Issue 65 | 29 May 2006
Disability Employment Services operate in an increasingly competitive environment. Their challenge is to hold fast to the values that underpin disability services, while succeeding in a world that demands business-like and performance-driven behaviour. Understanding this environment is crucial to succeeding in it.
Disability Open Employment Services will compete in a world of Star Ratings, performance audits and RFTs - with staff expected to maintain cash flow and meet new compliance requirements, while providing a high quality service to clients. The business environment in which Disability Business Services compete is increasingly international. They are under pressure to increase their commercial income and navigate through complex IR and OH&S regulations, while retaining their commitment to maximize employment for people with disabilities.
At the 2006 Employment Forum, decision-makers in Government and experts from the non-government and private sectors will provide advice on how service providers can position themselves in these competitive environments. This national conference will provide conceptual understanding and skill development for both management and support staff. Separate streams will operate for Open Employment Services and Business Services. Key sessions will cover the latest policy developments and key directions in Government.
Other topics will include:
Watch the ACROD website for updates.
For information on any ACROD National event, contact Karen Moyers, Conference and Office Manager. Ph: (02) 6283 3204 or email to kmoyers@acrod.org.au[ top ]
FOFMS now has new reports available to help you identify and reconcile your FaCSIA payments. These reports allow service providers to view:
For all reports, you can select a specific period that you're interested in, ie one month or quarterly. The Agreement Schedule and Case report will also include the first name and surname of individual clients for whom payments have been made. All reports will have subtotals and totals, will be printable and can also be exported to Excel for further manipulation.
A further development that will also help you reconcile your payments is a new screen called 'Consolidated Payment Request Line Items'. This view will be available under the existing Payment Request view. From this new screen view, you will be able to query FOFMS for payment details using the IMPACT Clearing Number (the reference number which is provided on your bank statement with each deposit from FaCSIA) as well as the IMPACT Invoice Number (the document number contained on your Recipient Created Tax Invoice).
An information pack to help you in using the new functions is available on the FOFMS Literature site. Copies were also emailed directly to FOFMS users on 15 March, and hard copies posted to the mailing address recorded for your organisation in FOFMS. If you have not received your information pack please contact the FOFMS helpdesk on 1800 020 283. Organisations that receive mail on behalf of their outlets should ensure the information provided on FOFMS is passed on to each of their outlets as quickly as possible.
A new user guide, consolidating all the information and user guide updates which you have received since FOFMS was introduced, will be available soon.[ top ]
Stretch Capacity is a 10 per cent allowance on top of your Outlet Capacity. Stretch Capacity places are used when your organisation has no vacancies and an employee who has previously been suspended or exited from your service wishes to return to work. To access Stretch Capacity you must return the cases from suspension or exit within 12 months of the initial suspension or exit.
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Work on phase two of the BizAbility website is steadily progressing. This phase will add the ecommerce transaction capability that will have a shopping basket and a secure facility to allow users to place and pay for an order on-line. Shoppers will be able to check the status of a current order and the history of previous purchases. As a result of feedback from the public and the sector, a regional search function incorporating a map search will be added to further enhance the search capabilities of the website.
BizAbility is for business services to promote and market their products and/or services. Therefore, it is important that all information about your service and your products and services is up-to-date. Have you logged on to the administration area of BizAbility to check your details yet? If you require assistance to do this, please contact BizAbility@facsia.gov.au
A reminder that you can advertise your specially priced products and/or services on BizAbility at any time throughout the year. Contact BizAbility@facsia.gov.au for further information.
Have you noticed an increase in contact to your business since BizAbility was launched? Have you received any feedback from your business associates? If so, we would like to hear about it at BizAbility@facsia.gov.au
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It is very important that Service Providers with access to FOFMS keep their personal login information secure and private as the system contains very sensitive information. FOFMS access is provided to users on the understanding that they alone will use it to access the system and these individuals are personally responsible for any work conducted under their logon ID. It is also best practice to change your password approximately once a month and avoid writing it down.
It should also be noted that it is the responsibility of the Service Provider to notify the FOFMS Helpdesk of the names of staff members who have left the organisation and no longer require access to FOFMS.[ top ]
Pathways8 is the National Biennial Conference focussing on disability in higher education and training. This event will focus on maximising the opportunities for individuals to reach their potential, to enable post secondary students with a disability the chance to optimise their economic and social participation, using education as their pathway to employment. The current changes in post secondary education makes the conference a crucial opportunity to share emerging best practices in the new learning environments.
The conference program applies to teachers, lecturers, researchers, policy developers, students and disability practitioners in any industry. This is THE conference to attend in relation to enhancing successful education and career opportunities for people with disability.
Keynote presenters include national and international speakers. Also offered are interactive workshops and action focused discussions around the themes of Universal Design, Teaching, Learning & Assessment and Careers & Employment. Pre-conference workshops will be offered and the program includes a Poster Display and Resource Exhibition, and an exciting social events schedule!
For further information please see the Pathways 8 website or contact the conference organisers, Leishman Associates, on telephone (03) 6234 7844.
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Email disAbility e-news if you'd like more information on a particular issue or program or to let us know what you think of this e-newsletter.
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Your contributions to disAbility e-news are welcome. Do you want to let others know about your successes? Or how you engage with local businesses to create employment opportunities for people with disabilities? Email your story idea to disAbility e-news.
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