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
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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
Welfare Benefits and Health
It is said that power corrupts, but actually it's truer that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other things than power: David Brin
DES providers don't need nor should they have been given the authority to suspend welfare benefits (see above)....
Disgusting!
Disgusting!: https://probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2019/07/ndis-data-drop-reveals-severe-employment-gaps/
I have spoken previously on, to quote former President Bush, 'the soft bigotry of low expectations' - if you are a member of a marginalised group the public don't expect much and are surprised when anything much is achieved!
I've been in this game for more than 30 years and have been privileged to see literally thousands of terrific men and women leave NOVA To gain (and retain) great jobs....
Goodness me!
Goodness me!
Read this article: https://www.smh.com.au/national/no-lights-no-linen-how-alex-survived-for-six-years-on-newstart-20190717-p5284q....
Changing Attitudes
One of the hardest things to do is change a person's attitude - if they are favourably disposed to you, all's well and good - if someone holds a contrary view it's an uphill battle to change a mindset....
Retention Retention, Retention!
Just when you thought things couldn't get any better, something comes along that causes you to stop and to reconsider the way your business is conducted....
Properly Caring
Much is made about the easy life enjoyed by people on welfare - we've all seen the 'news' items that show flagrant abuse of the system with welfare recipients engaged in employment or other activities that conflict with the obligation to inform Centrelink of change in status or simply as a means of defrauding the Commonwealth....
2 Things
2 Things:
First:
About the middle of February I wrote: i. "NOVA Needs You!
We are presently engaged in a very significant recruitment drive and are particularly keen to hear from folk with disability and/or sales experience to join our team of Employment Consultants - THIS IS NOT AN EASY JOB - you need to be resilient, self sacrificing and have stacks of smarts and even then we only take the best....
We're struggling!
NOVA Needs You!
We are presently engaged in a very significant recruitment drive and are particularly keen to hear from folk with disability and/or sales experience to join our team of Employment Consultants - THIS IS NOT AN EASY JOB - you need to be resilient, self sacrificing and have stacks of smarts and even then we only take the best....
Extraordinary Results
When Government Star Ratings seem designed to celebrate the ordinary, it is a pleasure to be able to share a terrific piece of selfless effort on behalf of others....
Whats wrong with Employment Services II? What's wrong with Employment Services II
My mum used to frequently admonish my brothers and I with the words, 'if at first you don't succeed, try, try again'....
Whats wrong with Employment Services? There's rumours of a shake-up in the Job Active program - word is, the program isn't making a real difference and employers don't like it!
There's plenty of evidence to suggest that, despite the best intent of Government and funding body, the Disability Employment Service (DES) is similarly in the doldrums....
I need you! Comrades
NOVA needs you - we are very keen to enlist new members of our organisation.
Here's what you need: the patience of Job, the strength of the Hulk, the wisdom of Solomon and a selfless devotion caring for the needs of others worthy of Mother Teresa....
Tragic Loss People with Disability lost a true champion last Wednesday with the unexpected passing of a truly great man, the Chief Executive Officer of Inclusion Australia and a dear friend Mr Paul Cain....
Fair Warning
I'm giving fair warning of my intention to expose examples of the current DES-ESS contract's exploitation.
I have written to the Commonwealth expressing my concerns about clear manipulation of the present contract....
Fundamentals
The new contract for Disability Employment Services (DES) will not bring performance improvement.
Government will scratch it's head, blame the economy, blame people with disability, talk about educating employers and spend money on consultations before coming to the conclusion that people with disability must meet more stringent 'mutual obligations'....
100%
Each year, around about the International Day of People with a Disability (IDPwD) NOVA Employment holds a formal graduation for students that have participated in our pre-employment programs....
Profiting from poverty
Profiting from Poverty
I am genuinely horrified by this disaster: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/02/the-demerit-system-is-ruthless-social-policy-designed-to-keep-the-poor-powerless
I believe that we presently represent the job hopes of around 1500 people, in various stages of their progression to independent employment....
New Contract but no change!
New Contract but no change!
Today marks the first day of a new Disability Employment Service (DES) contract.
There are new players and new rules....
Administrative Overload
'It's nice to be busy' and 'busy is better than idle' and all of my mum's other sayings about work being good for you, and all of them said; we're drowning!
The administrative burden of a new Disability Employment Service contract (starts July 1st) and the mountains of paperwork required for an NDIS dollar (approximately 10X that of the former TTW program) has seen us add 3 extra staff to the admin team and we are still receiving a large volume of enquiries that are causing us some time delay in getting back to folk....
Podcasts I've been learning all about Podcasts (I suspect that this may be a long road!)
However, getting paid to be inspired is not the worst way to spend a Monday afternoon and that is just how my day has gone....
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