Almost 1 year ago, speaking about the then proposed business reallocation I wrote the following on the discussion board of the peak body that represents Australian Disability Employment Services (DES):
It may just be me and does there seem to be a deafening silence on the impending disaster that is DES-ESS?
Heres the funding body message; "Dont fret, we are only going to be rid of a few of you and those that go earned it"
And our response is.......?
Ive been doing this (DES, not screaming about contract madness) for 27 years and theres never been a time of greater threat to the employment options for people with disability.
I thought we represented them, not us. Theres nothing to be gained by silence and everything to win by protest.
**** Quick note: no NOVA contract is at risk *****
Do the Star Ratings represent good service to people with disability?
We know they dont.
Their application in allocating market share appears to have delivered a 16% drop in outcomes in the present contract
We all know, the funding body knows and the Minister knows the Stars are deeply flawed
The rationalisation madness continues.
Just in case you didnt read the letter; score 1 or 2 stars in the next Stars and your jobs are up for grabs, your clients choices ignored and our industry skills base further weakened.
What remains of DES-ESS is about to be further destroyed.
Seems to me its fight or fall - cant understand the silence
I was ready (and remain), cashed up and keen to fight: A strike, an advertising campaign, a stand against the silliness.
How many responses do you think I received? Remember at least 20% of all disability employment business was about to go up for grabs, thats 1 job in 5 threatened.
Not one.
Not so much as a whisper.
What happened?
The inevitable. The faulty measurement system (Star Ratings) threw up the businesses ripe for reallocation and those businesses then became tarred with the inaccurate label of underperformers. Subsequently, once again, a number of decades old providers lost large parts of their business to be replaced in many cases by far less skilled or caring programs.
The we get stuff like this: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/industrial-relations/outdated-job-service-defeating-the-ndis/story-fn59noo3-1227213795519
Over the past few years the idealistic guts that created and developed DES has been destroyed. People with disabilities entering the system go to programs designed to process them, rather like they were meat to be packaged.
This industry (DES) was built by and on the wishes of program participants, not service providers. The lip service that is paid to the Disability Service Standards and to communication with participants as stakeholders speaks volumes about a mindset that pervades the industry – we are important and participants are not.
The inevitable result is a movement away from what those experiencing the system would like and what those administrating the system want.
What is desperately needed for employment is not hand wringing or consultation – its action. Immediate action that rewards the desired outcomes (which I assume for all is maximum participation?) and drives performance that makes a difference, a difference that is not made by gaming the contract.
Remove threats, allow innovation, reward on the basis of reduction in welfare and retention of work after subsidy.
How can this be too hard?
If we are going to genuinely develop a disability employment program that delivers on behalf of people with disability we need to empower them to take part in the process and we need a reward system predicated on improving meaningful performance indicators - if you only get paid for actually making a difference then the market will drive growth and determine those deemed worthy to remain.
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 from Blacktown wrote on 6 Nov 2015 8:36:09 AM Thanks Martin - you are right, I used to work for people who have a disability, now I work for wankers!
Previous Posts
The records keep falling! Following on from last post, I'd like to give some public recognition to my staff who have not only stood up under the tests of the Pandemic, they've continued to achieve record breaking results....
Never been so busy! At the risk of jinxing it, there's never been a better time to be looking for work - NOVA is getting scores of inquiries for workers, breaking all records each week with no sign of a let-up in sight!
The demand might be simply a post lockdown mini boom and maybe the bubble will pop - I have to say there's no sign of that....
July Rant There's an inquiry into Disability Employment Service and how best the new National Contract (2023) might serve the needs of the Commonwealth - note, that I haven't said, 'the needs of people with disability'....
Review Australia's $1bn disability employment service criticised over poor outcomes and reduced employment - https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/mar/31/australias-disability-employment-down-3-in-past-decade-as-service-scheme-criticised-for-poor-outcomes....
Thank you Mark Zuckerberg (not!) Friends of NOVA may have seen our Facebook page is down - courtesy Mark Zuckerberg NOVA/Focus are victims of much larger forces - no idea when or if we'll be restored - more as events unfold....
They Don't Count Gaining or holding formal qualifications can set a person up for a lifetime career. Holding appropriate qualifications that can lead to lifelong careers, tradespeople generally make a good income and enjoy well deserved respect....
Benchmarks To access NOVA Employment or any Disability Employment Service (DES), almost everyone is required to be assessed by the Services Australia Services (Centrelink) to determine their "Benchmark" hours: Benchmark hours are the pay point for service providers; being the minimum working hours required for the DES provider to bill the Government and the assessed maximum hours a person is deemed capable of working with DES support....
International Day of People with a Disability
International Day of People with a Disability
It's IDPwD and we have a 1 hour 'special' screening on SBS from 4.30 this afternoon.
Our Ryan Goodwin has done a great job of selecting some of the great entries from NOVA's 'Focusonability' short film festival - we love the Festival and hope that you'll love these films, gathered from around the world....
2020 - the first half When the going gets tough, the tough get going
Good! - Now they've left us, let's look at reality - when the going gets tough, many people suffer and dis-proportionally, people with disability suffer more....
Countdown Clock II
What's the countdown clock all about?
It's our closing time and a countdown to the end of a truly remarkable month of extraordinary effort by my staff....
Countdown Clock Regular viewers will have noticed a countdown clock ticking away (above)
What's that all about?
Can't say - you have to wait till 4.30pm (a little earlier for staff)
...
Just the best 3 One thing we all love is a winner which is why there's a smile on my face it will be pretty hard to shift.
There's a nightmare pandemic sweeping the world (carried off my mum), the economy has tanked in a never before seen disaster that's left more than a million Aussies unemployed and the only news seems to be bad news....
More than Money!
If asked, most of us would say we went to work for the money, to pay our bills or support our family.
All true, and yet work means so much more:
Prior to finding a job with NOVA employment Glenn* struggled to keep jobs for more than a few months and was generally working as a dishwasher in restaurants which he found to be quite unsatisfying work....
Life Changers II
How are you in the mornings (or evenings, or nights)? NOVA is an 'old school' Disability Employment Service - we find work in the general community with identical pay and conditions as those enjoyed by people who dont have a disability....
Life Changers Required! Received yesterday:
I was unemployed for 24 years because of my disability. I was looking for a job for the last 2 and half years. With the help of (NOVA Staff) I found suitable job and working in the law company for last one year....
Try us!
Don't know about you but I have felt pretty bruised from all the horrible stuff brought upon us by this damn virus - seeing so many folk losing their jobs is particularly awful and the uncertainty generated for everyone, particularly for workers who have a disability is dreadful to see....
Best Ever II
Following from last post:
NOVA Employment has operated for 30 years. Comparing all results from previous years, February 2020 has been our most successful to date - Following on from January that's 2 in a row and every indication March will also be a record breaker....
Best Ever
NOVA Employment posted another 'best ever' result for the first month of 2020.
Despite the most dreadful natural disasters and with many businesses closed for the holidays, the NOVA team delivered more new workers than in any previous January results, beating past 5 years average by 25% and previous (2017) 'best ever' numbers by 5%....
Depressing cracked record!
A good friend will occasionally pull me up with the reminder that I have a tendency to rant, 'rave on slop jaw' if I remember correctly....
Big Win! Saturday night saw a big win for the NOVA team and for people with disability when our Podcast partners NOVA Entertainment- no relationship other than mates - received the following:
BEST ORIGINAL PODCAST - BRANDED
Focus On Ability; Nova Employment & the Nova Entertainment Podcast Team , NOVA Entertainment
BEST ORIGINAL PODCAST - UNBRANDED
Hamish & Andy; Hamish Blake & Andy Lee, PodcastOne Australi
Taken from the web: https://www....
Subscribe to this Blog