|
Over the past few years, ASENZ have developed and refined the following principles of Supported Employment. These are now accepted as the core principles and are central to all aspects og Supported Employment in New Zealand.
Open Employment: The employment and inclusion of people with disability
in the mainstream workforce.
Wages and Benefits: The
provision of the same wages and related conditions
of employment that are the expected norm in any mainstream
workplace.
Placement First: Direct access to
the labour market through a precise job/person match
and without prolonged "getting
ready" activities or training.
Inclusiveness: No exclusions or screening from supported employment
programmes on the basis of
perceived "severity" of
disability.
Individualised and Ongoing
Support: Support services and strategies that are not time limited,
are tailored
to the individuals needs, and maximise job retention.
Choices and Career Development: Services
and outcomes based on the preferences and aspirations
of the individual
and a commitment to ongoing pursuit of careers.
At our recent planning session, we identified 5 key strategic areas. Each one has a Board member as a “portfolio” holder, who will report on progress at each Board meeting.
As each of the focus areas are intertwined with each other, we intend to ensure that we develop an effective process which merges a collaborative approach with clear lines of responsibility and focus.
In all cases the identified portfolio holder, along with the Chairperson and EO are responsible for developing their area in measurable goal oriented formats and for facilitating the completion of tasks required to achieve each goal.
BOARD MEMBERS ROLES AND PORTFOLIOS:
Each board member has a specified “leadership-role”:
- Les Gilsenan (Chairperson)
- Lachlan Keating (Secretary)
- Kervin Farr (Treasurer)
- David Corner (DPA Representative)
- Mairwen Ladd-Sanford (Membership)
- Magdel Hammond (Professional Development)
- Thomas Bryan (Relationships)
- Tyron Pini (Organisational Risk Management)
- Cindy Johns (Research)
Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the Executive Officer to ”co-ordinate it, communicate it and make it all happen”
Click on the link for more information on the ASENZ Strategic Direction
The seeds of ASENZ
were first planted in Auckland in 1993 when a small
group
of people, each feeling
a little
isolated and unsupported as they pioneered
the development of supported employment services, set out a plan of action. Top of the agenda was the need for
support, to share
and exchange ideas, and recognition of the
need to develop more collaborative and structured
approaches to ensure the growth of supported
employment in
New
Zealand.
Supported employment was [and remains]
at the leading edge of the development of vocational
services
for people who experience disability; the
kinds of changes
that have occurred within the disability sector - not
to mention the job market have been huge and the founder members of ASENZ have been very positive change agents.
Since
those early times ASENZ has grown into a nationally
recognised organisation with
a formal structure that
aims to represent the interests of supported
employment
providers throughout New Zealand. Its membership
now includes a cross section of interests
including providers,
consumers of services, Supported Employment
personnel, professionals and employers.
Supported Employment has developed
as a viable and successful alternative in
the provision
of vocational
services for people with disability.
It will always be an evolving concept in New
Zealand, and must never succumb to complacency.
Consequently
there is a real need to constantly promote, innovate and
maintain its profile
on the community and political agenda,
so that the interests of people with
disability may
be recognised
and well served.
A network of providers
and advocates of supported employment services from
throughout
New Zealand
have recognised
this need. As a consequence they
have established ASENZ to offer support,
encouragement and
advocacy to those
organisations providing supported
employment services, service users of supported
employment and others
with an interest in the inclusion
of people with disability
in the mainstream workforce.
ASENZ
is an organisation to improve and expand inclusive
employment opportunities
and services
for all people
with disability through the concept
and
practise of Supported Employment. |
