Wesley Mission Queensland to Close NDIS Employment Program for Young People with Disabilities

The ORCA Project, supporting 90 young people with disabilities through work experience placements, will shut down on June 26.

Wesley Mission Queensland has announced the closure of its National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) employment service, the ORCA Project, citing the "increasingly complex" NDIS environment. The program, which provided over 300 work experience placements in the last year, will cease operations on June 26.

"This was a difficult decision, and the organisation regularly reviews services to balance impact with long-term sustainability." — Wesley Mission Queensland spokesperson

Participants used their NDIS funding to access the program. The charity attributed the closure to rising costs and changes to funding models and regulations.

Background

The ORCA Project began in 2018 as a two-year post-school training program offering work experience across three locations. The closure comes amid broader NDIS reform aimed at reducing the scheme's $50 billion annual cost, with the federal government announcing cuts in April.

Attempts to Transition the Service

Wesley Mission Queensland attempted to transition the service to another provider but was unsuccessful. Participants have been offered support to find alternative programs.

A National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) spokesperson stated that the NDIS funds individuals, not providers. They emphasised that participants have choice and control over services, and noted a 58% increase in participants receiving funding for employment support since July 2024.

Impact on Participants

The closure has left families grappling with uncertainty:

• Oli Evans, an 18-year-old with autism and a rare chromosomal condition, joined the project six months ago. His mother described feeling "lost hope" and struggling to process the news.

• Claire Rusterholz, a 16-year-old with Williams syndrome, attended the project while repeating grade 10. Her mother reported a significant increase in her daughter's confidence but now worries deeply about her future.

Both mothers highlighted significant challenges in finding affordable alternative programs that offer the same level of support and structure.