For support coordinators and professionals

Looking for a practical skill-building option for a participant?

Zilla Pathways provides supported, hands-on workplace experience in a real but controlled food environment — designed for participants who need more than theory.

Free 30–45 minute introduction

Refer someone for a free introduction

If you're supporting an NDIS participant who may benefit from practical workplace and life-skills development, you can refer them for a free introductory Meet & Greet.

This gives the participant an opportunity to experience the environment before anyone commits to ongoing sessions.

Refer for a Free Meet & Greet

No obligation. No NDIS funding required for the introductory session.

Who it's designed for

Built for teenagers and young adults, roughly 15 to 25.

Zilla Pathways is a specialised work-readiness and confidence-building program. Our primary focus is young people who are:

Autistic or neurodivergent with low to moderate support needs
Able to take part in a real hospitality workplace with the right support around them
Building confidence, social confidence, or taking a first step toward employment
Interested in developing practical workplace and life skills
Preparing for employment, further training or greater independence
Better suited to practical, hands-on learning than a traditional classroom

Every young person is different, so suitability is always determined individually — based on the participant's goals, interests, support needs and ability to take part in the program safely. The free Meet & Greet is how we work that out together.

Why hospitality

Hospitality is the training ground. Confidence is the outcome.

Participants aren't necessarily being trained to become chefs. Hospitality simply gives us a real-world environment with real tasks, routines and standards — a place where skills can be practised rather than just discussed.

The bigger goal is helping young people discover what they're good at. Success builds confidence, and confidence makes the next step into employment, training or greater independence far less intimidating.

The goal isn't to turn everyone into a chef. It's to help young people discover what they're capable of.

What participants actually practise

Communication
Following instructions
Working as part of a team
Time management
Food preparation
Cleaning and organisation
Responsibility
Problem solving
Customer service
Workplace routines
Independence

Real skills. Real experience. Real confidence.

Who may benefit

Young people developing employment readiness who need practical experience rather than theory
Participants who find unfamiliar or fast-paced workplaces overwhelming
School leavers and transition-age participants exploring what work could look like
Participants working on independence, routine and communication goals

Types of practical skills

Food preparation, cleaning, hygiene and safe work practices
Packing, accuracy checking, stock handling and organisation
Following instructions, task completion and workplace routines
Communication, teamwork and time management

How enquiries work

Submit a referral enquiry with the participant's goals and support needs
We make contact to discuss suitability and answer questions
Where appropriate, we arrange a meeting and an introduction to the environment
Suitability and funding arrangements can be discussed based on each participant's individual circumstances and plan

Working collaboratively

We keep families and support teams informed about how a participant is going
We share practical observations about strengths, routines and progress
We adjust support levels in consultation with the participant and their team
We're upfront when a placement isn't the right fit

Current availability

Places are limited and offered based on suitability and current capacity. If we can't accommodate a participant immediately, we can add them to a waitlist and stay in contact. Suitability and funding arrangements can be discussed based on each participant's individual circumstances and plan.

Refer a Participant

NDIS information

Practical workplace and life-skills support for NDIS participants.

Zilla Pathways provides practical, hands-on skill development for young people with disability, with supports potentially funded through eligible NDIS plans.

NDIS funding and suitability will depend on the participant's individual plan, goals, funding management and circumstances. Contact us and we'll discuss whether Zilla Pathways may be suitable for you.

Have a question about funding? Get in touch.

Referral enquiry

Share what's relevant about the participant's goals and supports. Please don't include detailed medical information at this stage.