Have you ever thought “Oh, that could be a great business idea” or “I’d love to make money from my hobby?”, but not know where to start? Putting a business idea into practice can be a daunting task. However, having the right resources and support can be the difference between a good idea and a successful business. This is where a platform like Enabled.vip can help.
What is Enabled.vip?
Enabled.vip encourages disability entrepreneurships by giving Australians with disability, their families, carers, and others within the disability community, a platform where they can monetise a hobby or craft, establish a gig-based micro business or even establish a small business.
Over the past few years, disability employment has been an increasingly more common topic of discussion. In fact, it’s not just within the disability community who have been pushing for equal employment opportunity for a very long time, but more recently within the Australian Government. The idea for the platform actually came while Col Chandler and Dr. Gary Allen were attending a Queensland Government Disability Employment event in 2019. During the event, they asked about disability entrepreneurship and what was being done in that area. The response (or lack of!) inspired the creation of Enabled.vip.
“The level of disability workforce engagement has remained stubbornly low compared to the workforce participation by the non-disabled. Over the last thirty years a succession of Australian governments have spent around one billion dollars and have only achieved an eight percent improvement. It is time for a disruptive change.” Dr. Gary Allen
How does it work?
Like most online platforms, you need to sign up to access the available resources and online content. Enabled.vip members have access to several resources to help them grow their hobby or small business, including:
One-to-one business advisory support (by an Australian business person with disability)
An internal peer support discussion board
Resource library
Monthly webinars and online events
Capacity Building Workshops developed by Griffith University
Monthly blog and quarterly newsletter
An online marketplace linked to Fiverr.com
Sounds good… but at what cost?
Depending on what your needs are, you can opt for a free or a paid membership with Enabled.vip. If you’re unsure about joining or still in the research and learning phase, starting with the free option gives you access to 80% of the online resources.
Although the platform isn’t limited to NDIS participants, if you are a participant then you may be able to use your plan funding to cover the cost of the paid membership ($10 per month). This cost falls under Community Engagement or Employment budgets.
Why is a platform like this so important?
For some people with disability, capacity to work may need to be evaluated on a day-to-day basis. As a result, this can make it more challenging to work a part-time or casual role in a more “traditional” work environment. Through disability entrepreneurship and a platform like Enabled.vip, people with disability can use their marketable skills, experience, and networks to engage within the community and develop their skills in a working environment.
The platform also aims to assist members in pursuing financial independence, as well as improve social engagement and mental health.
Read more about the benefits of working with an independent, professional Plan Manager. Alternatively, contact our friendly team on 1300 322 273 or support@first2care.com.au.