The NDRC in2013
Working together to
generate demand
Disability Employment Australia
Leaders’ Forum
Brisbane, April 18th 2013
NDRC: introduction & brief history
Key (enduring) objective: to increase the participation of people with
disability in the Australian workforce.
WorkFocus Australia has held contract since 2010.
NDRC program subject to review during 2012.
Following the review, NDRC contract and key KPIs radically change and
WorkFocus Australia retains contract until June 30th 2015.
We move away from essentially acting as a specialist recruitment service to
driving cultural change across the Australian business community.
We are currently in a period of transition –
with customers, our model and staffing structures.
Our achievements
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Firmly established as a ‘trusted advisor’ with many
of our employer partners
By 31.12.12, 30 MoUs nationally
Over 1,500 placements
A strong focus on ‘employer led’ services and
support
Innovative ‘positive discrimination’ measures
High level of support from DES that engaged with
the program
Thank you!
“Thanks so much for your
time this morning - I think
I saw a glimmer of hope
spring up (cautiously :-))
in M's eyes. It has been a
long road for him and I
know how demoralised
he has been feeling...”
“I would like to thank the
NDRC Team for all their
hard work to assist PWD”.
“It was a very good
session. I passed all the
info to our staff and
encourage clients to
explore positions with
McDonalds. I started
visiting places in our local
area to test the waters
and to check how open
the managers are for
cooperation. Thank you
very much for good
hints”.
Thank you!
“Just a quick email to say
thank you for yesterdays
‘What it Takes’ info
session at Preston
Safeway. I found it very
informative and took
away a lot that will
hopefully assist my job
seekers gain employment
with Woolworths”.
“I just to tell that i get
that Job i will sign
contract shortly
thanks for every thing
you have done for me
God bless you”
Thank you!
“I would like to let you know
that having the ANZ Hot List
tips form, for resumes was
extremely helpful and it
assisted greatly with getting
P’s resume up to scratch.
It doubled as a time saving
tool also, as it saved time on
thinking how to write
descriptive words. Thanks
again for this very helpful
piece of information”.
“Thank you so much for
your invaluable advice
regarding our client and
a possible Masters
application. As
discussed, please send
me the Resume
template. This should
be very useful in our
efforts to prepare him
prior to referral”.
NDRC review – what we said
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NDRC an essential part of a broader strategic approach
Stability of provider essential
Employers support ‘conduit’ function
Any proposed changes to model should better connect funding
arrangements to the actual business model and have capacity to grow
as learnings about the service and its stakeholders’ needs grow
NDRC well placed to identify and promulgate good practice across both
DES providers and employers
NDRC well placed to lead or contribute to capacity building with DES
providers so that a consistent understanding of job creation,
customisation and supportive strategies are in place – and this work is
recognised in KPIs and funding arrangements
NDRC review – what you said
“We support the objectives of the NDRC; however, we believe they
can be furthered by revitalising the program”.
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Continue consultation. DES providers are overwhelmingly not happy
with the ‘complex double handling.’ The front-line administration
burden appears to prevent referrals to NDRC vacancies. Employment
services peaks and large employers need to brainstorm.
Ensure its relevance. The program should be equally relevant to
providers and to employers. It should not duplicate employer-sponsored
initiatives, or DES program services. It should meet the aspirations of
people with injury, ill health or disability.
Revitalise the NDRC. The program appears anachronistic and irrelevant
to the majority of DES providers. Rebrand the program. Allow scope for
innovation funding.
Disability Employment Australia, December 2011
What have employers told us?
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Large companies are generally ‘on board’ with employing people
with disability at a high level
Significant challenges in turning that goodwill into actual
opportunities
Low awareness of available assistance – seen as complex and hard
to navigate
Wage subsidies are helpful, but the right person in the right job is
the priority
The importance of promoting success
Strong support for conduit function fulfilled by NDRC (a point of
contact)
Introduction of a ‘field officer’ role within companies ideal
Strong professional support from DES helps
build confidence
NDRC observations & challenges
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Is the message filtering down the line?
Keeping employers engaged – securing enough ‘buy in’
Building relationships with DES
How much flexibility are employers really willing and able to offer?
Many employers are risk averse and time and resource poor
Quality job matches – key to success
Recruiters and hiring managers need ‘permission’ to try different
approaches
Creating positive employer experiences will go a long way
Key features of NDRC 2010–12
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Despite our numerous shared successes, key
service features (that employers found most
valuable) presented as an ongoing source of
tension between the NDRC & DES providers;
▪ Conduit role
▪ Recruitment work
New NDRC contract – features
• Program objectives UNCHANGED
• Additional educational and promotional
services to be delivered – Employer Seminars,
12 month disability employment ‘boot camp’
• New KPIs – placements out, vacancies in
• Opportunity for ‘flow through’ of employers
• Payment structure significantly changed – new
funding mix reflects the shift in focus
New NDRC contract – KPIs
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5 MoUs per year, up to a maximum
of 11
1,000 placements
Vacancies
Employer & DES satisfaction
Improvements in the quality of
participation in employment by
people with disability
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10 MoUs per year
25 Letters of Affiliation per year
Employer progress towards building
disability confidence
300 ‘Disability Job Vacancies’ per year
3 Employer Seminars
70 employers to attend Employer Seminars
Stakeholder satisfaction
Improvements in the quality of
participation in employment by people
with disability
New NDRC contract – payment points
OLD
• 54% Brokerage,
promotion, advice
& referral fee
• 27% Placements
• 19% MoUs
NEW
• 52% Employer Support
Services
• 16% Job Vacancies
• 15% Best Practice
Development
• 9% Employer Seminars
• 8% Promotional activities
NDRC from 2013: What we want to achieve
The NDRC will lead the way in supporting sustained culture
change across the Australian business community about
disability and employment.
We will partner with employers and Disability Employment
Services to educate and create disability-ready and
disability-confident organisations and deliver a range of
innovative, well-targeted, consistent, reliable and efficient
services.
Employers’ response to NDRC changes?
Key messages to employers about the new contract?
• The evolution of the service sharpens the NDRC’s focus on
working with employers to create ‘disability-ready’ and
‘disability-confident’ workplaces.
• The new focus is on embedding practices into companies that
will be self-sustaining in the long-term, but encouraged, nurtured
and showcased along the way by the NDRC.
• The NDRC will now have less focus on a pre-screening role for
individual candidates on an ongoing basis, although this may
form part of our approach when first working with employers on
building disability confidence.
• We will also support building DES’ capacity to better meet
employer needs, so that the process of engaging with DES is
more streamlined and efficient for employers in
future.
Strategic areas of focus in the coming year?
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Growing demand
Building capacity
Working on supply
Creating opportunities
What are we working on right now?
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Supporting existing employers through transition
Finalising new service offering to employers
Developing new NDRC website
Reviewing resources, revising, refreshing
Revised MoU, draft Letter of Affiliation
Identifying new employer partners
Internal structure review to support change of
focus
• Employer led seminars to engage with DES at the
local level
• Planning inaugural Employer Seminar
So what does the transition mean for DES?
• Not necessarily back to business as usual
• Employers will have a say about their future
‘rules of engagement’
• Woolworths Ltd – watch this space
• Increased opportunities for us to explore how
we might work together to grow demand
• Opportunity for you to shine
• Make sure you’re
signed up for updates;
jobs.ndrc@workfocus.com
• Let’s keep talking!