Rapid Enterprise Development (RED) inspires people that are interested in embarking on their own enterprise by creating awareness around business opportunities and providing information, support, guidance, business planning and development resources.

At RED, we believe that enterprise has a key contribution to make towards the wellbeing of people with disability.

The RED Program offers innovative and creative ways to fast-track the development of enterprises created by people with disability.

The RED Program is about developing real employment opportunities by creating an enterprising culture with the disability community.

RED is unique as it combines supported self-employment and the NDIS.

By generating viable concepts for small enterprises and combining this with creative use of NDIS budgets, RED provides individuals with a real economic alternative to traditional day activities.

Income generated from the enterprise can be used to support business growth and to supplement personal finances.

‘The social model of disability is a way of viewing the world, developed by people with disability. The social model of disability says that people are disabled by barriers in society, such as buildings not having a ramp or accessible toilets, or people’s attitudes, like assuming people with disability can’t do certain things. The medical model of disability says people are disabled by their impairments or differences, and looks at what is ‘wrong’ with the person, not what the person needs. We believe that the medical model of disability creates low expectations and leads to people losing independence, choice and control in their lives. The social model helps us recognise barriers that make life harder for people with disability. Removing these barriers creates equality and offers people with disability more independence, choice and control.’

– Australian Federation of Disability Organisation

Rapid Enterprise Development (RED) emerged in the UK from the work of Keith Bates and Guy Turnbull in response to the need to provide better enterprise support options for disabled people.

Originally focusing on training for disabled people to set up their own enterprise, the basis of their approach to job-creation was the RED (Rapid Enterprise Development) workshop which sought to offer an interactive space, support and activities to help disabled people work out the basics of a business idea, feasibility, planning and research.

The RED approach immediately started to have an impact. In recognition of the need to expand the RED offer to raise the capacity, skills and aspirations of support workers, the RED training suite expanded to include workshops around business innovation, assessment and market research.

Whilst the RED workshops remain part of a wider journey for people with learning disabilities and others interested in exploring self-employment and small business ownership, RED continues to engage with the wider policy and infrastructure debate to ensure that supported self-employment becomes a sustainable option for disabled people.