Employable Me - Series 2 (ATOM Study Guide)

Employable Me: Series 2 follows nine participants with a wide range of disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy, dwarfism and epilepsy as they search for meaningful, paid employment. The search for employment is a nerve-wracking experience for anyone but for those with disabilities, it can be even harder. They must hope for employers who are willing to give them an opportunity, employers who see the individual first and the disability second, and not the other way around.

This is an uplifting, engaging and insightful series that spans three episodes. In each episode we meet three different people and we become a part of their lives for an hour or so. We enter their homes, meet their friends and families, hear their thoughts and feelings about employment and disability, and learn about their hopes and dreams. Employable Me: Series 2 is powerful viewing; we become emotionally invested in each individual’s journey, saddened at each rejection, joyful at each success.

Hitting home with the message that there is more than meets the eye, we discover each participants’ unique persona and winning strengths. We see Eric’s impressive initiative and organisation at a job interview; Kiah’s deeply caring nature when meeting his prospective clients; Sarah’s beaming energy and youthfulness; Tiana’s intelligence and warmth; Paul’s incredible inventory of train vlogs that attract people in the hundreds. And so on.

For each of the nine participants, employment is critical. It is on the one hand a means to financial independence but on the other something far more intangible. It is about a sense of purpose, about being part of something bigger, about growing and evolving as a person and as a professional.

With the help of supportive family, friends and dedicated job coaches, some realise their dreams while others continue along the journey. In the end, as viewers, we believe their suitability for employment and we believe that the onus is on employers to make any reasonable adjustments necessary to include people with disabilities into their workplace.

Curriculum Links

Employable Me: Series 2 can be linked to the following subject areas within the Australian National Curriculum:

• English
• Health and Physical Education
• The General Capabilities of ‘Ethical Understanding’ and ‘Personal and Social Capability’

Employable Me: Series 2 is also recommended as a supplementary text for students studying the following senior school subjects:

• Health and Human Development
• Ethics
• Psychology
• Legal Studies

Please note: there is occasional coarse language in episode 2 only, with this episode of the documentary series recommended for study in Years 9 and above.

English curriculum content descriptions relevant to Employable Me: Series 2 (Year 9):

• Understand that roles and relationships are developed and challenged through language and interpersonal skills (ACELA1551)
• Use interaction skills to present and discuss an idea and to influence and engage an audience by selecting persuasive language, varying voice tone, pitch, and pace, and using elements such as music and sound effects (ACELY1811)
• Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that present a point of view and advance or illustrate arguments, including texts that integrate visual, print and/or audio features (ACELY1746)

English curriculum content descriptions relevant to Employable Me: Series 2 (Year 10):

Understand how language use can have inclusive and exclusive social effects, and can empower or disempower people (ACELA1564)

• Use organisation patterns, voice and language conventions to present a point of view on a subject, speaking clearly, coherently and with effect, using logic, imagery and rhetorical devices to engage audiences (ACELY1813)

Health and Physical Education curriculum content descriptions relevant to Employable Me: Series 2 (Years 9 and 10):

• Evaluate factors that shape identities and critically analyse how individuals impact the identities of others (ACPPS089)
• Investigate how empathy and ethical decision making contribute to respectful relationships (ACPPS093)
• Plan, implement and critique strategies to enhance health, safety and wellbeing of their communities (ACPPS096)
• Critique behaviours and contextual factors that influence health and wellbeing of diverse communities (ACPPS098)

ATOM has also produced a study guide for series 1 of Employable Me which is available here.