NDIA support for new SA entrepreneurs program

South Australians with a disability now have dedicated support for their entrepreneurship plans.

A landmark global program to make entrepreneurship a reality for South Australians with a disability kicks off in Adelaide this week with more than $400,000 in funding from the National Disability Insurance Agency.

The NDIA is the Federal government agency responsible for the rollout and administration of National Disability Insurance Services nationally.

The Rapid Enterprise Development (RED) program is made up of a series of workshops, starting January 9, with experts that are designed to help those with disabilities turn their dreams, hobbies and ideas into viable enterprises and employment.

Budding entrepreneur Melissa Kirkman, 18, performs with Judy Bowden's (extreme left) Lolly Jar Circus. She is seen here also performing for her mum, Danielle. Picture: Dean Martin

The concept was developed and successfully rolled out in the UK by Dr Guy Turnbull and Keith Bates in 2005, with a vision to make the world of enterprise accessible to everybody.

Dr Turnbull, a former Don Dunstan Foundation Thinker in Resident, was charged with introducing co-operative and social enterprise models into SA’s economy in 2018, including its health and disability space. He will run the Adelaide-based RED program with co-director Arthur Mitsioulis and a number of disability services providers, including Barkuma, The Healthy Collective, Proactiv People and Community Living Australia, supported by the $423,500 NDIA grant. Funding for participants covers networking, training and after training support, including business coaches, back-of-house services and bookkeeping. Workshops are cost neutral, and linked to NDIA strategy to get people engaged in employment and on something that lifts their spirit and sense of self.

Mr Mitsioulis said the workshops, which run until July, are over 80 per cent booked out with the group aiming to roll out more.

“We are hoping to support at least 100 entrepreneurs through this program until July. There is a gap in this area, and we think this program will have some great results.”

Judy Bowden, founder of the Lolly Jar Circus, said she was attending the workshop to develop her own idea to support her charity’s participants, aged 4-26 years. “I have been thinking about how to help them get employment in television as extras. As they get older, we see a lot of them getting frustrated because they can’t find anything meaningful,” she said.

Melissa Kirkman, 18, who has Down’s syndrome, will be attending the workshop with her mother Danielle.