NDIS Recruitment and Training

 

Now you’ve chosen the way you wish to manage your NDIS funds, let’s start looking at how to recruit support workers to help you. Have a look over the questions below and type in your answers. This will help you think about who you would like in your support team.

The next step is to find your support workers. You can do this through disability service provider organisations who are registered with the NDIS, through Independent agencies or through direct employment.

 

Here are some facts about each option:

Disability Service Providers:

• These organisations are registered providers with the NDIS
• All staff are trained and have completed OHS and police checks
• You have less choice and control over who supports you, so you may not get the same support worker each time
• Regular shifts will be covered if your usual support worker is sick

 

Independent Agency: New Innovative Agencies Like Hire up and Mable

• You can select your workers based on your interest and needs, so you have more control over who supports you
• The support workers are employed by the agency
• Staff are covered by insurance and have completed training and police checks

 

Direct Employment:

• You can only employ people directly if you are self managed
• These workers will need to have their own ABN and invoice you for their time
• There are no agency fees so you save, and the worker gets all the money
• You can directly communicate with your support worker, not an organisation
• You will have to pay the worker directly and get reimbursed by the NDIA by claiming their fees through the online My Place Portal

 

Direct employment provides more choice and control but it can also be tricky. You are responsible for organising everything. There is a lot more work involved like working out their tax and superannuation and checking if they have insurance.

 

For more helpful tips about Direct Employment, read A Guide to Engaging your own Support Workers. 

 

You can also watch Jack’s NDIS self-management success story to learn more.

When hiring support workers think about the key factors that are important to you. For example is it reliability, flexibility, common interests or something else?

 

Whatever way you choose to find and employ support workers, it’s also a good idea to:

• Have more than one support worker (so you have a back up if and when they are not available)
• Choose someone you can trust and feel comfortable and get along with
• Select workers with the same values as you
• Remember that you cannot pay family members to support you
• Ensure police checks are in place 
• Understand that training and building relationships with support workers takes time
• Keep communicating with your agency or support workers to make sure you get the best out of your time together

 

 

Now let’s think about how you might use funds from your core budget for things support workers could help you with.

 

Choose and Hire Support Workers

Whichever way you choose to employ support workers, you will want to make sure they have the best possible approach to your support and understand the NDIS philosophy of person-centred support and choice and control.

 

It is recommended that all support workers complete the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Worker Orientation module called Quality, Safety and You.  This is an online course that explains the obligations of workers under the NDIS Code of Conduct. It was developed in consultation with the sector, including NDIS providers and people with a disability, and will assist all NDIS workers to better support people with disability.

 

For more information on how choose and recruit support workers follow the links below:

How to find and choose your support workers (Peer Connect Resource)

How to recruit and interview potential support workers (Hire up Resource)

 

Team Management 

Once you have chosen and hired your team members, you will need to manage their time and duties so you can best reach your goals.

Here are some team management tips to help make the process easier:

• Find a way to communicate with your whole team – whether that be over email or an online or in person meeting.
• Think about whether you need someone to help you with recruiting or coordinating your team. This could be your OT, a support coordinator or a family member or friend who knows you well.
• Make sure the duties of each team member are clear and you provide useful feedback if issues arise, and positive feedback so good work continues!
• If multiple support workers visit your home, a communication book between workers about what they achieved during their shift is a good idea.

 

For further tips you can visit the Workforce Innovation – Self-managed Support guide.

Click the next link below when you're ready to move on....