Mental Health Social Worker

Unicopia is seeking an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker with experience working with clients with disabilities, complex mental health conditions and vulnerable community members.  We are a grassroots, client focused disability and aged care provider based on the Fraser Coast.   Unicopia aims to empower our clients through service provision that assists them to be active and valued participants in the community by ensuring an individualised and holistic approach.   We place a strong emphasis on high quality care and a genuine connection with the individuals we care for and the wider community.  

Unicopia is strongly embedded within the Fraser Coast community and has partnerships with medical services, other disability sector and community organisations including crisis housing/accommodation providers, as well as education and out-of-home care providers.   We aim to support the most vulnerable in our community as well as provide a nexus for other local likeminded organisations to collaborate with the focus on minimising duplication of health services and expanding the human capital within the Fraser Coast. 

We are committed to professional developmental and training.  We have a long-term perspective on capacity building within the organisation and encourage staff development and specialisation. 

Essential assets for the role:   

• The ability to manage a complex caseload of patients and demonstrated experience in case management.
• At least 3yrs post graduate experience working with vulnerable and disadvantaged communities including those either homeless or at risk of homelessness.
• Extensive clinical experience and specialist knowledge in mental health conditions including working with clients of all ages.
• Significant experience working both within the NDIS and/or Medicare.
• Working knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and how it relates to healthcare delivery. 
• Ability to assist with clinical leadership at all levels of the organisation.
• A non-judgemental demeanour and possess high emotional intelligence.
• Strong advocacy capabilities with demonstrated high level written and verbal communication skills.
• Work closely with GPs and other healthcare providers to ensure clients get access to appropriate services.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work within a multidisciplinary team with other allied health, medical and administration professionals.
• Documenting case notes as part of reporting and compliance requirements.
• A collaborative work ethic but be able to work independently. 
• Understand the connection between a healthy environment and a healthy community.
• Commitment to fostering effective collaborative community partnerships.

About You:

• Tertiary qualified with either a Bachelor of Social Work or Masters of Social Work
• Professional registration with AASW
• Experience working both within the NDIS and Medicare
• Police Check and WWCC
• Yellow Card or ability to go through the NDIS Worker Screening process
• A valid driver’s license
• COVID -19 Vaccination
• Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply.

Benefits:

• Excellent remuneration depending on experience.
• Professional development and career opportunities.
• Use of a laptop and latest technology provided by the company.
• Truly flexible workplace environment.

Please apply with a cover letter detailing your suitability for the role with current CV to hr@unicopia.com.au

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The National Disability Insurance Scheme, also known as the NDIS, is run by the National Disability Insurance Agency, also known as the NDIA. The NDIS is for eligible Australians who were either born with or acquire a permanent and significant disability. A ‘permanent disability’ means a person’s disability is likely to be lifelong. A ‘significant disability’ means a disability with a large impact on a person’s ability to complete everyday activities.

The NDIS funds reasonable and necessary supports and services that relate to a person’s disability to help them achieve their goals. ‘Reasonable’ means the support is most appropriately funded or provided through the NDIS. And ‘necessary’ means something a person needs that is related to their disability.

The post Auslan – What is the NDIS first appeared on Unicopia.

We have received a bundle of merchandise which needs wrapping. Every gift is going to a person who is in need of a bit of cheer. There are so many gifts and less than 18 days to find a home for each gift.

Drop into Unicopia between 9am to 12pm this Monday, to help us wrap call into Unicopia.

Unicopia is situated at 5/ 6-8 Liuzzi Street, Pialba. Ask for Ellie! Thank you and Merry Christmas!

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Assistive Technology, also known in the NDIS as AT, is the equipment you might need to help you with everyday tasks. To get ready for your planning meeting, think about your assistive technology needs and your current and future goals.

Tip 1 – Think about your current assistive technology. how well is your equipment working. How well does it meet your current needs? Does it need to be repaired or replaced? You may be eligible to have replacement AT included in your plan, without needing a full reassessment and with only one quote. Funding for the regular maintenance and repair to your assistive technology may also be included in your NDIS plan.

Tip 2- Think about your goals. Think about how well your current assistive technology helps you achieve the specific goals set out in your plan. Is there a new or different type of equipment you need to help you meet your goals over the next 12 to 24 months? For example, do you need a new application to use on your tablet or smartphone, modified cutlery, a visual doorbell, a specialised bed, or an improved seat cushion for your wheelchair? Remember that assistive technology under one-thousand five hundred dollars can usually be purchased without the need for an assessment or quotes, once approved in your NDIS plan. Where assistive technology is included in your plan, funding to help you select set up or learn how to use your AT is likely to be included in your capacity building budget. Tip 3 – Get your paperwork ready. Your planner or Local Area Coordinator needs to understand as much about you as possible to create your NDIS plan. Gather clinical assessment documents, quotes or reports that tell us about your needs and that have not already been provided to the NDIA. You can upload these to the myplace participant portal before your planning meeting, or bring them along with you. Detailed information about preparing for your planning meeting, as well as how to purchase and manage your assistive technology is available on the NDIS website. To find out more about Assistive Technology visit ndis.gov.au/at

The post Assistive Technology in your NDIS plan first appeared on Unicopia.

Our support coordinator understands your NDIS plan and will work with you to upskill and educate you on how to utilise your plan, simplifying the terminology and reducing what may appear at first as complicated and overwhelming.  We understand which services will require referrals, and will take you through the journey of organising resources or services (eg. equipment, low cost assistive technology, consumable purchasing) and any other needs that arise through your NDIS plan period. 

Most importantly to the role and benefit of utilising a support coordinator is managing complaints, conflicts or just dissatisfaction with services and supports you have received.  Your Unicopia support coordinator is a buffer to remove that stress and burden from you, we will handle the management at every step of your journey.

Another very important function of Unicopia’s support coordination is to assist you with preparing for a review.  This means identify reports and evidence required, in a timely manner to assist with you next review.

We are fortunate to have a highly skilled support coordinator, with an extensive history working in the disability sector.  Find out today how Unicopia can assist you on your NDIS journey.

The post What Is Support Coordination first appeared on Unicopia.

Unicopia Managing Director, Dr Chris Cameron, has identified a desperate need to provide opportunities for youth and young adults to engage in skill & social settings which are positive, nonjudgmental and empowering.  These opportunities are limited for this age group and the Fraser Coast is at a crisis point.   There is a significant number of youth falling through the cracks in society, this is due to a number of factors, such as the rising cost of living in the region, shortages of employment opportunities, homelessness, substance abuse and domestic violence. 

Unicopia will continue to provide opportunities for all ages, cultural backgrounds & ability levels in the Fraser Coast.  We will do this to empower our community and hopefully contribute to improving the lives of everyone we connect with in the Fraser Coast.

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Capacity Building will be a separate section in your NDIS plan, usually after Core Budget.  The Core Budget being where your supports are funded, and capacity building being more specific allied health or supports, with detail of the capacity building component tailored to your plan.

For example, if a participant has a mental health diagnosis, they may have capacity building involving a psychologist.  If a participant has a physical diagnosis, they may have capacity building involving an occupational therapist or a physiotherapist, or both.

Capacity building can also include counselling and other supports.  Depending on the skill being developed, and the line item detailed in the participant’s plan, it will determine who can deliver the capacity building activities. 

The environment for capacity building can be varied and tailored for the individual also.  This means it may be in the home, in a grocery store, at a workplace, on an outing, a short stay away from home or on a skill building adventure.  This is determined by the participant’s goals, plan and budget.

At Unicopia we tailor our support and capacity building for every individual carefully.  We discuss the participant’s goals in detail and ensure understanding by all parties.  We provide solutions to providing the services, which may involve allied health practitioners preparing a plan to be delivered. 

At Unicopia we have an extensive variety of skills and qualifications amongst our team.  To name a few:-

• Counsellors / Family Therapist
• General Practitioner
• Occupational Therapist
• Exercise Physiologist
• Early Childhood Worker
• Primary Educator
• Nursing Staff
• Support Workers

At Unicopia we are happy to assist you in understanding and planning your next capacity building activities to stay on track with your NDIS plan, and to use the plan as it is intended to be used.

The post What Is Capacity Building first appeared on Unicopia.

Kelle loves spending time with family and friends, eating good vegetarian / vegan food, traveling and enjoying Music – both listening and trying to play.

Kelle holds a Professional Membership as a Clinical Member, Australian Association of Family Therapists (AAFT), since 2011 – current.  She is also an AAFT Registered Clinical Supervisor.

Kelle has over 20 years working in the community / not for profit sector, both in Hervey Bay and Melbourne, primarily in Drug and alcohol services, youth services and Aboriginal community controlled organisations.  She also has 14 years working in therapeutic settings providing counselling and support to individuals and families.

The post Kelle, Counsellor first appeared on Unicopia.

We are open for business now.  Offering a range of services to plan managed NDIS participants.  We have a team of support workers with varying ages, experiences and interests, available to assist you to work towards your goals and develop your capacity.

We believe that the support worker’s hours of engagement with a participant is used entirely for providing support.  Our support workers do not do case notes in support hours. 

We believe in ongoing training and professional development for our team and see this as an investment for the future of our organisation, while also being vitally important to deliver a premium service to our supported participants.

We believe that our participants, and their families, have NDIS funding to meet specific goals and capacity building.  We cater our services to deliver the supports needed so you can achieve those & live your best life possible.

Talk to Unicopia today to find out about our Support Workers and other Services.  Your enquiry is confidential and no obligation to join our Unicopia family.

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You may have been diagnosed with different illnesses throughout the course of your life, or maybe you now have a new diagnosis relating to mental health. 

Learning you have a mental health condition can be a relief, but also overwhelming.   Having a diagnosis can impact the way you see yourself and your place in life. 

“I am Bipolar”, “I am schizophrenic”, “I have anxiety’.

Hold up a minute though – you are a person!  You are more than your diagnosis.

Definition:  Illness (noun) a disease or period of sickness
affecting the body or mind.

Definition:  Diagnosis (noun) the identification of the nature of an
illness or other problem by examination of the symptoms.

When you consider the definitions of an illness and diagnosis, it has no cause for negative stigma association with a mental health condition.  Society is slow to adjust public perception and these changes in public understanding are moving slowly.  Nevertheless, change is happening and more people every day, from all walks of life are dealing with a new diagnosis. 

We found this article on Healthyplace.com .   This site is self proclaimed to be the largest consumer mental health site on the net. They provide authoritative information and support to people with mental health concerns, along with their family members and other loved ones.

Exert from Healthyplace.com below.

You are more than your mental illness symptoms

Having a diagnosis has its down sides – due to the stigma with some diagnosis, it can cause others to discriminate against you.  You may doubt yourself, your abilities or develop low self esteem. 

But having a diagnosis also has advantages – it can help you understand what is happening to you, it can help you get access to services and also help you to know what treatments are best.

Mental illness diagnosis have a purpose, just like names for other illness such as having a flu, or having cancer. When we know what is affecting us we can get the help and support we need.  Don’t let your diagnosis become you – you are a person with many things happening in your life. Use your diagnosis to make things better for you – don’t use it to get stuck in an identity that may change! You may be a mother, you may be a dog lover, you may be someone who has experienced depression, and you may be someone who is currently feeling anxious. Its all part of being human – you are complex and brilliant and one of a kind.

You Are More Than Your Mental Illness Symptoms | HealthyPlace

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