VisionA future in which all people can access a world of opportunity to thrive in their community.

PurposeDirectly providing and advocating for innovative and responsive mental health and disability services of the highest possible quality.

Ermha provides

Psychosocial Rehabilitation– Provision of ongoing support that assists the person with psychiatric disability to experience an improved quality of life, learn or relearn the skills of daily living, participate to their maximum extent in social, recreational, educational and vocational activities and live successfully at an optimal level of independent functioning in the community.

- Victorian PDRSS Standards 2004

Useful definitions

Home-Based Outreach Support– Provides individual rehabilitation support to people in their own homes. It focuses on learning or relearning the skills of daily living and social skills. These skills will provide the means for the client to maintain their independence, develop supportive networks outside of their home to reduce isolation and enable them to participate more fully in their community.

- Victorian PDRSS Standards 2004

Funding

Ermha has 2 main funding streams:

PDRSSDepartment of Health

Disability ServicesDepartment of Human Services (& NDIS)

Other funding includes HACC, FAHCSIA, St John of God

Ermha’s Workforce

• Ermha has doubled in size in 5 years and now employs over 150 people

• Ermha’s employees come from a variety of backgrounds

• The majority of people in leadership positions began as direct service workers

• Ermha’s program types are many (19) and varied– While programs operate from the same values and

philosophical foundations there is variety in functions and approaches

Ermha’s Workforce Challenges

Ermha takes its responsibility to deliver high quality work very seriously

– The work is complex and nuanced- finding appropriate employees takes care and attention

– Employees must be well supported, professional development & supervision are key to a healthy workforce

– Much of the work at Ermha is completed in unsupervised environments

Ermha’s Workforce Challenges

The PDRSS Reform Consultation Paper identified

– Sector management, leadership & practice governance need to improve

– There is a need for increasing professionalism, accountability and transparency in the sector

The National Disability Insurance Scheme looks set to

– Increase the disability support workforce dramatically – Increase importance of efficiency (which means greater clarity around

roles & functions, & improved supervision & development approaches)

Ermha’s Workforce Challenges

Ermha anticipates continued growth– Mature recruitment & professional development practices are required

to support ongoing high quality service provision

Ermha’s Key Questions

• How can we provide our workforce with clarity around their job functions?

• How can we support a culture of continuous development?

• How can we keep good staff & keep them healthy?

Ermha’s Key Questions

• Which tools will best support our managers and leaders to continue to recruit, support and develop a highly skilled workforce?

• How can we continue to recruit from a variety of backgrounds (including from student placements) and support consistent practices, that constantly improve?

Ermha’s Approach

• Systems

• Tools

• Associated Skills

Leadership Development Strategy

3 Frameworks • Recruitment & Orientation• Supervision • Program Planning & Evaluation

Management Qualifications• Delivered in house

Participatory Action Research

Workforce Development Strategy

• 3 Frameworks • Recruitment & Orientation• Supervision • Program Planning & Evaluation

• Mandatory Training Package• Delivered in house

Workforce Development Strategy

• 3 Frameworks • Recruitment & Orientation• Supervision • Program Planning & Evaluation

• Mandatory Training Package• Delivered in house

The Qualifying Workbook

• Encompasses: – Supervision (educative, supportive & administrative) – Professional development for first 6 months of employment – Competency development planning (& review)– Qualifying/ performance review

• Seeks to achieve:– People feel well supported – People lead their own professional development– Clarity around expectations (all levels) – A culture of growth and development (and review)

The Workforce Capability Framework

• Allows us to consider values, attributes and skills

• Provides a framework for broad reflection

• Communicates sector wide standards (useful for challenging conversations)

The Workforce Capability Framework

• Supports managers and leaders to feel well equipped

• Provides the foundation for a balance between narrative exploration and systematic review

• Allows clarity regarding expectations of each level– Supports ‘up-managing’– Supports career path planning– Supports accountability

The Pilot

• 9 Months• Qualitative & Quantitative

– How many new staff?– Retention rates– Interviews with Managers- most significant change– Interviews with Staff- qualifying period experience- how well equipped

do they feel for their work?- what’s the next position their getting ready for?- what’s on their current professional development plan?

– Compare 2012/ 2013 TNA and Workforce Census