Charter

The 12 local community services

Values and Principles

We commit ourselves to the progressive development of a service that:

• is rights based: actively engaged in supporting service users to know and exercise their rights as full and equal citizens; and as consumers of our services.

• is respectful of the right to self determination: ensuring the involvement of service users in all decisions that affect them, providing support for informed decision making, and facilitating service users to exercise control over and direct the supports that they receive.

• is person-centred: providing services and supports that are effective in meeting the explicit needs, wishes and choices of each individual service user.

• is capacity building: providing opportunities and supports for service users to develop their competencies and independence to the greatest extent possible.

• is socially inclusive: maximising the participation of service users in the ordinary life of the community, and supporting active citizenship and the development of valued social roles.

• is relationship oriented: supporting natural support networks, ties to family, friends, and neighbours; and the development of new friendships and meaningful relationships.

• is flexible and creative: using existing resources in new and innovative ways to maximise the achievement of service users goals in the most efficient and effective manner.

• is accountable to stakeholders: facilitating external reviews of service quality; demonstrating openness and transparency with key stakeholders with regard to resource utilisation; operating a fair and responsive complaints process; and actively supporting the provision of independent advocacy for service users.

• is proven value for money: implementing financial systems that result in the individualisation of funding for each service user and measurement of the amount and quality of services received by each individual.

• is partnership based: involving service users and their representatives, family members, and organisational staff, in leadership and decision-making at all organisational levels.

• supports people in their local community: builds on natural supports that exist where the person lives, rather than remove them from their own community to access supports; and where people are safer because they are well known.

• Is oriented towards learning and continuous improvement: systematically scans the wider environment and utilises the resources of knowledge, skills and experience in our own and in partner organisations to inform and drive a process of continuous improvement in service quality.