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Supported Micro Enterprise

NDIS supported self-employment in Bairnsdale and Traralgon

For some participants the best work isn't a job, it's a business shaped entirely around them. We build a real micro enterprise around what someone is already into, and work alongside them at every step so they grow into running it themselves.

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Supported self-employment

A business built around the person

Their interest, their hours, their pace of growth - we meet them where they are. We work alongside them at every step, sharing what we know so they grow into running as much of it themselves as they can. This is NDIS supported self-employment, run from our hub at ESports Collective on Macleod Street in Bairnsdale, and out of local spaces across Sale & Traralgon.

It sits alongside our Supported Employment support, not instead of it. Supported Employment suits participants who do well inside an existing workplace. A micro enterprise suits participants who would thrive running their own thing. Same provider, same team who know them, a different door.

ABN, income and customers in their name. A business, not a placement.

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Supported Micro Enterprise - NDIS supported self-employment in Bairnsdale and Traralgon, Gippsland Care Collective
Why this works

How does the business serve the person?

Six reasons this model works where placements haven't.

Built around their interests

The business starts from what the participant is good at, and shapes itself around them, not the other way around.

Hours and pace that work

Three hours on a Tuesday morning. A quiet pace. The business serves the person, not the clock.

Real income, real ownership

ABN, income and customers in their name. A business, not a placement, and the difference matters.

Skills that compound

Quoting, pricing, customer talk, invoicing. Capacity learnt by doing, not by being taught.

A cohort, not a solo run

Participants share the space and meet others doing similar work. The community is shared.

A reason to leave the house

A weekly rhythm with people who expect them. Structure, without it being a placement.

What keeps it viable

We do the heavy lifting

Three things make each enterprise sustainable from day one.

  1. 01

    NDIS funding is the base

    The participant's NDIS plan pays for the time we spend alongside them - through Supports in Employment, Social and Community Participation, or other capacity building, depending on their goals. Everything else builds on top of that, so the support is funded and the business does not have to carry it.

  2. 02

    A place to work, a toolkit and our networks

    A place to work from - computers, desks, internet and space to meet customers, wherever the participant is based. A library of tools to borrow - mower, vacuum, pressure washer, 3D printers, a market gazebo - so they can start before they have saved for their own. And marketing through our networks: we open the doors, the participant walks through them.

  3. 03

    Smart systems doing the admin

    Quoting, customer SMS and invoicing run on systems we have already built and can share across every participant. The participant is always supported - the systems just handle the fiddly, repetitive work that stops most small businesses, so our time goes into the parts that actually build capacity.

Starting points

What kind of business could it be?

These are the easiest places to start - clear, repeatable, built around skills participants can grow into.

Easy places to start
  • Lawn mowingOn a fixed weekly route.
  • Car washingBy appointment.
  • 3D printingKeyrings and commissioned pieces.
  • Weekly bin collectionA simple subscription service.
  • Laundry pickup and returnCollected, washed and returned.
  • Tech help home visitsFor older locals.
  • Dog walkingWith a regular client base.
  • Pet sittingDrop-in visits.

The participant picks the one that fits. Or another one entirely - the list is a conversation starter, not a menu.

Their business, our backing

If someone you support would thrive running their own thing

At their own pace, with a provider that knows them, let's talk about what that could look like.

Micro enterprise questions we hear most

Frequently asked questions

What is a Supported Micro Enterprise at Gippsland Care Collective?
It is NDIS supported self-employment - a real small business built around a participant's interests and run at their pace, with our team working alongside them at every step - from the ESports Collective hub in Bairnsdale, or local spaces around Traralgon. The ABN, income and customers are in the participant's name.
How is a micro enterprise different from Supported Employment?
Supported Employment places participants in supported roles inside an existing workplace. A micro enterprise is the participant's own business, shaped entirely around them. Same provider, same team who know them - a different door.
How is it funded?
It is funded through the participant's NDIS plan - Supports in Employment, Social and Community Participation, or other capacity building, depending on their goals. That pays for the time we spend alongside them, while the tool library and marketing support keep the business viable without the participant carrying those costs.
What does the participant actually have to do?
As much as they can, growing over time. We share what we know - quoting, pricing, talking to customers, invoicing - so they build real capacity by doing, with our systems handling the repetitive back-office work.
How do we explore whether it is a fit?
Talk to us about a pilot. Call 0499 330 836 or send an enquiry through the referral form, and we will have an honest conversation about the participant's interests and whether a micro enterprise or Supported Employment is the better door.

Interested in Supported Micro Enterprise?

Get in touch to talk through your NDIS plan and whether a supported micro enterprise is the right fit, or send us a referral.

Contact Us Make a Referral

or call 0499 330 836