EMPLOYMENT participation levels of people with disabilities are not showing significant improvement, a new national report finds.
The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Reform Council, in a report released today, paints a bleak picture about barriers to securing employment and social participation.
Blast and damn it – why doesn’t anybody ask why? This country has gone from world leader to motherless last in the relative wealth of people with disability and well down the league ladder when to it come to participation (21st out of 29)
It hasn’t got any better since 2006-2009, that's the period this report covers (guaranteed) and the figures don’t tell the real story of the lack of participation and wasted resource caused by the non or partial employment of people that have a disability.
All the while disability employment services are set against each other in a mad race to the lowest common denominator this position will NOT change. This program used to cooperatively work in the interests of people that had a disability, sharing information, support for job seekers and workers and operating wholly in the interests of the service user (I know, I was there).
Nowadays, its speed to placement and any job will do. Driven by fear and afraid of reprisal people are scared to speak out and each service either gets into the mud or risks poor performance ratings and possible oblivion. The debate has been hijacked and emotive words like ‘high performing’ or low performing used as tools of manipulation rather than genuine reflections of skill and dedication.
I will happily take anyone that wishes on a tour of fabulous, client focussed single ‘starred’ services that genuinely care for our most disadvantaged fellow Australians.
It won’t change until the performance measurements that decide who lives and who dies in the cut throat competition of employment services is hauled back and someone asks again, ‘what do people that have a disability want.
Don’t say ‘NDIS for employment’ because, should the scheme ever role out nationally, the productivity commissioner has recommended employment services be excluded
Would you like a face-to-face meeting with Martin via Skype? Click the button below to make an appointment
Subscribe to this Blog - blog.novaemployment.com.au Copy the link above and paste it into your favourite Reader to subscribe to an RSS feed of this blog. To watch a short video explanation of RSS and how it helps you save time reading the web click here
Your Comments Peter Smith from Melbourne wrote on 15 Jun 2012 10:55:44 AM No question that until we put the focus back on the client and not the funding, we're just spiralling down to the lowest common denominator. When agencies talk about they're only client being DEEWR and not the person with a disability then what hope does the client have.
Time for DEEWR to stop talking about being a person centred program and actually walking the talk. The DES providers need to put their self interest aside and speak up collectively on behalf on the client. I appreciate thats hard when there's someone waiting to take your business away based on the holy grail of star ratings, but what about the person with the disability and what they want and think is a good service. Lets focus on careers for our clients not short term jobs for the sake of "stars".
Martin Wren from NOVA Employment wrote on 15 Jun 2012 3:00:39 PM Don't know whether I should be commenting on the 'comments' but spot on Peter
Martha Siede from Claremont Meadows wrote on 15 Jun 2012 4:07:19 PM There also needs to be a good look at physical access to work via public transport, footpath and workplace accessibility as well. You can't just get someone a job, they need to be able to get to work, move around the office and get back home intact
Previous Posts
Choice & Control
The NDIS slogans around choice and control demonstrate the importance of consumer involvement in both the choice and control of supports they need.
However, in order to be valuable, choice needs to be informed by accurate data such is this: http://www....
Belfast
Last week (14-16) it was my privilege to attend the 1st World Supported Employment Conference in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
"Employment for All - A Global Perspective" brought workers from around the globe (primarily Europe) to discuss best practice in supported employment....
Quality and the Stars Quality and the Stars
There have probably been few people more openly critical of the Disability Employment Service (DES) Star Ratings than me.
The Stars, ranging from 1 to 5 are supposed to give some insight into whether a service is a poor or high performing program....
DEA Forum
Attended the Disability Employment Australia (DEA) forum in Canberra. THis is a regular get together that offers disability employment services tha chance to be kept up to date from our funding body and also listed to expert speakers on topics associated with the goal of seeing as many people as possible find and keep suitable employment....
Greatest Asset
NOVAs greatest asset is its staff. I suspect you would struggle to find the CEO of any organisation state their staff are not vital and at the core of business reputation and results....
A corner turned?
We are presently holding events to promote employment for people with disability - nor surprise there, that's our job.
What has been a surprise is the willingness of employers to come along and listen and more importantly, to consider adopting inclusive employment practices across their organisations....
Say No to Quotas!
The pernicious idea that 'quota's' might be the solution for disability employment continue:
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/how-china-trumps-australia-when-it-comes-to-supporting-disabled-workers-20170103-gtl7bh....
Percentages
Faced with the daunting task of improving the number of employment outcomes with out sacrificing the quality of service delivered to people with disability how have we fared (sort of Year in Review II)?
The number of placements made has seriously improved - up 31% in 2015 and a further 14% in 2016, NOVA operates at at rate of placement better than 150% over 2014!
Whats really exciting is that this has been achieved without compromising on the level of disability that can be supported by NOVA's teams (if anything this has risen)....
Famous last words!
O.K. - sorry that you need to cut and paste: http://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace-relations/100-million-payday-for-1anhour-staff-with-disabilities-20161216-gtcius....
Last Post
Not sure if this will be my last blog post for 2016 but just in case, a quick look back at 2016:
Best ever year for total number of placements
Best ever year for long term employment outcomes
Best ever year for Apprenticeships and Traineeships
Best ever year for Transition to Work outcomes
Best ever year for media coverage
Best ever year for 'Focusonability'
Best ever year for Transition to Work (TTW)
How about 2017?
Looking good, so stay in touch and have a terrific holiday, be safe and hopefully Santa will bring you all that you wish for....
Choice
Choice is only of value when it's informed (written about this here previously)
I have the numbers for disability employment services (DES-ESS) up till 30th June this year and I am delighted to see that NOVA is responsible for almost 25% of all employment lasting 6 months or more (28 providers) and almost as many as next 2 providers combined....
Oh Dear
Oh Dear!!
The NDIS held out hope and promise to people with a disability, the opportunity to exercise choice and control and was heralded as the answer to the prayers of our most disadvantaged and vulnerable citizens....
Latest 'Stars' The effectiveness of Australian Disability Employment Services is recognised through a system called the 'Star Ratings'.
6 years ago NOVA was amongst the lower performing providers in Sydney, at least as measured through the Star's,
Regular readers will be aware of my unhappiness with things that I think are important to people with disability - stuff like, wages earned, hours worked etc....
Best Show on TV Morning All
Sorry you need to cut and paste: http://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/802326595536/focus-on-ability-film-festival-2016
Best show on TV - bar none and, if you want to skip my bit I get off at 3:10 and you can get straight to some of the truly terrific films from this year's "Focusonability" short film festival....
Reform There is a review of Disability Employment Services and presently consideration is being given to what might best replace the current program.
See: https://engage....
NOVA needs you - come and join us
NOVA needs You!!
Wednesday 2nd November
Short notice (so really appreciate sharing) and we are holding an information session for potential new workers in a variety of roles within NOVA....
Yet again! Somewhere there is a definition of lunacy that runs along the lines of 'lunacy is when you do something the same way and expect a different result'
Today some of Australia's disability employment services will learn whether they will be allowed to continue to deliver their programs or whether they are to be replaced....
Ending Poverty
According to today's radio around 3 million Australians are living in poverty. The majority rely upon Centrelink (Australia's welfare services hub) to provide the majority of their income although many are also in small hour part time work....
Congratulations due
Congratulations to my team for their terrific results for September, a month in which the NOVA staff placed more people into open employment - thats a job just like yours and mine - than at any previous period in our 27 year history
Employment Options
What an exciting time to be working in Disability Employment Services!
Demand exceeds supply (we are advertising for job seekers) and more and more smart business owners are seeing the value of people with disability as a routine part of their hiring decisions and processes....
Subscribe to this Blog