The employment program helping young Melburnians living with disabilities build a career
Brendan never thought he’d have a career, let alone thrive in one. This is the story of how a supported employment program helped him find confidence, connection and a place in his community.
People with disabilities face an unemployment rate nearly double that of the general population, and nationally, only around 25% of working-age NDIS participants hold full-award-wage jobs in open employment. Behind those numbers are stories like Brendan Wiseman’s, proof of what’s possible with the right support.
Meet Brendan
Brendan, 23, lives with an intellectual disability. After finishing school, he joined Wallara Australia to explore different job paths, and found his calling as a barista. He now serves coffee at Cafe W at Healthy Futures Hub Seaford and Sages Café at Sages Cottage Farm in Baxter, making customers smile every day.
“It’s good for your mental health to interact with people, you don’t want to be isolated,” Brendan said. “I’ve progressed in choosing what to say around people and have increased my social network. It’s really good.”
For his mum, Trudy De Vries, the change has been life-changing. “Before Wallara, we had no idea what the future would look like. Now he has confidence, social skills, and is part of the community.”
A pathway built on skills and confidence
Brendan has since earned his Responsible Service of Alcohol and food safety certificates, now helps behind the bar at his local football club, and dreams of becoming a professional cricketer.
His journey reflects a broader model at Wallara, where supported employees have served more than 43,500 coffees over the past year across five hospitality venues in Melbourne. More than 40 supported employees currently work across these venues, guided by qualified chefs and baristas.
According to Wallara’s Senior Manager of Hospitality, Mary Hannett, the pathway is designed to build practical skills in a supportive environment while fostering genuine connection with customers and community. That pathway often begins in Wallara’s day programs, where more than 33 clients are currently learning hospitality skills, exploring, as General Manager Romaine Kakoulilis puts it, “what they’re good at and what they enjoy.”
What Brendan’s story shows
Brendan’s journey didn’t happen overnight. It took time, the right opportunities and great coaching. But it shows what’s possible when a young person is given the chance to build skills, confidence and a genuine place in their community, one coffee at a time.