Thanks to a new partnership between MDS and Macarthur Group Companies (MGT), more people with a disability are being placed into traineeships. Three young people with a disability have been successfully placed into traineeships in the local area since early 2005.

“These results are very exciting with three young people already in 12-month traineeships at Campbelltown and Camden Councils,” said Naomi Brennan, General Manager at MGT.

The Macarthur Personnel clients currently undertaking traineeships through this partnership are Amanda Drummond - Business Administration, Sandra Mueller - Childcare Studies, both at Campbelltown City Council, and Joel Cobcroft - Business Administration, at Camden Council.

“Working with both organisations through this partnership makes it easier for employers like us to recruit trainees, who we know have the back up and support of specialists in both disability services and group training recruitment,” says Noleen Jessup, Employee / Community Relations Manager at Camden Council.
MDS and MGT have been successful in securing funding for a formal partnership project to increase the number of people with a disability entering and completing formal training in an employment setting. Funding is through Group Training Australia and EDGE Training Solutions of Perth.

All Trainees are employed by Macarthur Group Companies and placed with host employers in the local area. Macarthur Personnel, the employment service of MDS provides keen and eager trainees and supports them throughout the length of the course and on the job as required.

“Macarthur Personnel is keen and ready to work with local employers in order to increase opportunities for the many people with a disability who are committed and ready to secure an apprenticeship or traineeship,” says Anne Thorn of MDS. “After all, statistics show that people with a disability are proven to be committed, safe and productive in the workplace on par or better than the average employee.”

Macarthur Disability Services has welcomed the recent announcement made by the NSW Minister for Disability Services, John Della Bosca, that $6 million in additional funding for the Community Participation program for people with a disability will be made available. This is a program that Macarthur Disability Services currently delivers to some 56 clients, their families and carers.

The Minister stated that “as a result of this latest funding increase, every person in the Community Participation program will now be guaranteed at least three days support (18 hours) per week”.

Alison Doyle, Manager of Community Services for MDS agrees with the Minister that this additional funding will alleviate pressure on families and services. “The State Government has to be congratulated on reviewing the effects of changes introduced earlier this year.”

Parents will be pleased to hear that young people with a disability who now receive less than three days of support will have their support increased. New participants will receive at least three days and people currently receiving more than three days will continue to receive this additional support.

“This turn around by the State Government in providing more, not less funding, is a recognition of the needs of people with high support needs and their families.
“Macarthur Disability Services also looks forward to the challenge of competitive tendering to commence for services in 2006. We are confident of our capacity to deliver quality services for all current and future clients in our community participation program,” says Alison Doyle.

MDS has joined forces with Camden Area Youth Services (CAYS) to share premises at the new Camden Library building in Narellan. MDS will be able to run a range of activities for service participants living in the areas of Narellan and Camden. CAYS and MDS will also work together to develop some new programs for young people in the Camden area.

Four MDS programs will be using the new building at Narellan. Macarthur Progressions’ Transition to Work program (TTW) will be assisting school leavers with a disability to prepare for employment or further study. Transition to Work offers Certificate 1 in Employability Skills, Certificate 2 in Community Support Services and other courses. These courses focus on giving people the skills to find and keep a job.

Macarthur Personnel (MP), our employment service for people with a disability, will be providing a Job Search Club at Narellan for people living in Narellan and Camden. MP assists people with a disability to find great long-term jobs.

Macarthur Recreation will use the new premises as a base for its Senior Dudes (youth aged 12 to 16) group. The Senior Dudes will invite other CAYS groups to join together for some great fun evenings.

The new premises will provide a great venue for MDS to deliver accredited training during the year. This training will include Certificate IV Workplace Training and Assessment.
MDS is looking forward to running programs at Narellan and to working with CAYS in this important partnership.

For more information contact MDS on 4621 8400, or visit the website www.mdservices.com.au. For more information about CAYS contact Jason on 4648 1212.

Further changes will occur in July 2006 when Macarthur Personnel will also assist jobseekers with a disability who have been assessed as able to work 15 to 29 hours a week.

The State Government has also introduced changes in the ATLAS program; now Transition to Work and Community Participation. Funding changes, with significant reductions for Community Participation funding, short time lines and delays in notifying parents resulted in a staggered start for this year. Programs where redesigned, supplementary funding requested for people with high support needs and for additional equipment. And just when we are waiting to hear about this funding another change has been announced. The Minister Mr John Della Bosca has announced additional funding will be made available to everyone who is currently not receiving 18 hours of service per week. How this will be administered is still unclear but does highlight the need for the true costs of providing services to be determined.

To allow this to happen the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care have recommenced a cost study that had started last year with a number of services, MDS being one, and the University of Wollongong.

Throughout all this MDS continued to provide quality services as identified with our successful audit by Benchmark. This is a great result with all staff pulling together to maintain services. In recognition of this MDS has instituted the MDS Awards. These Awards are for staff members who have excelled in the provision of services. The categories are:

Team Excellence Award - for a team who exemplifies the qualities of cooperation and collaboration and reflects the values of MDS;

The Rhonda McCaw Award - for outstanding leadership and initiative by a member of staff in a non-managerial role;

The MDS Excellence Award - for a staff member whose dedication, motivation and commitment has improved the outcomes for service participants and/or improved the standing of MDS in the wider community; and

The Outstanding Service Award - for a staff member who has made a consistent and committed contribution to the delivery of a quality services to service participants.

If you would like more information, or would like to nominate a staff member for the Outstanding Service Award please contact me on 4621 8400. Nominations close on 30 June 2005.

Anne Thorn , General Manager

MDS has again been audited by Benchmark who certified that MDS procedures and systems meet International Quality Standards.
Benchmark kept Amanda Mesa (Quality Coordinator), managers and staff on their toes during the four-day audit in April. This year the audit focused on Vocational Services, the Behaviour Intervention Support Service and Recreation programs.

MDS met all the standards at a high level. This fantastic result demonstrates that MDS is working hard to continually improve services.
Of special note were comments made by the Benchmark auditors on the commitment and enthusiasm of all MDS staff and how well MDS compares to other disability services.
“MDS has in place systems and resources that provides a level of service that well meets the needs of the service participants and strives for best practice within the disability sector,” said Peter Burton, lead auditor from Benchmark.

Amanda said “I really appreciate the efforts of all MDS staff, service participants and especially the internal audit team who make sure that MDS meets Quality Assurance. And a huge thank you to Denise from Administration and Neesha from Macarthur Personnel for maintaining the Quality System while I was on maternity leave.”

MDS will always conduct regular internal audits, ensuring continuous improvement in quality of its services, and to find better and more innovative ways to meet the needs of our service participants.

The day was officially opened by Cr Brenton Banfield, mayor of Campbelltown. Guest speakers included Joanne Wells from the National Parks Association and Karin Vasquez from Macarthur Diversity Services.
Entertainment was provided by a number of local performers, including an African drumming group called The Djoliba Project who really had the crowd moving.

“When I think of nursing homes, I think of visiting grandparents. I think of accommodation for older people. I don’t think of a 19 year old girl who has acquired a brain injury through an asthma attack living part of her life in this type of care. Or of a 21-year-old male who has broken his neck after slipping in the shower. If anyone of us sustained a life changing non-compensable injury, we would likely endure a similar outcome. There are currently nearly 3000 people under 59 in nursing homes in Australia. Our own Carrington Nursing Home accommodates 8 young people with a disability between 29 to 45 years of age.

Nursing homes are under no obligation to provide this crisis accommodation and care. They do it out of the goodness of their heart. The care they provide while excellent for their older population is not specific to needs of people with a disability or a younger population.

We need to provide quality accommodation to meet young peoples needs. Decent community care that gives young people choices about where they live and how they live. The issue is who provides the funding. All political parties agree that young people should not be in nursing homes. But neither government gives a priority to this group of people and gets caught up in passing the responsibility back and forth.

I believe the issue of money should not play the central role in the basic choices people are entitled to. We all have the right to choice and a life of dignity and coolness.”

Paul’s Followup…

The article featured in the Minority Report on young people in nursing homes generated some positive attention and response. Local Members for Campbelltown and Camden Geoff Corrigan and Graeme West read the article and arranged a meeting with the Minister for Ageing and Disability John Della Bosca. Myself, Anne Thorn and Raad Richards from Carrington Nursing Home met and discussed this issue with The Minister, his advisor and Geoff and Graeme on Wednesday May 25.

From this meeting the Minister agreed to make a keynote address at the Day Services State Conference Focusing on Futures in early September and that a ‘roundtable’ involving all stakeholders will be set up to present issues and concerns pertaining to people with a disability and in particular accommodation options.
I will represent MDS on this committee and make sure that the concerns of people with a disability, their carers and families are heard. This is very positive and we congratulate Minister Della Bosca for his commitment to understanding issues on Disability and proactively working on this portfolio.

ALICIA PARKS.

What do you bring to the MDS Board table?
I bring to the MDS board table 8 years of accounting experience, during which time I have worked in Corporate Finance and Public Practice Accounting. I am a qualified Certified Practicing Accountant and have been working for BCP Accounting & Business Advisors for the last 2 years.
In addition to my accounting experience I also worked in pharmacy for a period of 5 years whilst studying. During this time I was given the opportunity to help the elderly and people with disabilities. I found my time as a pharmacist’s assistant provided me with a sound understanding of the everyday challenges and restraints people with disabilities are faced with.

Where do you see MDS in 2 years from now?
In the short time I have been a director of MDS, I have found the organisation to be very dynamic in its ways. The staff of MDS are very passionate about what they do. I see MDS experiencing strong growth over the next couple of years in the services it provides and the staff it employs. The staff of MDS are very focused in what they do and the projects they are involved with. It is this type of dedication and commitment that will keep MDS moving in a positive direction, and for which its clients will benefit.

What do you see as issues in Macarthur that will impact on MDS and its service participants now and in the future?
There are many issues that can have an impact on MDS & its service participants, however, one major issue that will always have an impact is that of community awareness and support. Without community awareness of the difficulties faced by people with disabilities as well as the people that look after them, it is impossible for organisations such as MDS and its service participants to gain the support of its community in making the lives of people with disabilities as normal and comfortable as possible.

It is sad but true that society tends to be ignorant in its attitude towards disability, it is for this reason that public education on this topic could be vital in achieving the support of a community. However, education comes with a price and would mean the need for additional resources and funding.

Another issue that does and will continue to affect MDS and its service participants is the lack of funding provided by the government and the battle to have it directed towards such services. This is where the support of a community would benefit such organisations in their fight for more funding.

Lastly, the increased support of local businesses of the Macarthur region in the area of work experience and employment opportunities available to people with disabilities would also benefit MDS and its Macarthur Personnel branch of the organisation.

Who is your favourite Star Wars character?
As much as I am not a fan of Star Wars movies, (sorry to disappoint you Paul) if I had to pick it would be Yoda.

Contact
MDS Complete Property Services on
9829 7644