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Launch Into Design: SLES

A neurodiversity‑affirming creative employment pathway for school leavers aged 16 to 22.

ACDCForYou’s Launch Into Design program is Australia’s only creative employment pathway built specifically for neurodivergent young people who are talented, artistic and overlooked by mainstream services. We support school leavers aged 16 to 22 to transition from education into real employment outcomes through a structured, strengths‑based, creative pathway delivered nationally.

Why Launch Into Design Exists

Across Australia, creative neurodivergent young people are falling through the cracks. They are the illustrators, designers, digital creators, musicians and storytellers who do not fit traditional job pathways and cannot access real creative roles because those jobs simply do not exist.

ACDCForYou was created to change that.

Our program began with lived experience, a family‑built solution that grew into a national movement. Today, our team supports young people across Australia, including First Nations and CALD communities, through a pathway designed for the way neurodivergent creatives learn, think and thrive.

We do not wait for the world to create opportunities. We create the careers the world has not built yet.

Who The Program is For

Launch Into Design is designed for school leavers aged 16 to 22 who are:

  • Creative, artistic or visually minded

  • Neurodivergent (ADHD, autism, dyslexia, PDA, gifted, and other profiles)

  • Disengaged from traditional employment programs

  • Interested in digital design, media, content creation or creative technology

  • Seeking a structured, predictable, neuro‑affirming pathway

  • Wanting real employment outcomes, not endless “preparation”

If a young person is creative and struggling to find their place, this pathway was built for them.

What The Program Provides

A complete 2.5‑year transition‑to‑employment pathway

Launch Into Design combines:

A structured SLES pre‑employment stage, A paid supported employment stage, A nationally recognised qualification, Real creative work experience, A professional portfolio and references, Clear pathways into open employment or ongoing roles

Step 1: SLES Pre‑Employment Stage (26 Weeks)

NDIS Item: 10_021_0102_5_3 — School Leaver Employment Supports

A neurodiversity‑affirming foundation stage that builds:

Work readiness, Executive functioning, Communication and confidence, Self‑advocacy and understanding of strengths, Creative capability and digital design fundamentals, Routine, structure and vocational identity

Participants begin developing a portfolio and receive quarterly NDIS‑aligned reporting.

Delivered fully virtually across Australia.

Step 2: Paid Supported Employment Stage (18 Months)

Real creative work, real experience, real outcomes.

Participants transition into paid creative work within ACDCForYou’s supported employment team.

They receive:

  • Paid employment — 6 hours per week

  • SCHADS Award Level 1 PPT1 — $27.55 per hour

  • 11% superannuation, prorata annual and personal leave

  • A fully funded Advanced Certificate in Digital Design and Media

  • Weekly study support and structured learning guidance

  • Real creative projects including: Graphic design, Branding, Social media content, Video editing, Motion graphics, Interactive media

  • Vocational coaching (executive functioning, communication, workplace expectations)

Graduates complete the pathway with:

A qualification, A professional portfolio, Two years of paid work experience, 2 professional references, Strong self‑advocacy skills, clear pathways into open employment, peer mentoring or external IEA placements

Rolling Intake and Flexible Entry

Launch Into Design operates on a rolling intake model:

Start dates every two weeks, 1–2 week onboarding, Flexible entry and exit under NDIS Program of Support rules, National virtual access

This ensures young people can begin when they are ready, without waiting for term‑based intakes.

NDIS Reporting and Compliance

ACDCForYou provides:

Quarterly employment reports, Clear documentation aligned with SLES requirements, Transparent service agreements, A simple referral process that takes under five minutes, Optional NDIS‑compliant employment assessments (learning style, comprehension, support needs)

We work closely with Support Coordinators, LACs, Plan Managers, schools, youth organisations and families.

Referral Pathways

We welcome referrals from:

  • Parents and families

  • Support Coordinators

  • Local Area Coordinators

  • Plan Managers

  • Schools and career advisors

  • Youth organisations

  • Allied health professionals

  • Self‑referring participants

How to Refer

Find our contact details: Here

Managing Director Natalie McLean will contact you personally to discuss eligibility and next steps.