On the 24th of October 2024, we met for the first time as a council to have our input into our unified future. Please see below the commentary of issues we spoke through and direction we’ll take over the next few months.
We started with a review of our values as these drive all decisions we make, Inclusivity, Empowerment, Integrity and Adapability.
We spoke through the reasons that we committed to start the organisation which aligned to our values. The key reason though was to provide transparent opportunities in the long run for staff and clients alike that without the organisation would not otherwise be possible. The goal is to be a vehicle for individual and personal growth. This naturally affects how we set about operating…
Client contribution costs (ticket events cost breakdowns)
It was agreed where possible we’ll commit to events and 1:1 supports that do not require significant out-of-pocket expenses. Budgeting is a lesson that we all have to learn and this is one way we look to achieve this.
Outcome 1: We will continue to review all client out-of-pocket expenses and ensure that we responsibly support financial constraints.
We then went on to talk through how the client costs are calculated. There was some discussion around how these costs are broken down and the transparency with which we present this information. All events have a break down of expenses and will always show any costs that are included to cover the cost of the staff/carers participating. This is in line with our recent news item on the NDIS reform and redefinitions of supports (have a read here).
NDIS costs
The next step was to talk through the cost of Travel/Transport and it’s impact on a clients plan. We’ve had quite a few requests for pick-ups and drop offs. Unless there are many clients from the same place these really can quickly place a strain on a NDIS plan. As an example a 15-minute 10 kilometer trip on a Sunday in and out would cost $162.59 where as an Uber would be a lot less. We understand though that the difference is NDIS funds vs personal funds but we need to be mindful of how we deliver value for our members.
There was then a conversation around the presentation of the NDIS costs and how we calculate the charges for the Non Face to Face component. You can read more information on how we calculate these charges here.
Outcome 2: We will continue to present a full breakdown of expenses both out of pocket and NDIS so that clients can clearly see what they are paying for.
Calendar Planning
We then went on to speak about the type of events we want to run. One common thread of feedback we’ve received so far was that –
Outcome 3: Events need to have a learning and development component (self-organised meals, travel etc)
There was then an introduction into the programs we want to run next year and an agreement that we’ll run some retreats (Short Term Accommodation) as a way of getting a taster to the content we’re preparing for 2025.
Outcome 4: Retreats to be loaded to the website for clients to book to trial programs and content.
The meeting wrapped up after just over an hour and it was reiterated that we’re here to help dreams be achieved. You can reach out to us at any stage to see how we can help.
