Good training is a key component of becoming an NDIS worker, and providers are responsible for ensuring that all workers take the mandatory orientation module.
Named “Quality, Safety and You”, the course was released by the Quality & Safeguards Commission towards the end of 2018, and is still a relevant resource up to this day.
The materials offered by the commission focus heavily on the responsibilities workers have when working with participants as well as the ethics surrounding the NDIS.
Making The Best of The NDIS Orientation Module
The orientation module is a 1 and half hour course covering topics relevant specifically to NDIS workers, the skilled professionals who work directly with participants.
The module is divided in 4 sub-modules:
- Understanding the NDIS
- The NDIS Quality & Safeguards Commission
- The NDIS Code of Conduct: Roles & Responsibilities
- The NDIS and You: Delivering Quality Services
Although made for workers, if you’re a new provider starting out with the NDIS, following the module will be beneficial to you as it outlines all fundamentals of the scheme.
These modules are made up mostly of interactive videos, but it’s key that—either as a worker or a provider—you take your own notes while going through them.
A key distinction made in the first sub-module are the types of disabilities people suffer from, including physical, intellectual, and psychosocial disabilities.
All of these are covered under the NDIS.
Also, the module goes through the fundamental rights of people with special needs, starting from the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) from the UN.
At Brevity, we recommend that all providers include the orientation module as the first step in an NDIS workers’ training, even before they go through screening.
Our software allows you to track exactly whether each worker has completed the orientation module, allowing you to move forward with more advanced training options.
For NDIS Workers: Why Go Through The Orientation Module?
Contributing to the work of now thousands of providers vowing to offer NDIS participants a more inclusive life is not simple; it’s important to understand what that means.
The orientation module teaches workers to think like a person with special needs to best represent their needs and wants. It also helps build your thinking around giving the participant control over the supports they choose to buy from a provider.
Quoting a participant in the videos:
“I have the ability to choose the support workers I like working with and the ability to go out whenever and do what I want.”
The emphasis is on giving control back to the participant.
In fact, understanding what people with special needs have rights to under the NDIS will help you tremendously in starting and developing a career in the disability sector.
On top of that, following the rules of the NDIS and engaging with participants effectively is financially rewarding, making the orientation module a valuable tool for your growth.
For NDIS Providers: Understanding Quality of Supports
Although all sub-modules are key for both workers and providers, sub-modules 2 and 4 (the NDIS Commission and quality of supports) are particularly interesting for providers.
Keeping track of support quality offered is the pillar of compliance with the NDIS, and this can only be done with thorough documentation from both workers and managers.
“Keeping track of support quality is the pillar of compliance with the NDIS, and this can only be done with thorough documentation.”
Three of the main tools highlighted in sub-module 2 for this are:
- The mandatory NDIS worker screening
- An official system of reportable incidents
- The Code of Conduct which all workers abide by
On top of this, we’ve covered extensively how to keep track of progress notes, report incidents effectively, and run a compliant NDIS business efficiently.
We recommend that all managers go through the orientation module before the workers, to help the latter get the most of their training and draft the necessary documentation.
How To Get Started with the NDIS Orientation Module
Signing up for the orientation module is quite simple; the Quality & Safeguards Commission has a dedicated portal for training where workers can register free of charge.
Here are the steps to take:
- Sign up for a training account (or have your workers sign up)
- Click on the “NDIS Worker Orientation Module” course at the top of the directory
- Go through the introduction video and each of the 4 sub-modules
We recommend that workers go through the screening process after they’ve watched the orientation module so that they fully understand their responsibilities in the NDIS.
Training for NDIS Workers: Next Steps
Compliance and quality of supports are the two most important aspects of training workers (and managers) to deliver their best work while growing an NDIS business.
While the orientation module is a key part at the beginning of a worker’s journey, training goes far beyond what the 4 sub-modules offer, starting with the systems.
Most workers today need to learn how to use technology to their advantage, so that they can file notifications or progress notes even from a distance and report back to managers.
Because of this, Brevity offers not only a set of cloud tools to help providers manage their business effectively but also custom-fit training for workers to use the system effectively.
The goal is to give workers and managers the tools they need to perform great work while abiding by the Code of Conduct and documenting progress accurately.
Contact us directly if you want to learn more about the training options that come together with Brevity software and offer participants the quality of supports they deserve.
Originally published Sep 29 2021
