Personal Advocacy Service
Advocacy agency
1.1 Agencies with 1 or 2 models of support usually have long established expertise from very dedicated staff in those areas usually not available to commercial or multi model agencies. This level of concerned expertise is simply not readily available.
1.2 Drawbacks, particularly with NDIS, is that clients need to specify all the agencies from which they receive support. This becomes an administrative headache for NDIS, and for the agencies as they need to establish complex reporting, invoicing and accounting systems which eats into funds much better spent on services.
2.1 Provision of services to rural and remote locations needs funding incentives. Establishment costs can be very large for a small number of clients. Our model utilizes local volunteers (when available) but establishment costs are still prohibitive.
3.2 Agencies will readily work together when they can see benefits for their clients or agency. Few of us are in it for the money or glory – we need incentives relating to our drivers – What’s in it for my clients?
4.1 Avoiding conflicts of interest and “double dipping” will require extensive admin. costs within relevant organisations and the department. Funds better spent on services. I suggest that “Not for Profit’agencies submit annual financial records as a check. Commercial agencies – I don’t know.