Empowerment through Employment
- Founding Vision: Co-founded in 2014, Jigsaw was inspired by Shane O’Reilly’s struggle to find work due to complex disability.
- The Participation Gap: Statistics show only 50.7% of women with disability participate in the labor force, compared to 56.1% of men.
- Double Discrimination: Women with disability face intersecting barriers of gender and disability, leading to higher rates of underemployment.
- NSW Grant Success: A July 2024 Women NSW grant has funded targeted employment training for women through to June 2026.
- Proven Outcomes: Across Australia, 91% of individuals supported by Jigsaw retain their employment overall.
- NDIS Challenges: Reforms and funding criteria can cause delays or leave some individuals without necessary support packages.
- Employer Confidence: Jigsaw emphasizes that most workplace adjustments are low-cost and simple to manage with expert guidance.
Every year, International Women’s Day shines a spotlight on gender equality, inclusion, and the advancement of women across all sectors of society.
Jigsaw is an Australian social enterprise co-founded in 2014 by siblings Laura and Jordan O’Reilly, alongside Paul Brown. The organisation was inspired by the experience of the O’Reillys’ brother, Shane, who lives with a complex disability and faced limited employment options after leaving school.
Determined to address this employment opportunity gap, and tackle the systemic failures of mainstream education, the founders built a business designed to ensure people with disability are represented across the workforce.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, labour force participation for males with disability (56.1%) exceeds that of females (50.7%). Employment rates differ, with 49.9% of males employed compared to 45.9% of females. Women with disability are more likely to experience underemployment and often face “double discrimination,” as gender and disability intercept.
In July 2024, Jigsaw received a Women NSW grant to deliver ten weeks of targeted employment training for women with disability through to June 2026.
Since then, seven women have received nearly 1,000 hours of employment training and ongoing support. Two participants have secured mainstream employment, while others are actively applying for roles.
Across Australia, 63% of Jigsaw’s open employment placements remain in their roles for 12 months or more and 91% of individuals supported retain their employment overall.
For Jigsaw, several challenges persist in ensuring employment opportunities to women with disability.
‘Many individuals face delays or insufficient support packages due to NDIS reforms, and some lack access to funding entirely if they do not meet specific NDIS criteria,’ said a Jigsaw representative.
Another notable limitation is managers hesitation to hire people with disability.
‘The reality is that most workplace adjustments are simple and low-cost. By accessing expert guidance and government-funded support, employers can replace ‘fear of the unknown’ with the confidence to manage adjustments effectively and safely.’
As International Women’s Day calls for collective action, Jigsaw’s promotes that investing in women with disability is helping piece together a more equitable workforce.
