The Retreat
Our Annual Retreat is where we come together to reflect on our journey, celebrate progress, and shape the path ahead. For many years, we have championed Customised Employment (CE) as both a philosophy and a practice: one that has evolved from its early beginnings into a powerful, systems-wide approach.
This year’s Retreat is a collaborative discussion and activity-based gathering, guided by the Equilibrium Systems Model of Employment (ESME). Together, we will explore how CE continues to transform the way employment services are delivered, across the NDIS, IEA, the evolving ADE/ Social Enterprise framework, and the broader employment ecosystem. The program looks beyond individual practice to the systems that shape opportunities and outcomes for people with disability.
The agenda creates space to:
- Reflect on CE’s evolution and its application across service provision.
- Explore how employer engagement and collaboration can drive systemic change.
- Strengthen professional identity and capacity within the sector.
- Consider the voices of participants, families, and communities in shaping future directions.
This is not a conference but a working retreat, a space for dialogue, reflection, and shared vision. By connecting perspectives from providers, employers, families, participants, and policymakers, we will ensure that the principles of Customised Employment remain at the centre of inclusive practice; anchoring our work today and guiding its future application across the disability employment landscape.
With such a packed agenda, this year’s Retreat promises to be both challenging and energising. Each session is designed to build on the last, moving from reflection on our shared history with Customised Employment, to examining its current application across systems, and finally, to shaping the future together. The pace will be purposeful, but the focus will remain on dialogue, collaboration, and practical strategies that can be carried back into everyday practice.
Oh, did I tell you that Oscars has a riverside sauna now?
When: Monday Evening 27 October – Thursday Morning 30 October 2025
Where: Oscar’s on the Yarra, Warburton – South Yarra Valley
