstream Programme staff?
Yes, you will need to complete a Mainstream Disclosure Form, giving permission for disability related information to be provided to any future supervisor and manager, if a Mainstream placement is created for you.
What subsidy does Mainstream provide?
A 100% salary subsidy for year one and 50% for year two. Up to $2000 is also available for extra training in each year of the placement.
Does Mainstream meet the cost of adaptive equipment?
Yes, the Mainstream Programme will meet some costs of disability in employment for Mainstream Programme participants. An application form is available from the Mainstream office.
Who pays Mainstream participants?
The organisation employing the participant pays the salary and Mainstream reimburses the organisation monthly.
What rate of pay is expected?
The same rate as anyone else performing similar duties.
What are the minimum hours that can be worked each week?
Anything from five hours per week up to full-time. Many people begin Mainstream placements on a small number of hours and build this up over several months.
What are the minimum hours that can be worked each week?
Anything from five hours per week up to full-time. Many people begin Mainstream placements on a small number of hours and build this up over several months.
Does Mainstream provide ongoing support throughout the placement?
Yes, each participant and supervisor is assigned a Mainstream casework advisor. The casework advisor monitors and supports each placement. The placement specialist originally involved in setting up the position also maintains contact.
If I've already been on Mainstream before, can I have another placement?
This depends on the particular circumstances surrounding the previous placement. Generally, a minimum of five years must have elapsed since the conclusion of your last Mainstream placement, before you can apply for another one.
How can I get more information?
Contact the Mainstream Programme by phoning: 0800MSTREAM (678 732), faxing: 04 918 0103 or e-mailing: mainstream@msd.govt.nz
