Issue 119
3 November 2008
A reference group of Business Service representatives has been established to progress the recommendations arising from the Case Based Funding review. The reference group is also providing guidance and assistance with reducing red tape and improving the administration of the Disability Employment Assistance Program.
Should you have any red tape reduction or administration improvement ideas that you would like the reference group to consider please email michael.wilson@fahcsia.gov.au
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The free interactive marketing workshops for business services have been organised for NSW. FaHCSIA has engaged a consultant, Antoni Lee of Red Act, to facilitate the sessions. The workshops will involve hands on activities for participants, using the DIY Marketing Kit to explore and solve marketing problems experienced in their businesses.
The DIY Marketing Kit is a free resource available to all FaHCSIA funded business services through the Literature Tab in FOFMS. For details on how to access the kit through FOFMS, please refer to Issue 112 of disAbility e-news.
The NSW workshops will be held across the State as follows:
| Town or City | Venue | Date and Time |
|---|---|---|
| Maitland | Hunter Service Offices Suite 1, 555 High Street MAITLAND |
Wed 12 November 2008 10am to 3pm |
| Coffs Harbour | Coffs Harbour Catholic Club 61a West High Street COFFS HARBOUR |
Thurs 13 November 2008 10am to 3pm |
| Lismore | Lismore Workers Club 231 Keen Street LISMORE |
Thurs 20 November 2008 10am to 3pm |
| North Parramatta | Northcott Conference Centre 1 Fennell Street NORTH PARRAMATTA |
Fri 21 November 2008 10am to 3pm |
| Dubbo | Dubbo RSL Memorial Club Corner Brisbane & Wingewarra Streets DUBBO |
Wed 26 November 2008 10am to 3pm |
| Bankstown | Bankstown Sports Club 8 Greenfield Parade BANKSTOWN |
Thurs 27 November 2008 10am to 3pm |
| Bateman’s Bay | Coach House Marina Resort 49 Beach Road BATEMANS BAY |
Fri 28 November 2008 10am to 3pm |
| Wagga Wagga | Wagga Wagga RSL Club Dobbs Street WAGGA WAGGA |
Wed 3 December 2008 10am to 3pm |
| Armidale | Armidale Ex-Services Club 137 Dumaresq Street ARMIDALE |
Fri 5 December 2008 10am to 3pm |
Please note that FaHCSIA will not reimburse any travel or accommodation costs for participants. A light lunch will be provided.
Workshops will be limited to a maximum of 15 participants per session. To register your interest for the workshops, please contact Alice Ridgway on (02) 9963 7725 or by email at diyworkshop@redagency.com.au.
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Each fortnight, disAbility e-news profiles one of our business services in the Business Services in Action section of the e-newsletter. In the coming weeks e-news will be focusing on specific products and services and will be calling for your contributions.
Issue 120 – Christmas Products
Does your business service produce products for the festive season? Anything from Christmas Cards to Trees? We want to hear from you! To become involved please email your details to michelle.creed@fahcsia.gov.au by Wednesday 6 November.
Issue 121 – Arts & Craft – Please email you details by Wednesday 19 November.
Issue 122 – Timber Products – Please email you details by Wednesday 3 December.
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Under sub-Item E2.2 of the Schedule to your DEA Agreement 2007-10, you must provide FaHCSIA with an Annual Audited Financial Acquittal Report for the 2007-08 financial year. You must provide us with one hard copy and one electronic copy in MS Word and/or Excel format of this report, and it must contain the following as a minimum:
As outlined above, any unspent BSAP Funding as at 30 June 2008 must be identified in the statement by the Approved Auditor. You must also identify the amount of any unspent funding relating to the one-off marketing payment in late June 2008 if you had not spent it on marketing and promotional activities during 2007‑08. Any unspent funding as at 30 June 2008 must be used as funding under the DEA Agreement, during 2008-09 for the same purpose it was paid.
As advised in edition 114 of disAbility e-news, we have agreed to extend the due date for your 2007-08 Annual Audited Financial Acquittal Report under the DEA Agreement 2007-10 by one month to 31 October 2008.
For Targeted Support (whole outlet) services, 31 October 2008 is now the “Acquittal Date” for you to provide us with your Acquittal Report in respect of Targeted Support Funding paid to you for the period 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008.
Please contact your FaHCSIA Contract Manager if you have any queries about these requirements.
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Please be reminded that all active cases need to have the Weekly Wages and Weekly Hours fields completed by 15 November.
The Case Based Funding Helpdesk now has a step-by-step guide on how to update these new fields in FOFMS.
If you would like a copy of this document please send a request to helpdesk.cbf@fahcsia.gov.au or phone 1800 034 887.
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From 27 October 2008 you will have noticed changes to the client and case screens as well as the introduction of a new client association function in FOFMS. These changes are due to a new program being added to FOFMS which uses case and client information similar to the Disability Employment Program.
These changes do not impact on the information that Business Services are required to enter onto FOFMS but do present the information in a different view.
Changes to the Client Screen
There are a number of changes to the client screen including:
The new communication tab includes all the communication details previously shown on the client view tab and also includes living arrangements.
The new origins tab includes all the origins details previously shown on the client view tab and also includes primary language used at home.
Changes to the Cases Screen
The new screen view will have Funding Model Name and Funding Model Version Fields which will be auto populated from the Agreement Schedule. Two other new fields - Claims Suspended Field and Maximum Claims Limit Field are not used for Disability Employment Cases and will be ‘read only’ after saving the case details. Business Services will not enter any details into these fields.
Case Type field will change to a drop down pick list and Business Services will choose CBF for all cases.
The CBF Info Tab has also been moved to the Tab View under the Cases information. The CBF Info Tab contains information on the Assessment Dates and Fee payments made under the case. This information was previously shown when you scrolled down on the case screen.
Adding a Client Record on FOFMS
The new client locator function will allow Business Services to associate an existing client record to their organisation if there is no active disability case already existing in FOFMS using both CRN and DOB of a new Client.
If there is already an active case in FOFMS for the client, the new functionality will provide Business Services with an error immediately. Business Services can then contact the CBF Helpdesk to assist with starting a case.
Provided below is a Step-by-Step on associating a client to your organisation.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
1 |
You must check that there is not already a client record in FOFMS linked to your organisation. To do this, navigate to the Clients screen.
|
2 |
On the Clients screen, click New. Result: The add Associated Client box will appear. |
3 |
Fill in the Centrelink Reference Number (CRN) and Date of Birth. Click OK |
4 |
 Tick the box in the left hand column to select the client and Click OK. |
5 |
The client is now added to your client screen |
6 |
Click on the client’s last name to take you to the Client Record to complete mandatory client information including Address, Primary Disability and Australian Residency. Note: These details need to be completed on the Client Record prior to creating a case. |
IMPORTANT: You must ensure prior to creating or accessing a Client Record on FOFMS that you obtained Client Consent. The DEA Funding Agreement – Terms and Conditions – Part D – 15 provides information on your obligations in respect of personal information.
If you have any queries regarding the new screens and client association function please contact the Case Based Funding Helpdesk at helpdesk.cbf@fahcsia.gov.au or 1800 034 887.
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Phoenix Society is one of Australia’s leading employers of people with disability. Phoenix is a non-profit organisation which employs, trains and develops work experience for people with disability.
Phoenix has identified that a new approach towards work experience for students with special needs is necessary, as entering the workforce can be especially daunting for students with disability.
Peter Alderson, Training and Development Manager at Phoenix, said the organisation recently redeveloped its own work experience program to address the previously unmet needs of students with disability, by providing them with practical experience, on the job training and life skills.
Phoenix’s work experience program runs at four of its commercial facilities in Torrensville, Elizabeth, Gepps Cross and Whyalla, and has grown from supporting 126 students from eight schools in 2006 to accommodating more than 300 students from 24 schools in 2008.
“After consulting with schools in the community we created a program that is designed to prepare students with disability for their life after high school, both on a professional and social level’, said Mr Alderson.
As part of the program, students from years 8 – 12 spend one day a week at Phoenix working in a real factory, receiving job training and educational aids. Training staff cover topics which include safety awareness, quality training, material handling and health and hygiene.
'Many of the students are being targeted by bullies at school because of their disabilities, and for us it is important to make them realise that they have a lot of potential and can find employment after high school, either with Phoenix or another employer’, said Mr Alderson.
Phoenix employs nearly 500 people with disability and has seen first hand how much independence and confidence the students gain from their work and the team environment. Phoenix’s aim is to reassure students that there are great opportunities ahead for them.
Phoenix provides participating students with a certificate they can utilise when seeking employment, and students are able to credit the skills learned towards their South Australian Certificate of Education. 21 work experience students have also been offered employment at Phoenix after completing the program and a further 31 students are expected to be employed by Phoenix at the end of the 
2008 program.
Phoenix Society is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2008, operating five successful commercial businesses, in both metro and country South Australia, which provide outstanding opportunities for the development of its employees.
For more information please contact:
Phoenix Society Inc
Robert Styling AFSM
18 Ashwin Parade
Torrensville SA 5031
Telephone: (08) 8152 2448
Fax: (08) 8152 2411
Email: rstyling@phoenixsoc.org.au
Web: www.phoenixsoc.org.au
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Email disAbility e-news if you'd like more information on a particular issue or program in disAbility e-news or to let us know what you think of the 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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