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| Disability sector risks losing volunteers over NDIS uncertainty, groups warn | Disability sector risks losing volunteers over NDIS uncertainty, groups warn |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| Interchange Incorporated says essential volunteers may leave under the impression that the national disability insurance scheme will replace them | |
| Christopher Knaus | |
| Thu 7 Dec 2017 17.01 GMT | |
| Last modified on Thu 7 Dec 2017 17.02 GMT | |
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| Volunteering groups are warning the disability sector could lose thousands of volunteers due to funding uncertainty under the national disability insurance scheme. | Volunteering groups are warning the disability sector could lose thousands of volunteers due to funding uncertainty under the national disability insurance scheme. |
| Volunteers play a critical role in the disability sector but there is already a significant shortage of those willing to help. Volunteers are wrongly assuming the NDIS is all-encompassing, and that their help is no longer needed in the sector. | Volunteers play a critical role in the disability sector but there is already a significant shortage of those willing to help. Volunteers are wrongly assuming the NDIS is all-encompassing, and that their help is no longer needed in the sector. |
| Volunteering groups are warning the situation is likely to deteriorate as the NDIS transition picks up pace. They face significant uncertainty about how they will be funded under the NDIS, if at all. | Volunteering groups are warning the situation is likely to deteriorate as the NDIS transition picks up pace. They face significant uncertainty about how they will be funded under the NDIS, if at all. |
| Interchange Incorporated – a not-for-profit that supports volunteering agencies in the disability sector – is now warning of a shortfall in disability volunteers, which could have a catastrophic effect on the sector. | Interchange Incorporated – a not-for-profit that supports volunteering agencies in the disability sector – is now warning of a shortfall in disability volunteers, which could have a catastrophic effect on the sector. |
| “The uncertainty around funding is acting as a major barrier … it’s unbelievable,” executive officer Kerry Uren said. “Some of the agencies that are currently transitioning are unable to strategically plan for what they’re doing with their volunteer programs. | “The uncertainty around funding is acting as a major barrier … it’s unbelievable,” executive officer Kerry Uren said. “Some of the agencies that are currently transitioning are unable to strategically plan for what they’re doing with their volunteer programs. |
| “There are so many organisations that use volunteers ... so we really are at risk of losing thousands of volunteers, and hundreds of thousands of hours of support.” | “There are so many organisations that use volunteers ... so we really are at risk of losing thousands of volunteers, and hundreds of thousands of hours of support.” |
| Similar concerns were raised by the Productivity Commission earlier this year, which warned that volunteer organisations were finding it difficult to work out how to provide support to people with a disability under the NDIS. | Similar concerns were raised by the Productivity Commission earlier this year, which warned that volunteer organisations were finding it difficult to work out how to provide support to people with a disability under the NDIS. |
| The commission urged the national disability insurance agency (NDIA) to consider funding volunteer organisations for the initial costs of connecting NDIS participants with volunteers and for the ongoing costs of volunteer management. | The commission urged the national disability insurance agency (NDIA) to consider funding volunteer organisations for the initial costs of connecting NDIS participants with volunteers and for the ongoing costs of volunteer management. |
| “The agency should consider whether this is best done through line items for scheme participants or through a more direct funding arrangement with volunteer organisations,” it said. | “The agency should consider whether this is best done through line items for scheme participants or through a more direct funding arrangement with volunteer organisations,” it said. |
| Volunteering Australia, the peak body for volunteering groups, has also expressed concern about a shortfall under the NDIS. | Volunteering Australia, the peak body for volunteering groups, has also expressed concern about a shortfall under the NDIS. |
| In a statement, it raised concerns about the lack of investment in volunteering infrastructure – needed for recruiting, training and managing volunteers – under the NDIS. | In a statement, it raised concerns about the lack of investment in volunteering infrastructure – needed for recruiting, training and managing volunteers – under the NDIS. |
| “There is a common misconception that the voluntary contribution happens on its own, but it comes at a significant cost to volunteer involving organisations,” a spokeswoman said. | “There is a common misconception that the voluntary contribution happens on its own, but it comes at a significant cost to volunteer involving organisations,” a spokeswoman said. |
| “There is an entire infrastructure to support volunteers, including appropriate training and management. | “There is an entire infrastructure to support volunteers, including appropriate training and management. |
| “All of this requires funding, and many services funded under the NDIS may lack the resource (both human and financial) to engage and support volunteers.” | “All of this requires funding, and many services funded under the NDIS may lack the resource (both human and financial) to engage and support volunteers.” |
| Volunteering Australia said there was a misalignment between the level of community interest in volunteering and the number of positions that needed to be bridged. | Volunteering Australia said there was a misalignment between the level of community interest in volunteering and the number of positions that needed to be bridged. |
| Concerns about volunteers form part of a broader fear about workforce shortages in the disability sector under the NDIS. | Concerns about volunteers form part of a broader fear about workforce shortages in the disability sector under the NDIS. |
| At full operation, the scheme will require a workforce of 162,000 people. That will require 80,000 additional disability support care workers in the next two years. | At full operation, the scheme will require a workforce of 162,000 people. That will require 80,000 additional disability support care workers in the next two years. |
| The federal government is attempting to achieve the rapid workforce growth through $109m worth of projects, including CareCareers, the Innovative Workforce Fund and ProjectAble, as well as a direct grant for market development to the ACT government. | The federal government is attempting to achieve the rapid workforce growth through $109m worth of projects, including CareCareers, the Innovative Workforce Fund and ProjectAble, as well as a direct grant for market development to the ACT government. |
| A spokeswoman for the department of social services said it was using the Jobactive program, the disability employment service and community development projects, as well as training in the vocational education sector, to find the workforce it needed. | A spokeswoman for the department of social services said it was using the Jobactive program, the disability employment service and community development projects, as well as training in the vocational education sector, to find the workforce it needed. |
| “The government acknowledges the role of volunteers and their importance to supporting many Australians, including those with a disability,” she said. | “The government acknowledges the role of volunteers and their importance to supporting many Australians, including those with a disability,” she said. |
| “While it acknowledges recent work by the Productivity Commission on NDIS scheme costs, and continues to consider the commission’s findings, at this time it is seeking to build the NDIS workforce through the channels described above.” | “While it acknowledges recent work by the Productivity Commission on NDIS scheme costs, and continues to consider the commission’s findings, at this time it is seeking to build the NDIS workforce through the channels described above.” |
| The NDIA said funding for volunteering groups was available through information, linkages and capacity building (ILC) grants, but said it did not directly fund volunteer organisations. | The NDIA said funding for volunteering groups was available through information, linkages and capacity building (ILC) grants, but said it did not directly fund volunteer organisations. |
| “The purpose of ILC grants is to promote community inclusion – making sure mainstream services or community organisations become more inclusive of people with disability, and to promote accessibility and community connections for people with disability,” a spokeswoman said. | “The purpose of ILC grants is to promote community inclusion – making sure mainstream services or community organisations become more inclusive of people with disability, and to promote accessibility and community connections for people with disability,” a spokeswoman said. |
| Interchange is helping to launch a campaign to encourage volunteers to join the disability sector. Uren said volunteers formed long-lasting and genuine relationships with people with a disability, which helped break down barriers and improve inclusiveness. | Interchange is helping to launch a campaign to encourage volunteers to join the disability sector. Uren said volunteers formed long-lasting and genuine relationships with people with a disability, which helped break down barriers and improve inclusiveness. |
| “It’s a proven model and it works,” she said. “I just can’t imagine what would happen without it.” | “It’s a proven model and it works,” she said. “I just can’t imagine what would happen without it.” |
| National disability insurance scheme | |
| Disability | |
| Health | |
| Australian economy | |
| Volunteering | |
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