The silence from my colleagues on the reallocation of DES-ESS business is damning.
Fear, indifference or greed?
Not sure but, seeing as I haven't ground my axe on this topic for a while and with some excellent colleagues having lost all or part of their share of business it must be time to beat keyboard.
Here's the deal; on a regular basis 'government' takes to Australian Disability Employment Services with a mantra of 'high-performing' and 'low-performing' as measured against a mystical but I am informed infallible measure of quality, the Star Ratings' - 'Low performing' providers (those swine!) are consigned to oblivion and their business given to 'high-performing' providers (in the interests of transparency NOVA is one of these).
I have repeatedly raised concerns with the process for many reasons but here's the synopsis:
1. People with disability have sufficient smarts to make their own choices about the service they wish to attend and freedom of choice should enable them to receive assistance form a provider they have selected on the basis of their own needs and preferences.
2. The doublespeak about 'better management' isn't born out be historical performance which has either worsened or at best remained stable.
3. The 'Star Ratings' drive providers into a race to the bottom when it comes to service quality toward, nonsensically rewarding quantity over quality - simple example 1x40hrs employment is beaten by 2 x 8hr employment (this is nuts!), there are others.
4. Lost opportunity costs - removing a service provider disrupts the employment prospects of the transferring job seekers and those the receiving provider cares for - no winners!
& so on it goes.....
There's a review of employment services and talk of the failed DES system.
Australian Disability Employment Services are not failing because of a lack of commitment, they are not failing because of poor economic factors or prejudice by employers.
Australian DES is failing systemically - classis example from today: Job seeker approaches NOVA, long term unemployed, over 60, previous stroke other health conditions and just by chance we have the ideal position.
Can this poor sod register with NOVA?
Nope! An arbitrary boundary is drawn from which we may accept referrals and clients and this chap is outside same.
He pleads his case - nope!
We plead his case - nope!
He remains unemployed.
Let's put some faith in the ability of people with disability - let them register with as many agencies as they wish - don't pay services for registration.
Pay for hours gained not minimums but maximum reward for maximum participation.
Pay at post subsidy milestones, not 100% funded minimum hour nonsense.
Every service provider chips in 5% of turnover for general promotion to employers.
Get real about Government promises to employ people with disability.
Meanwhile, to those excellent, committed, skilled and dedicated colleagues forced out of the work they love by an incompetent system, my apologies for not being able to do more - you will be truly missed.
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