Joining Compass

BY JOINING COMPASS, YOU JOIN IN OUR PHILOSOPHY

The language around the relationship between disability service providers and the people who use those services has changed over the past few years. That language has variously referred to people as service users, participants and more recently even as customers. At Compass we’ve always referred to the people who attend our service as ‘Trainees’. This is very deliberate and aims to enshrine the Compass focus on lifelong learning, development and vocational opportunities.

AT COMPASS, WE REFER TO OUR TRAINEES AS TEAM MEMBERS

This is an important part in enrolling them as empowered contributors to their world rather than passive receivers of supports. In the same way, we don’t talk about you (their family or carers) or them as ‘customers’ for the simple reason that we don’t believe in ‘service’ as a commercial transaction. The best quality service comes from the heart and money has no role in determining how much people care about each other.

We care about each other because that’s what the best humans do, and it’s completely circular. When we care for someone they will invariably care for us too. That’s why Compass is not a ‘Business’. Businesses have customers and the profit goes to the business owner. To make a profit for the owners (the reason businesses exist) those business owners have to make a choice about who to put first.

 

WE ARE BEST UNDERSTOOD AS A FOR-PURPOSE ORGANISATION

This helps us to remain clear on our goal and to follow our purpose – to be of service to others. Just as we don’t refer to families of trainees as customers, we also don’t want people working inside Compass to think of you that way either. At Compass, we employ people who care deeply – so deeply in fact that they will always encourage the people they work with to reach for their potential, even when achieving that is challenging.

POTENTIAL, WELFARE AND EVEN HAPPINESS ARE DIFFERENT THINGS

Over the years, so many family members have said to us, “We want our son or daughter to be safe and happy!”. Our response has always been that we will treat those wishes as our baseline. We will do everything in our power every day to ensure our Trainees are safe and happy, but we can do so much more for the simple reason that we believe in their POTENTIAL.

This belief in potential is based on many years of experiencing that when we believe in peoples’ potential, they will also begin to believe in it themselves. Ultimately, we are ALL trying to find our potential – as parents, as people who may have a disability, as Support Trainers, as leaders and as followers. And we all have to recognise that we’re on the same team. It doesn’t mean that things will always go to plan, but it does mean that the whole team is working together to make sure we ALL get what we need!

When you join the Compass team you aren’t a customer, you’re a member of that team – of our team.

HOW WE ENGAGE WITH NEW MEMBERS

We do our best to make the entry experience as simple and stress-free as possible. In determining whether Compass is the right service for you, you can expect:

  • A simple application process
  • Free assessment meetings to discuss potential service suitability
  • Advice, support and advocacy with funding applications and NDIS processes

The benefits you will receive through this process include:

  • You will have the opportunity to gain insight into our service quality
  • You can meet and engage with Compass staff
  • The person can become acquainted with the new environment and make new friends
  • The needs of the person are made clear
  • The staff can become familiar with the person, their family and key stakeholders

Choosing Compass

If you choose to join Compass, the first few months will be invested in getting to know each other better and developing strategies to achieve desired outcomes. Support provided by Compass has been designed to broaden the person’s abilities while exploring their interests, goals and passions. Their activities may include:

  • Learning and development – including numeracy, literacy, time, money use, budgeting, work readiness and travel training
  • Personal development – including life skills, communication, fitness and social skills
  • Independent living – including food preparation, grooming, transport and community participation
  • Wellbeing and recreation training – including swimming, tennis, bocce, lawn bowls, yoga and meditation
  • Workplace familiarisation – including WHOS, community work and participation

The Compass Team will then assist your son or daughter and you to choose the pathway most suited to your goals and aspirations.

ENQUIRIES AND NEXT STEPS

For more information about what’s on offer at Compass, visit our Learning and Development and Skills-Based Training and Vocational Pathways pages.

You can also review each of our Campuses to see what’s on offer closest to you.

If you would like to commence the application process, please call our friendly team on (07) 5445 9116 or click the link below.

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