HHELP (HELP HANDICAPPED ENTER LIFE PROJECT) Darling Downs Inc,
has become one of the first Queensland disability support organisations to be certified against Queensland’s new Disability Services Standards.The certification was achieved under SAI Global’s new Queensland Disability Sector certification program. Development of the SAI Global program is a response to the Queensland Government’s new quality assurance accreditation requirements, as announced by Disability Services Queensland in March 2004.

The new requirements apply to any services recurrently funded or supplied by Disability Services Queensland (DSQ). To comply, DSQ suggested that organisations concerned should have started implementing a compliant quality system from 1 July 2004.

According to DSQ, the new system will, among other things, promote the culture of quality and continuous improvement and establish a consistent level of performance across the State’s disability sector. It will also strengthen safeguards for people with a disability. Ensuring that people with a disability have a say in how services are best provided to them is also an important element of the new system.

	At the recent Engaging Communities Conference, SAI Global presented a certificate for its new Queensland State Disability Sector Program (DSP) to Hhelp (Help Handicapped Enter Life Project) Darling Downs Inc. (from left) Hhelp General Manager, Bill Grace, SAI Global’s Queensland General Manager, Lisa Healy and Business Development Manager, Eugene Hodder.

The expected phase in time,including full verification by an appropriately accredited certification body, was set for 2008. Given the time frames, HHelp Darling Downs Inc’s “first past the post” achievement is even more remarkable. HHelp, which this year celebrates its 25th anniversary, supports some 160 clients in the Toowoomba region.

The organisation’s services span a wide range of support including Adult Lifestyle Support, Post-School Service , Iindependent Living Training and it is responsible for the personal care component of the local Residential Support Programs. HHelp also has a day respite facility on a small property outside Toowoomba, which is currently being prepared to operate new gardening and timber working projects.

General Manager, Bill Grace, points to the valued support of the 38 staff members and the Hhelp Board of Management in being instrumental in this most recent achievement.

He also attributes the smooth passage to implementing a compliant quality system to existing robust systems operated by Hhelp.

“Our application for certification to the new Queensland Disability Sector Program was made much easier by the fact that we already operate within a successful Quality Management System,” he said.

“Moving to compliance with the new Standards was also greatly helped by the ‘partnership approach’ taken by SAI Global, ”said Mr Grace. “I really believe it is another big step forward in our move toward best practice.”

OCTOBER 2005 THE GLOBAL STANDARD