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COMING SOON: COMMISSIONED RESEARCH PROJECT
Improving transitions to careers for young people with disability
On this page:​
NDRP will soon open applications for a commissioned research project focused on improving the transition of young people with disability from education and training into employment.
This activity received grant funding from the Australian Government as an initiative under Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031.
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The NDRP commissioned research model aims to involve people with disability from beginning to end of the process: from setting research priorities to actively participating in research.
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Key information
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Applications open: 13 October 2025​
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Applications close: 21 November 2025, 5.00 PM AEDT​
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Funding decisions: Early February 2026​
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Total opportunities: 3 funding opportunities
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Funding available: Up to $190,000 per opportunity​
Teams should plan for a short application window. We encourage early conversations with partners and lived experience contributors.
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The research focus
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We're seeking research teams to explore the systems and organisational factors that affect:
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Young NDIS participants' ability to make genuine, informed choices about career support
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Service providers' capacity to deliver best practice career transition support.​
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This research will focus on creating systemic change, not trialling specific interventions.​​​​​
We will fund three research teams. Each opportunity focuses on a different group of young NDIS participants (aged 15–25) who receive employment assistance supports:
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OPPORTUNITY 1: Broad focus. Covers all population groups who receive support (noting that Autistic young people and young people with intellectual disability are two primary recipient groups).
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OPPORTUNITY 2: First Nations focus. Specifically focuses on younger Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander NDIS participants.
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OPPORTUNITY 3: Complex support or communication needs focus. Focuses on participants with complex support or communication needs (for example, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) users, Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing young people)
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Each project will receive $190,000 over a 12-month duration.
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Key Documents
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Commissioned Research Funding Guidelines
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Download the Commissioned Research Funding Guidelines (Word)
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Download the Commissioned Research Funding Guidelines in Plain English (Word)
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Coming soon: Commissioned Research Funding Guidelines in Auslan
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Find more information
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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Got another question? Register here for the online Question and Answer session.
Who should apply
We will fund projects that focus on improving transitions to real, sustained employment outcomes for young people with disability. Projects will include young First Nations people, and those with complex support and communication needs.
We’re looking for multidisciplinary teams that bring:
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Lived experience leadership: people with disability in named, paid roles across governance, research and knowledge mobilisation.
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Strong policy impact capability: experience translating evidence for decision-makers and shaping implementation.
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Cross-sector partnerships, for example in education, employment, community, disability advocacy, industry, and government.
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First Nations leadership and/or partnership, centring self-determination and Indigenous data sovereignty.
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Strong skills to include young people with complex support and communication needs. For example, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) users, Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing and Blind or Low-Vision young people, people with intellectual disability, and neurodivergent young people.
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Alignment with NDRP principles:
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All proposals must align with NDRP’s guiding principles, including:
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Research by and with people with disability.
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Inclusive, accessible methods and materials for complex support and communication needs. For example, supported decision-making, Easy English, AAC, Auslan, captioning, tactile/oral interpretation.
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Respect for rights, equity and cultural safety.
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Practical pathways to evidence-to-action.
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Accessibility and support
Applications will open on 13 October 2025.
We will provide guidelines in accessible formats (Plain Language and Easy English), and budget guidance for access and participation payments. Available access supports may include things like AAC, communication partners, Auslan, captioning, Easy English, tactile or oral interpreting and other adjustments.
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If you need materials in a different format or have questions about access, please contact us.
We aim to make sure our funding process is transparent, ethical and accountable, so that all applicants are treated fairly, and funding decisions are based on merit.
​​Phone: 03 9000 3813
SMS only: 0485 931 168
email: info@ndrp.org.au
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