Afford CEO Jo Toohey has been in the media lately, most recently talking to national publication Health Services Daily.
In her most recent interview, she talked about her hopes for the future of the disability sector and her determination to see Afford continue to provide quality support for people with disability. Read on for Jo’s thoughts and feelings on everything from the NDIS to Australia’s attitude towards people with disability.
Get to know our CEO Jo Toohey
Q: How do you feel about the state of the Disability Service Provider sector currently?
A: There’s no question that the sector is going through a period of transformation. That has its own set of challenges.
There is widespread fatigue for frontliners who are spending less time doing what they’re most passionate about – supporting those who need it – and more time on managing paperwork.
There are also times when it seems we’re an easy target … a bit of a political football.
That can wear you down, whether you work in the sector or live with disability yourself. Or both.
I feel positive about the sector overall, however. It’s made up of dedicated, passionate people who will continue to go above and beyond to ensure people with disability have access to the support they need. I don’t see that changing any time soon.
Q: Do you think the sector has been impacted by the NDIS and if so how?
A: The federal government has brought in a range of reforms to improve how the scheme works. These reforms are designed to improve accountability and service quality, and we support that.
They also mean we have to focus on delivering sustainable, high-quality services and to ensure our clients’ voices are front and centre. We’re all for that too.
Obviously, we understand and appreciate cost as a consideration when it comes to the broader economy and workforce. But sometimes it feels like the more recent reforms have been used to generate sensational headlines than to deliver genuine change for the better.
Also, those headlines cause fear and anxiety for participants who are uncertain whether they will have ongoing care and support.
A young man holds a tennis racket while his coach gives him technique tips. Sports are just one of the activities available with our new program Explore.
Where we’re headed
Q: What do you see for the future of the sector?
A: The NDIS was designed to empower participants and improve service quality, which we support 100 per cent. This is why we work in this sector – to provide support to those who need it.
The introduction of the scheme has seen funding increase and more people able to receive services they desperately need. That’s everything we work for and it’s deeply gratifying seeing it happen.
But the sector needs to look beyond the NDIS as well. We’re working on introducing offerings such as our new program Explore. We want to provide support to people with disability at every stage of their life. We’re not limiting ourselves to only working with those who have NDIS funding.
The fact is not all people with disability have been able to access the scheme. Others may have in the past but will not be able to in the future.
The goal posts are continually moving. This is another reason why government needs to keep a broad eye on human services in general and how, why and where they directly affect our communities.
The NDIS, aged care, health and education departments tend to operate in silos and I think would benefit from more open communication.
Q: What’s next for Afford?
Organisations such as ours need to start thinking about how we might grow and evolve. The world is changing. We all need to keep pace.
Take the proposed Foundational Supports model for example … we’re interested to see how this plays out, if it delivers on its promises and makes life for people with disability better.
We also need to keep pace with recommendations to move away from segregated services. We believe in this completely. Our aim is to see people with disability included in all facets of life. The reality of making that happen is very complex and requires a community wide response. Of course, we do worry some people will slip through the cracks.
We absolutely do not want that to happen.
A sample timetable from Afford’s new program Explore. To learn more about Explore click here. We’d love for you to join us.
Q: How do you think we (Australians) treat people with disability?
A: It’s a sweeping generalisation of course, but I really believe most Australians believe in a fair go for all and obviously, that includes people with disability.
There is and always will be the odd unscrupulous character who treats people with disability, and others, dreadfully. I think they’re the minority.
Our government talks big about making changes and doing the right thing but I’d like to see more progress when it comes to human rights in general. We’re a signatory to the UN convention on human rights for people with disability – we should be honouring that.
Why we do what we do
Q: What does the sector get wrong – and what is it getting right?
A: The sector is made up of people who care greatly about the fundamental rights of people with disability and making sure everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
These are the most caring, kind, compassionate people you can imagine. We get this very right.
What we do struggle with as a sector is not being able to offer our clients as much choice as we would like to. We frequently find ourselves having to take a more generalised approach to the services and programs we offer. We have to do that so that we can stay viable long term.
Q: Why are you passionate about this sector – why work in such a difficult industry?
A: I’ve worked in human services for more than 30 years … that’s across aged care, child, youth and family and disability services.
I do it because because I believe in championing inclusion and opportunity for people of all ages and abilities. There are people in our community who need our support. We need to help them so they can access the opportunities available to everyone else. I am determined to see they get it.
Q: What do you say about the fraud / rort narrative we’re seeing of late?
A: It’s interesting that we’re seeing so many stories about this currently. There’s no doubt it does happen.
But the truth is most providers are compliant, ethical and operating on very thin margins.
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