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
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....
Good Result!
Received the following yesterday morning:
Hi Nova, just wanted to give my feedback in regards to my mother getting a job through you guys and the amazing impact it has had!! The job that mum has received has changed her outlook on everything! She is now much more confident in her self and her abilities....
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....
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