Meet Lloyd. He's awesome.

“Break Thru believes that the employment of people with disadvantages is not an act of charity, it is good business sense.”

That’s it. That’s what many seem to be missing. When you think about companies employing people with disabilities or impairments, some put it in the ‘too hard’ basket and move on. But that’s not good for the company and it’s certainly not good for the person.

That’s the basic message of Break Thru, a work placement company that specialises in helping those who need an extra helping hand find the work that suits them best. But don’t just take it from them.

Ask Marianne Bess, the Managing Director of creative agency Droga5 who hired Lloyd.

They want more creative companies to do the same through the Creative Spirit initiative. Check it out.

Lloyd has Downs Syndrome and he’s always struggled to find a place to fit in. As his mum says, he needed to feel needed outside of the home. He knew his family loved him, loved to hear from him and valued him. But would anyone else?

Droga5 did.

Many of us in Australia – particularly the Prime Minister – talk about the dignity of work. And it’s not lip service.

But who out there is helping workers who want to work gain that self-worth?

We talk to Marianne Bess tonight and watch an inspiring short film about Lloyd’s office. It’ll bring a tear to the eye.

[That film was directed by Matt Long from Goodoil Films]

Here’s the full show (the chat about Break Thru and Lloyd starts at 13:40):

And here’s the full documentary clip:

The Spirit Behind Creative Spirit from Droga5 Sydney on Vimeo.