work choice. voluntary employment programme??
Submitted by gazzeebo on Wed, 10/11/2010 - 1:20pm
I was wondering what other peoples thoughts are about the so called 'Voluntary' part of the Workchoice programme.
Whats voluntary about it if people are only given a choice of one provider, the client is told they HAVE to use workchoice? and then told that current (none workchoice) providers are not allowed to support them?
A voluntary programme doesn't mean you have a choice of provider it just means the programme isn't mandatory (although JCP can make you feel like you have to go on it). The Work Choice providers are the Work Choice providers so if you want to go on Work Choice that's who you go to, you can't just go to any provider you fancy.
Have I missed your point?
slightly missed.... our local JCP office is telling disabled people they cannot use our support, consequently the client feels they have no other option but to use workchoice.
This seems like removal of choice to me.
Aaaah. I get your point now.
Are the people who want to use your provision actually eligible for it? If they are just eligible for Work Choice then they have no choice (forgive the pun) but to go to the local Work Choice provider. However, if they are eligible for your provision but are being told they can't do it and HAVE to do Work Choice then I would get someone to take this up with Third Party Provision or the District Manager as that is totally unacceptable. It's hard enough to get referrals without JCP shutting the door on people who are eligible.
Remember that JCP staff aren't the best trained in the world (as so many House of Common Committee papers tell us) and will often focus on the latest offering or trend, which at the moment is obviously Work Choice. They may have been told to start referring or may have even been directed locally to ONLY refer to Work Choice, so it's flavour of the month. If you feel that they're getting it wrong make sure you shout as they're only too prepared to tell providers when they're getting it wrong.
Good luck!
I've had a similar experience of this nature,
I'm currently on FND but have received no help or support,
so I had a meeting with the DEA She said I was eligible for work choice but
would have to ask the FND provider if they would refer me back to the job centre (They didn't take to kindly to this when I did).
The DEA informed me that although they had 2 providers I was only eligible for 1 of them
as the other one was for the severely disabled and I had only physical limitations.
This might've been the case with your client as well.