Mission Australia and APM are planning to recruit 370 people in Western Australia after being selected earlier this month as local area coordinators by the National Disability Insurance Agency.
Mission Australia WA and APM are planning to recruit 370 people in Western Australia after being selected earlier this month as local area coordinators by the National Disability Insurance Agency.
Their appointments are a key part of the transition of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) from the state government.
Their role will be to help people implement their NDIS plans and access support in their local communities.
Mission Australia plans to recruit up to 170 specialised staff in the next six months, more than doubling its workforce in WA.
State director WA Jo Sadler said the expansion would broaden the organisation’s reach, enabling it to provide comprehensive support to those living with a disability.
“We are committed to providing key support to and working with people with disability to navigate the NDIS, build their capacity for independence and realise their goals and aspirations,” she said.
Ms Sadler said her WA team had drawn on experience of Mission Australia staff in Tasmania, Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales who are currently delivering services in partnership with the NDIS.
“The move is consistent with our WA State Plan, and although it will be a challenging period for us in terms of recruiting a large number of staff in a relatively short time frame, we are excited to be able to provide support services for and work alongside people those living with disability in those regions by providing them with information, and supporting their choice and control,” she said.
Mission Australia was awarded the contract for three metropolitan service areas and will open offices in Midland, Morley, Subiaco, Maddington and Balcatta as well as a new state head office in Belmont as part of the expansion.
APM plans to recruit 200 extra staff after being selected to coordinate services across three metro areas plus the South West, Great Southern and Inner Wheatbelt.
The National Disability Insurance Agency will deliver local area coordination services for the remaining WA regions of Kimberley, Pilbara, Midwest-Gascoyne, Goldfields, Esperance and Outer Wheatbelt.
APM group chief executive Michael Anghie said the group has assisted thousands of West Australians with injury, illness and disability since being established in 1994.
“APM has a long history of working with people with disability to find them meaningful jobs as well as experience delivering a range of services in insurance schemes,” Mr Anghie said.
“We are very excited to extend our offering to WA across six regions and in 14 locations and will work closely with the NDIA as part of the Partners in the Community scheme.”
Earlier this year, APM started coordinating NDIS services in Darwin and Maryborough, Queensland.
