The Australian Government is adjusting the DES program, aiming to boost service quality and lift the whole system to provide better outcomes for people living with disability. This panel discussion will unpack the concept of quality and what can we learn from other sectors that already utilise quality as a key measure for working with clients.
We will discuss what support measures could be put in place to help providers implement and demonstrate quality practices and share best practice. Panellists will also consider mechanisms for receiving feedback from clients and how to better handle and resolve complaints. We will ask, how do disability providers embed feedback into organisational culture as a means of driving continuous improvement?
Presenters
Dr. Sean Taylor is descendent of the Dauareb Tribe, one of the eight tribes of Mer Island in the Eastern Torres Strait region.
Sean has over twenty five years of clinical experience in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health working at different levels across Australia in range of academic and research interest, as well as clinical practice. Sean currently holds a Bachelor of Nursing Science, Graduate Certificate in Health: Diabetes Management & Education, Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) and a Doctor of Public Health.
Sean currently holds joint appointments as NT Health Executive Director Aboriginal Health and Diversity and Menzies School of Health Research Deputy Director Indigenous Leadership and Engagement based in Darwin and an Adjunct Associate Professor, Public Health and Tropical Medicine with James Cook University.
Sean is currently a member of National Health and Medical Research Council Principal Committee Indigenous Caucus and Consumer and Community Advisory Working Group, also a member of the National Partnering with Consumers Committee. Sean is the current Chair of NT Health, Top End, Big River and East Arnhem Partnering with Consumers Committee, Communicating for Safety Committee, Aboriginal Health Committee, Aboriginal Health Partnership Committee, LGBTQIA+ Health Committee , Multicultural Committee and Chair of the Reconciliation Action Plan Committee with Menzies School of Health Research and NT Health, Top End, Big River and East Arnhem. Sean is also the chair Top End End Pride, President Elect Rotary Darwin Sunrise and a co-investigator on multiple successful nationally competitive grants.
Katrina Chatham is the A/g Group Manager of the Disability Employment and Carers Group. Her responsibilities include overseeing the current Disability Employment Service program and the design of reforms to disability employment services to deliver better employment outcomes for people with disability. She is also responsible for policies and programs to support unpaid carers.
Katrina joined the Department of Social Services in January 2020. She has previously worked in the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Department of Education.
Keryl has worked in the disability industry since 1989. Trained as an occupational therapist, Keryl is the Chief Executive Officer for LEAD. LEAD operates multiple disability specialist programs across a number of sites in the ACT and NSW with a particular focus on employment and vocational training. Keryl’s previous work history includes Policy Officer for the Division of General Practice, Disability Educator for Family Planning ACT, and various employment and accommodation positions with a number of disability organisations in Sydney and the ACT.
Dr Ann Nevile is an Honorary Associate Professor at the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods. As a qualitative social policy researcher, Ann has spend over twenty years analysing the interaction between employment frameworks, how they are implemented, and the subsequent impact on outcomes. A particular focus of her research is service quality – how it is defined and how it can be measured. Ann has published a number of articles and reports which explore this issue from the perspective of job seekers and employers and has been invited to provide expert evidence to several Royal Commissions and Parliamentary Inquiries, including the current inquiry into Workforce Australia Employment Services.
William is a young person with disability who started working in the disability sector 4 years ago. William wants to use his experience to get understanding of the disability sector and empowering voices + rights for others.
William started his journey of the disability sector by meeting VALID through his Disability Service Provider at the time, participated in paid workshops, then had his information passed onto the Disability Services Commissioner, worked with them as a community researcher for the “Safe and Respectful Cultures in the Workplace” Project for a full year, then went on to YDAS for the “Youth Leadership Program”, went to do an evaluation with an consultation service called ARTDConsultants, after the evaluation VALID had a part-time position available and then was hired for 4 days.
William currently works for Inclusion Australia, enjoying his experience so far and cannot wait for where his journey takes him next. William is currently doing his Diploma in Project Management.
William wants to stay in this sector for the rest of his life.