This presentation is a personal reflection from my perspective as an Individualised Funding user and employer of my own support workers.

1. I N D I V I D U A L I S E D
F U N D I N G
– W H Y A N D H O W ?
P H I L I P P A T S T O N

2. M E
W H Y I F W O R K S F O R

3. M Y E M P L O Y E E S
W H Y I F W O R K S F O R

4. W H A T I L O O K
F O R
• Honesty, integrity and
reliability
• Good sense of humour
• Willing and generous spirit
• Responsible and down to
earth
• Understanding of and total
positive regard for lifestyle
diversity
• Initiative

5. W H A T I L O O K
F O R
ABILITY TO:
• Put my priorities first at all
times
• Keep the house and
environments wheelchair
accessible
• Maintain confidentiality
• Use appropriate conduct in
different situations
• Be sensitive to me and others
around me

6. W H A T I L O O K
F O R
ABILITY TO:
• Organise self and manage time
effectively
• Listen well and communicate clearly
• Use initiative and take direction (and
choose appropriately at any given
time)
• Manage a stressful situation (or
even a crisis) calmly
• Forward plan
• Use a computer – email and internet

7. W H A T I L O O K
F O R
ABILITY TO:
• Assist with personal
support
• Cook
• Clean
• Do household chores such
as washing
• Run errands

8. W H A T I
P R I O R I T I S E
• recruitment
• induction
• management
• leadership
• appraisal
• feedback
• to create optimal retention and
harmonious employment
relations

9. R E C R U I T & M A I N T A I N ?
H O W D I F F I C U L T I S I T T O

10. P h i l i p P a t s t o n
M a n a g i n g D i r e c t o r
D i v e r s i t y N e w Z e a l a n d L t d
p h i l i p @ d i v e r s i t y n z . c o m
d i v e r s i t y n z . m e
p h i l i p p a t s t o n . c o m
d i v e r s i t y n z . c o m

11. morning support crew
meet and greet
induction

12. welcome
1. about me
2. about the role
3. individualised funding
4. employment
5. health and safety
6. security
7. communication
8. conflict and complaints
9. key areas
10. co-ordination
11. timesheets
12. payroll
13. sickness
14. my quirks
15. questions

13. about me
• 46 qwcm
• “diagnosis” - cerebral palsy
• autonomous, not independent
• director - company, trust and employee
• usually thinking about ten things at once
• find small decisions difficult
• always changing

14. about the role
• not care; not looking after — support
• ‘surrogate body/co-ordination’
• home | workplace
personal | professional
• unusual; sometimes unclear
• important; valued
• collaborative
• fun

15. individualised funding
• i manage an annual budget from
ministry of health, co-ordinated by
provider - manawanui
• need for flexibility
• i control rates of pay
• paid to me fortnightly
• i pay you
• accountable | auditable

16. employment
• individual contracts
• trial period & casual, fixed term due to
personal nature (“rapport”)
• same rights as any other employee
• same responsibilities as any other
employer
• unique situation and context

17. health and safety Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992
• MY OBLIGATIONS - to take all practicable
steps to:
• provide and maintain a safe working
environment
• provide and maintain facilities for your
health and safety
• ensure you are not exposed to hazards
arising out of the use of things in or near
your workplace
• develop workplace emergency
procedures
• provide you with reasonable
opportunities to participate effectively in
ongoing processes for improving health
and safety in the workplace.
• YOUR OBLIGATIONS - to take all
practicable steps to ensure your own safety
at work, by:
• using suitable protective clothing and
equipment
• taking all practicable steps to ensure that
no action or inaction of your own, while
at work, causes harm to any other
person.

18. health and safety
• tell me if something seems hazardous
or unsafe
• protect yourself from harm (use step
ladder, don’t lift heavy items
unassisted)
• wash hands often especially when
preparing food
• keep things clean
• please stay away if you are sick
and/or dying

19. security
• if you leave when i’m not here:
• check windows, ranch slider, front
door closed and locked
• turn on alarm (‘ON’) if Meg not
here
• don’t disclose alarm code
• if you are unsure about visitors
contact me via mobile 021 764 837

20. communication
• err on the side of too much
• not sure? ask
• problem? breakage? tell me
• running late? text me
• still not sure? ask again

21. conflict and complaints
• if something feels wrong,
it probably is
• let me know as soon as possible
• be frank, be honest
• tell me how you want it to be
• be prepared to compromise
• if it still feels wrong, it probably
still is
• ...and i’ll do the same

22. key areas
• personal care
• food | meals
• cleaning | maintenance
• washing | clothes
• Meg - food | water | walk

23. co-ordination
• use Basecamp for regular tasks
• leave notes/follow-ups
• check in with me before you start
• fill me in before you go

24. timesheets | payroll
• complete timesheet sunday each
fortnight; payday following friday
• who’s working? Basecamp
• first payslip paper - payroll kiosk
payslip ID - then by email
• expenses
• pay queries - me or
janelle@diversitynz.com

25. sickness/unavailability
• sick or unavailable? find replacement
> text me asap
• can’t find replacement? text me asap

26. my quirks
• i can’t reach things on top shelf in
fridge - lunch/dinner on bottom
shelf
• bowls are best for food;
lunch/small, dinner/large; put
sporks etc on table, not in bowl; cut
food into bite-size pieces
• too much fluid (sauces) in bowls
make them difficult to carry
• shoes tight; bows not hanging down
too far
• things left in passage ways slow me
down and piss me off
• sometimes i may get pedantic
about how things are done; usually
i’ll leave it to you to do it your way

27. my quirks
• don’t forget i live here when you’re
not here – if you move something,
please tell me
• i don’t always know what i want –
especially food – feel free to
suggest
• i’m a visual person so how things
look are important to me
• balance, diversity, creativity and
change are important to me
• remember this is an office and a
home – tidy, clean, organised

28. questions
• organising work?
• days?
• times?
• future get-togethers?
• mobile/email?