CDERP College is a natural extension of the research and training that CDERP has been undertaking and delivering for over a decade, which has informed our work with service providers and academic research.
CDERP College is not just another training institution. It’s a unique platform that shares our decades-long research and training with the broader community and globally. Our programs are designed to meet the demand for Disability Employment staff to be professionally trained in authentic, evidence-based practices that support real, meaningful employment and career outcomes. But it’s not just about employment professionals. Families and individuals also need the knowledge to navigate the increasingly complex disability employment support systems. Our response to global health issues ensures that no matter what is happening, you can continue to access reliable, informed training and development.
Our Customised Employment (CE) and Discovery programs have been developed and continue to evolve with the support of our colleagues at Griffin-Hammis Associates – the global leaders in Customised Employment. Our research and practice feedback continue to evolve Discovery and Customised Employment practices to meet the needs of the Australian operating environment and have been contextualised to address that need. We pride ourselves on our ongoing research that has resulted in an evolution of Discovery that meets our unique setting.
Our research and practice-driven agenda incorporates a supported employment methodology that supports a wide variety of mental health needs. We use the non-mental health setting professional version in our Work First Customised Employment program. This is a response to the fact that most clients aren’t being supported in clinical settings, and few have access to reliable mental health counsellors. It also supports our practice of employing staff with mental and allied health qualifications to deliver employment practice. This practice evidence informs our training programs to ensure that they are evidence-based and practice-informed to support the development of fundamental practice skills. Real knowledge is needed to use evidence-based practice (EBP) as the gold standard in person-centred service delivery.
It’s this process that gave rise to our unique Employment Counselling approach to disability employment that underpins a holistic approach to disability employment.
As systems evolve and clients rightfully demand a more person-centred, client-directed approach to disability employment, CDERP College is at the forefront of practice. Our global partnerships and work allow us to assist you in meeting these demands, ensuring that our training programs are always relevant and up to date.
Knowledge Shared
At CDERP College, we value diverse perspectives. Our evolution is not just based on our own research, but also on what our staff see and practice daily, along with feedback from families, clients, service providers, and our panel of experts locally and globally. Our Disability Advisory Panel, which includes CDERP Founder / Director Dr Peter Smith, Dr June Alexander, CDERP patron Emeritus Professor Trevor Parmenter, Family Advisor Peter Rhodes, and CDERP Mental Health Specialist Lauren Pavlidis, plays a crucial role in shaping our programs to ensure they meet the needs of our diverse audience. One thing is for certain, we aren’t waiting for endless committee types discussing what they should be doing, we’re doing it!
Our network of international experts is joined by practitioners and those with the lived experience of disability locally and globally. They provide feedback and guidance on our programs and developments happening elsewhere. This ensures that what we offer is current, up to date and constantly evolving to keep pace with client and system demands and emerging evidence for practice. For us, it’s personal!
Customised Employment and Discovery embody normalisation (the right to work just like everyone else) and a person-centred philosophy in action. There is nothing more to add; it is just ethical practice that adheres to the evidence.
Visit CDERP’s main site to read about what we do. Take this link: https://cderp.com.au
To find out about our Work First Employment program, follow this link: https://www.workfirst.cderp.com.au