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Obviously we are looking for the very best for our participants. As a Coordinator we don't pass on recommendations to our participants easily. Our reputations depend on our recommendations. We have to show that we have done our homework, that we have 'checked out' the provider. And of course, we aren't just looking for one A-Grade Top-Choice provider, we offer our participants multiple choices, we're looking for multiples! all...the....time.
Which brings me to number one on my list of items that this Coordinator looks for in a provider.
(This list is in no specific order and is certainly NOT exhaustive).
Play nice!
Seriously, play nice. Once I have used your company for a participant, you don't have a monopoly. Many a time I have had a provider surprised, confused and upset that I have brought on a second provider for a participant. Sometimes you don't get ALL of the hours available. Play nice with each other, you WILL have a time when your staff can't fill a spot and you will work with a co-provider to fill in.
Yes it can get a wee bit difficult working out which brand comms book are we using etc, but we can do this guys! For a participant with a large number of shifts to fill, this can be a smart way of working. It's not always the best way for each participant, but when it is, work with me on this.
Training!
Please keep training your staff, and provide constant refreshers. It is so important. I can't begin to tell you how many lovely well meaning support workers I've spoken to that don't know what the term 'Capacity Building' means. When I take part in training days with providers, Capacity Building is always a contentious issue (particularly when no one believes it's part of their job). I've spent hours and hours going over what capacity building looks like for different participants. Help a girl out here, keep your amazing staff, amazing!
Update Me!
Do you have new staff with mental health training? Let me know. Do you have new capacity in a certain area? Let me know. I love coffee and I try to set aside a certain amount of hours each week to talk face-to-face with providers. Tell me about your wins, and I'm particularly interested in your difficult customers and how you overcome issues. Those stories stick in my head. Send me digital copy on your services and what makes you different, I will not have time to respond, but rest assured I keep all of this info in a folder and I refer to it often. I love newsletters, short brief one page content on your good stuff and what you have on offer will make me call you to find out more. I'm brilliant at skimming across social media looking at what you have to say. hello@goodrose.com.au hit me up.
Fill Me In!
Is my participant having complex behaviours? Tell me please, I need to know. Has there been an incident? Tell me please, I need to know. It's not good to respond with "it's all going well" when it is not. That does not help the participant and makes it extra hard for me to present a case to the NDIS for further funding for a complex participant.
Support Coordinators Don't Do Much!
If I had a dollar for every time I have heard a provider say that "you hardly ever see the coordinator, they don't do much", I would be a rich rich old lady. The truth is, we do way too much on way too small a budget. Yes we are paid $100.14 per hour. If we have a budget of 25 hours, that means you are going to see us approx 1 hr per fortnight. Minus hours for report writing. Minus hours for looking and booking the required Allied Health. Minus hours for taking calls from the participant. Do you get it? You are not going to see me much. I'm going to do the very best, nay! I'm going to do miracles, with the shitty budget I have. If you see something that you think I should be attending to, please tell me. I'm going to most definitely tell you.
Be Timely!
Please. It is not very often that I am not urgently looking for support workers. When I call your company it would be so awesome if I could be put through to someone that could give me a clear idea of what you can and cannot do for my participant. I understand as companies grow (because they are amazing) that things are going to get a little more process driven, but it is hard for me to stick with you when I have to go through the receptionist, to someone else, to be told I have to fill out a 20 question form, that will be considered by another person, who will talk to rostering people, and they will get back to me. I'm not sure what the answer is here, I just want to know if you have capacity?
Don't even get me started on trying to find out if an Allied Health company has capacity. That is an exercise in patience that I sorely lack.
I have a lot of respect for providers, you all do amazing work, I am in awe. I am grateful. Keep on being beautiful people, and if I haven't met you yet, I hope a coffee date isn't too far away.
Goodrose is a Brisbane based Independent Support Coordination Business. We have 4 Support Coordinators and 2 Psychosocial Recovery Coaches at our base. We also work with sub-contractor coordinators that are able to follow our coordination-program of
SERVICE FIRST - ACCOUNTABILITY - CAPACITY BUILDING - PROGRESS TRACKING.
hello@goodrose.com.au 2/1112 Ipswich Rd Moorooka
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