Disability support co-ordination services to end at genU

Geelong’s largest disability organisation is offloading support co-ordination to a specialist provider, as staff claim they have been under sustained pressure.

genU CEO Clare Amies. Picture: Mike Dugdale

Geelong’s largest disability services provider is set to offload its support co-ordination division early next year amid growing concern among staff over workloads.

GenU will transfer its support co-ordination services in January to OnSide, but it’s understood no other services will be cut in 2025.

The move comes after a concerned employee said staff had been under sustained pressure.

The employee claimed that executive management had not filled vacant positions, leading to increased caseloads and responsibilities for remaining team members.

“At the end of the financial year, it became evident that genU had begun significantly

reducing staffing levels within the support co-ordination department by not replacing staff

who had resigned,” they said.

“The lack of assurance regarding job security has further contributed to employee departures, compounding the challenges faced by the organisation.

“As staffing levels continued to decrease, support co-ordination staff found themselves increasingly burdened by overloaded participant caseloads and growing workloads.”

The employee said multiple staff members had formally raised concerns.

“The ongoing uncertainty regarding job security, combined with the overwhelming workloads, led to heightened stress levels and, in some cases, extended stress leave,” they said.

GenU chief executive Clare Amies said employee welfare was a top priority.

genU CEO Clare Amies (right) and Activ CEO Michael Heath. Picture: Supplied.

“OnSide has committed to employing all existing genU employees in support co-ordination roles,” Ms Amies said.

“There may also be roles available within genU for staff to be redeployed if they choose

to remain with genU.

“We have robust mechanisms in place to ensure people feel safe and can thrive in the environment.

“We encourage them to speak with their team leader or manager if they are experiencing difficulties.”

Another employee said they were disappointed genU was not offering redundancy packages.

Ms Amies said all genU support co-ordinators and current participants using its support

co-ordination services could choose to transfer their employment and support co-ordination

services to OnSide.

“GenU has chosen to proactively transfer its support co-ordination services now, to ensure participants and employees can move to a quality provider, with a smooth and seamless transfer, ensuring continuity of support for participants and ongoing employment for staff long term,” Ms Amies said.

genU CEO Clare Amies and Activ CEO Michael Heath. Picture: Supplied.

“This was a decision we have taken very seriously – we have conducted comprehensive due diligence, as has OnSide, to ensure this is the best fit for everyone.”

She said genU was strategically identifying how to prepare for the future, with impending significant changes within the disability sector following the Disability Royal Commission and the NDIS Review.

This includes the Federal Government’s intention to phase out support co-ordinators and introduce an independent navigator model to support navigation of healthcare for people with disability.

GenU said the aim was to separate support co-ordination services from organisations providing other NDIS services to avoid risk of conflict of interest and ensure the best support for participants.

All other genU disability services will continue as usual.

“We will work closely with our participants through this process to ensure they understand this change and their options,” Ms Amies said.

GenU’s final day of support co-ordination services will be January 17.

It comes after it was revealed genU was taking legal action after alleging it had been defrauded of $14.5m by two men, including a former employee.

In genU’s 2023/24 annual report it was revealed it recorded a loss of $29m.

GenU merged their services with Western Australia, Activ in June this year while also uniting with Tasmanian disability support provider Li-Ve in 2023.

Originally published as Disability support co-ordination services to end at genU