Hospitality Disability Network WA

🌿 Welcome to Djilba 🌿

As the Noongar season of Djilba begins, we welcome a time of growth, new beginnings, and changing weather.

Djilba is often known as the season of conception. It's a time when many native plants begin to flower, wildlife becomes more active, and the land starts to show signs of renewal. With a mix of cool, clear days and periods of rain, it reminds us that growth often begins before we can fully see the results.

At HDNWA, Djilba reflects the work we do every day. Supporting people to build skills, confidence, and pathways into meaningful employment. Every conversation, opportunity, and connection helps create stronger, more inclusive workplaces across Western Australia.

As we move into this new season, we encourage everyone to take a moment to appreciate the changing landscape, learn more about Noongar culture, and continue creating opportunities where everyone belongs.

Brain injury: many pathways, one community

No two brain injuries are the same. Every person's experience, recovery, support needs, and journey are unique.

Brain Injury Awareness Week is an opportunity to listen to people with lived experience, raise awareness, and build greater understanding across our communities and workplaces.

At HDNWA, we believe that meaningful employment should be accessible to everyone. By focusing on a person's strengths, having open conversations about support needs, and making reasonable adjustments where needed, employers can create workplaces where people living with brain injury have the opportunity to succeed.

Together, we can build a hospitality and tourism industry where everyone feels valued, included, and supported to reach their potential.

Learn more about Brain Injury Awareness Week and this year's theme:

Synapse Brain Injury Awareness Week will be celebrated this 21st - 27th August 2023. The week is held annually to raise awareness of brain injury and its impact in Australia.

Recovery looks different for everyone.
Neuro-Rehab Awareness Day shines a light on the importance of rehabilitation and the support that helps people rebuild confidence, independence, and skills following a neurological injury or condition.

For many people, returning to work is an important part of that journey. With the right support, reasonable adjustments, and an inclusive workplace, people can thrive in meaningful employment.

At HDNWA, we work with employers to create workplaces where people are valued for their strengths and given the opportunity to succeed.

Together, we can build a hospitality and tourism industry that focuses on ability, creates opportunities, and supports every person to reach their potential.

To learn more about Neuro-Rehab Awareness Day and the work of the Australian Rehabilitation Providers Association, visit:

- Australian Rehabilitation Providers Association

Thank You, Maddi! 💙

A huge thank you to Maddi, who joined the HDNWA team through the McCusker Centre for Citizenship Internship Program.

Throughout her internship, Maddi has made a valuable contribution to our team, working hard to produce a series of high quality videos for our upcoming toolkit.

Her creativity, professionalism, and dedication have helped bring this exciting resource to life and will have a lasting impact on the young people who use it.

We are incredibly grateful for everything you've contributed during your time with us. Thank you for your enthusiasm, fresh ideas, and commitment to making a difference.

We'd also like to thank the The McCusker Centre for Citizenship at UWA for connecting us with such a talented intern and supporting meaningful community partnerships.

Thank you, Maddi. We wish you every success in your future career. 🌟

Jeans for Genes Day 👖

Every person is unique, and every person deserves the opportunity to thrive.
Jeans for Genes Day raises awareness and funds to support research into genetic diseases and conditions that affect children across Australia. 1 in 20 children are born with a birth defect or genetic disease, and vital research helps find new treatments and cures.

At HDNWA, we believe inclusion starts with recognising the individual strengths, experiences, and abilities that every person brings.

In hospitality and tourism, creating inclusive workplaces means making sure everyone has the opportunity to participate, contribute, and belong, regardless of their disability or support needs.

This Jeans for Genes Day, we encourage our community to get involved, wear your jeans, raise awareness, and support a cause helping to change lives through research. Find out more or get involved:

Fundraise for Jeans for Genes Fundraise and give hope to sick kids. Fight for kids facing genetic diseases.

This year’s Loneliness Awareness Week is encouraging all Australians to Make Room for Connection by creating everyday opportunities for people to belong and feel included.

Hospitality and tourism are industries built around connection. Every day, our workplaces bring together people from different backgrounds, cultures, abilities and life experiences, all working to make others feel welcome.
But creating a welcoming experience should not stop with our guests.
For someone starting their first job, joining a new team, working unfamiliar shifts or living with disability, a supportive workplace can provide an important sense of belonging, confidence and connection.

Connection does not have to be complicated. A friendly conversation, checking in with a colleague, inviting someone to join a break, explaining an unfamiliar task or making sure everyone is included in team discussions can have a lasting impact.

At HDNWA, we believe truly inclusive hospitality workplaces are places where employees do not just work alongside one another, they feel welcomed, valued and part of the team.

Together, our industry can make room for connection and create workplaces where everyone belongs.

Learn more about Loneliness Awareness Week and how your workplace can get involved:

lonelinessawarenessweek.com.au

💙 Stress Down Day

Workplace stress can affect anyone.

Creating a supportive and inclusive workplace benefits employees, customers, and businesses alike.

Simple actions can make a difference:
👉 Encourage open communication

👉 Support work-life balance

👉 Foster respectful workplace relationships

👉 Promote wellbeing resources

👉 Create a culture where people feel comfortable asking for support

Inclusive workplaces recognise that every employee experiences challenges differently and that flexibility and understanding help people perform at their best.

Today is a reminder to check in with yourself and those around you.

What is one thing your workplace does to support employee wellbeing?

For more tips, check out Healthy Mind Menu - https://healthymindmenu.org.au/help-resources/

🌟 World Youth Skills Day

Developing workplace skills is one of the most important steps young people can take as they prepare for their future careers.

Whether it's communication, teamwork, customer service, problem-solving, or time management, these skills help young people build confidence and become work ready.

At HDNWA, we are passionate about creating pathways into hospitality and tourism for young people living with disability.

Through our Passport to Your Career Toolkit, we help students, parents, teachers, and support networks explore the diverse range of career opportunities available across the industry.

From hotels and resorts to attractions, events, restaurants, and tourism experiences, hospitality and tourism offer exciting opportunities to learn new skills, gain valuable experience, and build rewarding careers.

This World Youth Skills Day, we celebrate young people who are developing the skills, confidence, and ambition to achieve their career goals.

📖 Learn more about the Passport to Your Career Toolkit and discover where a career in hospitality or tourism could take you.

https://hdnwa.org.au/toolkit/

❓Did You Know?❓

Young people with disability face even greater barriers when entering the workforce than their peers without disability.

Many young people leave education with strong skills and a desire to work, but still experience limited access to job opportunities, work experience, and entry-level roles.

🍽️ A Place at the Table for ALL. 🍽️

Ahead of World Youth Skills Day on 15 July, we are highlighting the importance of creating fair and inclusive pathways into employment for young people.

Through our A Place at the Table for ALL campaign, we continue to raise awareness of the barriers people with disability face when entering the workforce, particularly in hospitality and tourism.

Creating real opportunities starts with:

✅ Providing accessible work experience opportunities

✅ Focusing on skills and potential during recruitment

✅ Supporting smooth transitions from school to work

✅ Offering entry-level roles with inclusive support

✅ Building workplaces where young people feel confident to learn and grow

Hospitality and tourism rely on people, energy, and connection.

When young people are given fair access to opportunity, teams and communities are stronger.

Every young person deserves the chance to contribute, learn, and build a future in the workforce.

Because a place at the table should be available to everyone.