Elevator – working hard to empower disabled people into work
Elevator is a specialised recruitment agency offering supported employment options for people with
disabilities living in the greater Auckland region. This is a free service for candidates and employers.
Its main aim is to assist disabled Aucklanders to work in careers of their choice, as the agency firmly
believes that with the right career, disabled people have the opportunity to attain their highest goals
and aspirations – just like everyone else.
What’s unique about Elevator is that it operates under a ‘single door’ policy which means all
candidates meet with one specialist who walks them through all stages of the employment process.
By doing this specialists are able to get to know their candidates, enabling them to find career
opportunities that fit with their client’s personalised career plan – which they help them create.
Since its inception back in 1992 Elevator (formerly known as Workforce Personnel) has helped many
disabled people into work as well as provided employers with skilled employees.
To achieve these goals Elevator offers a wide range of services for both candidates and employers:
For the candidate these include:
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Supported employment – available for all those seeking to join or re-join the workforce.
Transition services – support with the transition from school to work for students
Very High Needs (VHN) service – available to students and young people who have Very High
Needs who need extra support to enter the workforce.
For employers these include:
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Employers have access to a highly motivated, willing and capable pool of talented people,
who happen to have a disability
Elevator can also negotiate payments for any specialised equipment and wage subsidies.
They also offer disability awareness training for other staff if the employer would like to do
this.
Elevator candidate Juliana Carvaho, who has Transverse Myelitis, is just one of the many success
stories the organisation has been proud to be part of.
In fact, thanks to the support she received through Elevator Juliana who originally hails from Brazil is
now working as a Personal Assistant to the Director of Advocacy – Health and Disability Sector.
Juliana is really enjoying her new career path, but admitted she found the job market pretty tough
when she first started her job search.
“I have always been a pretty positive person, but after searching for a while I wasn’t having very
much success. Luckily a colleague who I volunteered with suggested I go see Elevator.
The rest as they say is history.
Juliana said there were no words to describe how helpful Elevator had been and described the staff
as incredible.
“They do all they can to help you and are very courteous. I’m impressed with the service and have
already recommended them to another friend with a disability.”
Elevator launched its new website late last year. You can check them out at: www.elevator.org.nz