Supported Micro Enterprise
NDIS supported self-employment in Bairnsdale
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.
Talk to us about a pilot →
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 on Macleod Street, Bairnsdale.
It sits alongside our Supported Work program, not instead of it. Supported Work suits participants who do well inside an existing workplace. A micro enterprise suits participants who'd thrive running their own thing. Same provider, same staff who know them, a different door.
ABN, income and customers in their name. A business, not a placement.
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 hub 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.
The hub does the heavy lifting
Three things make each enterprise sustainable from day one.
NDIS funding is the base
Capacity-building hours pay for the time we spend alongside the participant. Everything else builds on top of that, so the support is funded and the business doesn't have to carry it.
A hub, a toolkit and our networks
A physical hub to work from, with computers, desks, internet and a space to meet customers. A library of tools to borrow - mower, vacuum, pressure washer, 3D printers, a market gazebo - so they can start before they've saved for their own. And marketing through our networks: we open the doors, the participant walks through them.
Smart systems doing the admin
Quoting, customer SMS and invoicing run on systems we've 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.
What kind of business could it be?
These are the easiest places to start - clear, repeatable, built around skills participants can grow into: lawn mowing on a fixed weekly route, car washing by appointment, 3D printing keyrings and commissioned pieces, a weekly bin collection subscription, a laundry pickup and return service, tech help home visits for older locals, dog walking with a regular client base, or pet sitting drop-ins.
The participant picks the one that fits. Or another one entirely - the list is a conversation starter, not a menu.
Micro enterprise questions we hear most
Honest answers about how supported self-employment works.
What is a Supported Micro Enterprise at ESports Collective?
It's NDIS supported self-employment - a real small business built around a participant's interests and run at their pace, with ESports Collective working alongside them at every step from our Bairnsdale hub. The ABN, income and customers are in the participant's name.
How is a micro enterprise different from the Supported Work Program?
Supported Work places participants in paid roles inside ESports Collective's own workplace. A micro enterprise is the participant's own business, shaped entirely around them. Same provider, same staff who know them - a different door.
How is it funded?
Capacity-building hours fund the time we spend alongside the participant - that's the base everything else builds on. The hub, 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's a fit?
Talk to us about a pilot. Call 0468 009 660 or send an enquiry through the referral form, and we'll have an honest conversation about the participant's interests and whether a micro enterprise or Supported Work is the better door.
Their business, our backing
If someone you support would thrive running their own thing at their own pace, let's talk about what that could look like.
Make an NDIS referral →or call 0468 009 660