Welcome to our third newsletter for this year. Despite COVID lockdowns in Queensland of recent, and some of the team being in isolation for two weeks to prevent COVID spreading, we have ventured on as a team and continue to deliver projects for our clients.
We've had some exciting client projects underway this quarter including an organisational realignment project, strategy and market analysis on early intervention for a neuroplasticity specialist, and continuing to be engaged on employment related projects for disability.
Lou Taylor joined our team, complimenting our expertise in employment.
As always, if any of these stories resonate with your organisation and strategy do get in touch. We would love to share our learnings and experience as these projects continue.
IN THIS EDITION:
New pricing - new learnings The power in understanding clients Career discussions - Disability employment Project showcase - NDIS market opportunities Louise Taylor-Metcalfe - Expertise in employment New products Events In the news
New pricing - New learnings
The Federal Government launched the NDIS Participant Employment Strategy in November 2019 with the stated aim of increasing the employment rate of working age NDIS participants from 24% to 30% by 2023.
One of the important actions in the strategy is to provide participants with individualised funding that enables them to receive intensive on-the-job support, appropriate to their disability needs in a wide range of workplace settings, including ADEs.
Subsequently, on 1 July 2020 the NDIS introduced new pricing for supports in employment that aim to provide participants with greater choice and control about where and how they work, who provides their supports, and create new opportunities for providers.
The new pricing model allows providers to claim for the hours and ratios of workplace support they actually deliver to a participant and replaces a funding model used by ADEs that is based on a set weekly amount determined by an assessment at commencement of employment.
ADEs have been given until 31 December 2021 to transition participants to the new pricing model.
Whilst on the surface, this transition seems straightforward, requiring changes to service agreements and invoicing practices, whereas in reality, the transition can have far reaching changes to an ADEs business model and ultimately its long-term sustainability.
Ange and James recently supported an ADE prepare for this transition, by conducting a detailed diagnosis of their current operations, identifying changes across their operating model, processes, technology and people practices which aim to move them from an annual operating deficit to a surplus position.
In addition to tangible changes, we witnessed and supported a change in the culture of the organisation, that extended the recognition of the potential value that supported employees contribute to their business, and explored new methods of realising this value and providing greater choice and career options for the employees.
A key learning from this project is that if an ADE wishes to turn this transition into an opportunity, they need to act immediately as the recommended changes can take time to implement and the transition deadline is fast approaching.
If your organisation is interested in understanding how to navigate this transition, please get in touch.
Power in understanding - Taking the time with clients
Social Scaffolding was recently engaged to assist a CEO and Board, to align the structure of their team with the demands of service delivery, while keeping the youth who benefit from the services, at the core of the plan.
Shari and James began the project by taking the time to learn more deeply about the organisation and the services they provide to disadvantaged youth.
Like many others, the organisation continually meets the difficult balance between high service demand and contract requirements. The team do this while proactively responding to their customers, with genuine passion, through provision of best-in-class support and interventions and this is led by an ethos of practice improvement, innovation and focus on thought leadership.
A review of the organisational functions required to deliver services translated into required team capabilities. This process, which involved extensive discussions with each of the team members, resulted in clarity around roles and the individual role contribution to whole of organisation practice of service delivery.
During discussions undertaken by the Social Scaffolding team, other practices to achieve greater efficiencies and collaboration were identified. These were discussed with the CEO throughout the project and some of these suggested refinements have already been implemented.
With clarity and an updated structure in place, the organisation is in a strong position to deliver on its growth plans and ensure sustainability into the future.
Career discussions - Disability employment
At Social Scaffolding, Ange has been working alongside people with disability to assist them on their career journey – whether it be attaining their first job or their next career move. We work alongside people with disability utilising a discovery approach to uncover each person’s unique gifts, talents, skills, interests and aspirations.
For most of us, we don’t just want a job. We want a career that is fulfilling, engaging, and is aligned to our skills, talents and importantly our aspirations. This is also true for people with disability. In fact, it can be said that people with disabilities are often more aspirational than their peers when it comes to thinking about their work.
Sadly, for people with disability their aspirations, skills and talents are overlooked when it comes to employment. What these important elements are replaced with are negative attitudes and misconceptions – from the individual themselves, family members, employment providers and employers – about their capacity to attain and maintain employment. These horizon-limiting beliefs and attitudes diminish an individual’s capacity to recognise their potential.
People with disability have said that when they have been looking for work that they do not feel that their personal preferences, skills, talents and aspirations have been taken into consideration. As a result, people supporting them to find a job would only search for jobs that would not be challenging and were not matched to their individual preferences, skills, talents and aspirations.
Social Scaffolding has developed a process that supports each person to uncover their unique potential and to then match those characteristics to work opportunities. Utilising this process has helped individuals to align their talents and aspirations to work opportunities that they are passionate about and what the world needs. A number of organisations have engaged Social Scaffolding to work with their employees directly (including supported employees), working through our process - enabling the individual to articulate, then work towards their goals and aspirations.
Steve Jobs famously said, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” If you want to know more about how Social Scaffolding can assist people with disability on their career journey please contact us to find out how we can work with you.
Project showcase - NDIS market opportunities
The NDIS is providing an array of opportunities for new providers to come into the disability market to provide people with disability access to new and innovative services to meet their disability needs and build their capacity. At the same time more NDIS participants are entering the scheme and becoming more discerning about the types of supports they need, and which providers will suit them the best.
A neuroplasticity therapeutic specialist provider - working on strategies to assist some of Australia’s most vulnerable individuals develop emotional, social and cognitive resilience – has engaged Social Scaffolding on an exciting project.
Ange has been supporting them to undertake a deep dive into a review and analysis of existing and emerging market opportunities within the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Working together with the organisation Social Scaffolding has developed a comprehensive Market Analysis. The market analysis has provided the organisation with detailed understanding of their target market and how their services could align with the demands being stated by participants. It has also helped them to understand who their competitors are along with their strengths and weaknesses. This NDIS market analysis has provided the organisation with more opportunities to deliver their unique and innovative services, that will lead to lasting outcomes at both the individual and societal levels.
Employment expertise - Welcome Lou!
This quarter, we welcome our new team member, Louise Metcalfe-Taylor to the Social Scaffolding team.
Lou brings with her an impressive background in training and development, and a breadth of employment including experience as a qualified chef, vet nurse, RTO trainer and assessor and disability support worker. This unique set of skills is complementary to the work we are doing with the NDIS and employment sectors, and we look forward to introducing Lou across our range of our projects and initiatives.
New products - Human rights assessments
Have you seen the products that Social Scaffolding offer?
Over the last year in our newsletters, you would have seen the work we have done in the Human Rights space. The Human Rights Act 2019 commenced in its entirety on 1 January 2020, so how is your organisation managing updates to it's policies, to meet the legal obligations? Do you need help?
We offer expert Human Rights Assessments and are able to help you through the process. Learn more at our Human Rights Assessments page on our website.
Events
THURSDAY | 4 NOVEMBER
9AM - 3PM | Brisbane City Hall
Social Scaffolding will be hosting a stall at the upcoming Fresh Futures Market in Brisbane. We will share our Equalising Employment Opportunities model of support with young people looking at more than just a job after they leave school. We will be joined by some of our change agents to share their story of career success.
WENDESDAY | 1 SEPTEMBER
9AM - 11AM | Troocoo boardroom
Level 1, 100 Creek Street, Brisbane
The Inclusive Employment Movement is a collective of like-minded professionals who are committed to breaking down barriers to meaningful employment for people with disabilities. It is our vision that people of all abilities can have careers working in main-stream organisations doing whatever sets their hearts on fire. We believe that it can start with a great conversation. Let’s start talking! Join us for breakfast with our founding members and special guest speakers in Brisbane on Wednesday 1 September 2021.
Limited places, so please email to find out more andrew@socialscaffolding.com.au.
In the news - "How to build a career with social impact"
A few months ago our Director Andrew Hamilton was interviewed for this piece on social impact.
Here he speaks to shifting career goals and the importance of the need for a "broad scope for accounting and finance professionals to pursue social impact careers, particularly in disability and aged care not-for-profit organisations."
Read the article over on In The Black.