Workscope
[Issue 18, May 2005]

The Willing And Able Mentoring Program (WAM) - A Great Opportunity For Students With A Disability

The Willing and Able Mentoring (WAM) Program are giving university students with a disability the opportunity to interact with mentors from leading organisations in the students' field of interest. Each student will be mentored for a series of approximately eight discussion meetings, for around 1 to 2 hrs, during Semester 2 of the given year.

During the mentor discussion meetings the following strategies will be focused on:

• Gathering information about the career environment they are heading towards
• Refining interview skills
• Experiencing the workplace culture (e.g. staff meetings)
• Developing better skills in presenting a professional profile
• Disclosure and demystifying disability and related workplace issues (e.g. workplace modifications).

Below are examples of the mentor organisations, which have participated so far…….

National Australia Bank, Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens, Victoria Police, Queensland Police, IBM, Telstra, The Children's Hospitals in Melbourne and Sydney, Baker and McKenzie Solicitors (Melbourne and Sydney offices), Senator Lyn Allison, Business Enterprise Centres SA Inc., Westpac Sydney, Australian Council of Trade Unions, Royal Australian Institute of Architects, Disability Discrimination Legal Service, Sheraton Towers Hotel, AusAid in Canberra, Peach Marketing Consultants Sydney, Various state and federal government departments, The ABC, Holden, Hewlett-Packard Corporation, Environment Protection Authority Rockhampton, Western Australia Institute of Sport, and many more.

Interested In Applying?

For the latest information on the WAM Application Form and WAM guidelines visit: http://www.gradlink.edu.au/content/view/full/318/

Or contact Robyn Gleeson in the Careers Service or rgleeson@uow.edu.au

Other Helpful Websites

• The Disability Employment Action Centre (DEAC)
  Website: www.deac.org.au
• Australian Federal Government Initiative designed to help jobseekers with a disability
  Website: www.jobable.gov.au