hen Jung Yoon moved to Australia from South Korea in 1995 as a 17-year-old, she had never encountered a person with a disability before, but that changed when she had her daughter Joanne several years later.
Joanne was diagnosed with autism and chromosomal deletion syndrome. She is also non-verbal and partially deaf.
For Dr Yoon, who was working as an artist, raising a child with complex disabilities was a big challenge.
Dr Jung Yoon had never met anyone with a cognitive disability until she became a mother. (ABC News: Brant Cummings)
"I [didn't] know what to do, how can I raise this child?" she said.
"Everything stopped, you know, everything paused.
"I kind of felt like [a] failure."
It took Dr Yoon about three years to find her feet and build a community with other parents of children with disability.
It inspired her to open her eyes to a new world, which included introducing Joanne, who is now 15, to art.
Joanne Lee with one of her art works. (Supplied: Jung Yoon)
That decision led Joanne to engage with a new community and display her work in exhibitions, earning royalties for her work.
But, most importantly, Dr Yoon said art was a form of communication for her daughter.
"Art is art, art doesn't say 'I was done by a person with a disability'," Dr Yoon said.
It also changed Dr Yoon's perspective on life.
She decided to make a career change and complete a PhD in how people with cognitive disabilities contribute socio-economically.
"Not everyone can work in the mainstream employment, there must be a like diverse pathway for them to somehow … engage in socio-economic participations," Dr Yoon said.
"But, there is really [a] lack of choice."
Dr Yoon works with the Centre for Social Impact at Flinders University on a pilot program called Diversity Pathways, aimed at providing employment opportunities in hospitality for people with cognitive disabilities.
The program also aims to educate employers on inclusive hiring.
Program running at four hotels
Thomas Doherty, 23, is one of 14 participants involved in the program which has been adopted by four hotels across Adelaide.
Thomas Doherty refilling juice at breakfast buffet (ABC News: Nethma Dandeniya)
He has worked for several months at the Sofitel Hotel in Adelaide's CBD, welcoming guests, helping with the breakfast buffet and setting up the dining room.
"I love it," he said.
"I love talking to people and making sure that they feel welcomed.
"Everyone in the team has been great and supportive."
The hotel's Director of Talent and Culture Mei-Lin Ng said Mr Doherty was loved by everyone.
Mei-Lin Ng says its important to have an inclusive workplace. (ABC News: Nethma Dandeniya)
"Thomas is such a personality; he has the warmest heart, he has a really great connection with guests," Ms Ng said.
"He loves to chat, and people love him. They really love just having ... a chat with him."
The program was developed in the hope it could help shift the labour force participation rate for people with cognitive disabilities.
Thomas Doherty folding napkins in preparation for guests (ABC News: Nethma Dandeniya)
Dr Claire Hutchinson from the Centre for Social Impact said the employment rate for people with a disability had not shifted for the past 20 years.
"Like a lot of countries, Australia does not have a quota system, so it is very much voluntary for employers to have programs where they might recruit and support people with disability," Dr Hutchinson said.
"I do not think necessarily employers are, you know, against employing people with disabilities, but I think they are nervous.
"They are worried about doing the wrong thing and I think it is just easier sometimes, just to not go there."
Dr Claire Hutchinson would like to see the program expand. (ABC News: Nethma Dandeniya)
The program also focuses on providing mentors to employers to help encourage more inclusive hiring through setting up strategies and moving past existing perceptions, and then pass knowledge to other businesses.
Ms Ng hoped their experience would convince others to follow suit.
"Opening that door, you can actually see that people with disabilities can really be committed to a role," Ms Ng said.
"They can provide a different perspective to tasks; they can do things a little bit differently and just open our eyes up as well about the value that can bring to the table."
The project is funded by the Department of Social Services and was originally planned to run for two years, but has received a one-year extension.
The team at the Centre for Social Impact is hoping for more funding to expand the project into other sectors and states, particularly the retail sector.
"We've seen the impact that it's had, and we're really keen to kind of expand the program as much as possible," Dr Hutchinson said.
Source: ABC