Tonight on ABC's 4 Corners program there is an expose on the systematic abuse of job seekers that has been fact for more than 16 years.
Disability Employment is being dragged into similar disrepute as no action is taken to prevent further distortions similar to those (read the back posts) I have been going on about since this blog started.
Don't know what's on the 4 Corners show but recommend everyone that is concerned about helping Australia's most disadvantaged citizens find real work, stop and take a look.
Example I have raged against and on record since 2005:
Question to Minister at agency forum: 'Minister, doesn't this scheme encourage providers to break jobs into small parcels of employment? In return it seems they will receive 5 times the funding and 5 times the recognition in Star Ratings?
Response from Minister (to me) ' I think we can rely upon the integrity of service providers'.
His words brought laughter from the audience and they have brought misery to those trapped in the ineffective employment programs that have taken the shine from what were formerly world class disability employment programs.
By international standards we now perform poorly.
It does NOT have to be this way.
My words aren't a call to shoot the incumbents!!
Ministers Scott Morrison & Mitch Fifield look after Disability Employment Services.
Disability Employment Programs aren’t making much of a difference in the lives of people with disability.
To then say; ‘therefore these Ministers are to blame’ is an easy follow-on.
The problem is, they ain’t!
I don’t want this to sound like a party political broadcast and here’s the facts:
Mr Morrison has only been in this role a short while and both he and Senator Fifield strike me as really keen to make a difference, willing to go out of their way to assist in the process of change and sincerely keen to find out what works.
They have inherited a serious problem: the commoditisation of people in a process that feeds on misery.
Present fact:
Service provider ‘A’ places person with disability into full time employment, freeing them from stigma of welfare and providing business owner with invaluable business asset - integrated effective worker.
Provider ‘A’ scores ‘1’
Service provider ‘B’ takes same position, carves into 5 x 8hrs jobs and uses Commonwealth funds to subsidise employment for a little over 6 months. Employer (at best) feels good about being able to help. At a little after 6 months Service Provider ‘B’ assists employer to recycle workers and gain entitlement to further subsidy.
Provider ‘B’ scores 5 and has 5 more on the way.
That’s 5 times the money (that’s OK, it’s just manipulation of an ill-considered contract by bunglers). They take that money and clench it tightly to their chests, bleating that the Commonwealth should do more to promote their ‘service’.
What’s worse is that this sort of behaviour has a destructive effect that goes beyond merely crushing morale – Provider ‘B’ scores 5 times as much in the ‘Star Ratings’.
This means at next contract time ‘A’ is under threat and ‘B’ gets rewarded.
I’ve been going on about this for years – no one listens.
The disaster we have now we have brought upon ourselves.
Our Ministers are reasonably new. Rather than engage in a blame game we need to set Key Performance Indicators that mean real change for unemployed people who have a disability – that’s exactly the same as anyone else wants; a real job with prospects of security, personal development and growth. Enough money to escape the stigma of poverty or at least make a meaningful difference in day to day matters.
Set the markers for judging performance at the return delivered and that includes promotion of the skills and abilities of people with disability – surely there’s no need for charities to stash millions and millions of dollars in assets – use these instead to promote the cause??
I don't think these programs have bad leadership at a Ministerial level, and now these gentlemen have a chance to make positive change that brings real improvements in people's lives.
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 There are currently no comments on this article
Previous Posts
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....
Lucky Lucky
I am truly fortunate to work with the very best people in this great nation and we are truly lucky to be part of the best short film festival this side of anywhere!
"Focusonability" voting starts today and there is an even larger number of films (287) than last year....
On the money Sometime over the next week a new Disability Employment Service contract will be announced.
We are moving into a new world of greater consumer choice and greater mobility of job seekers....
Making a tough job tougher!
Making a tough job tougher
It isnt easy to get a decent job and its harder to do so if you have a disability.
NOVA employs around 190 people, an effective and experienced team who are able to draw upon a staff of highly skilled trainers and a support program honed over almost 30 years and tens of thousands of participants....
Your Work There was never any doubt in my mind that I would work. My dad told me I would work and there wasn't ever a suggestion that my future held an alternative option....
Not so bad! Taken from: Today's Guardian at 4.09pm Tuesday 7th November 2017:
www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2016/jun/23/russia-and-the-us-have-the-worst-employment-gaps-for-disabled-people
In a world full of discouragement there’s always a space for good news....
Informed Choice
The NDIS mantra is 'choice and control'
To be valuable, choice needs to be informed.
Since 2010:
Average Sydney Disability Employment Services placement rates are 34....
Hard Job
It's voting time at "Focusonability" - with a record number of films entered, a tremendous effort by more than 100 High Schools and 19 countries competing in the International section it was always going to be a hard job to pick a winner....
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....