Resources developed by the Better Practice Project

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The following resources and training materials have been developed by the Project. For information on the resources please contact the Project Team.

A Unique Life to Live - the report of the first stage of the Better Practice Project

This report will supply service providers at all levels with tools to examine their own practice. It gives examples of the impact on older people of societal assumptions and of clienthood. It challenges workers to 'know' the people who receive a service better and how to use their influence and resources to benefit these people.

Anne Cross writes in the Forward that the report is, "a source of renewal and inspiration. It is challenging and encouraging, compassionate and promising. it encourages us all to look again at our service practice and take part in supporting older people to be valued members of the community."

 

Better Practice Project Training Package - Living as an Older Person
- Available to HACC programs in South Australia

These training materials are linked to competencies for Community Services Service Coordination Certificate 4 and are written within the community aged care context. They cover 170 hours of the Certificate. They also provide a valuable general resource for up-skilling workers in the sector.

The modules have a clear focus on ensuring older people remain in the centre of service planning and delivery. They include information and activities on positive ageing, strengths-based assessment and support planning, the importance of family and community, and the maintenance of valued roles all of which run alongside a deepening of the participants' understanding of the vulnerability and needs of older people and how to help meet them in a highly valued and typical way.

The package was successfully trialled in 2005 by 40 workers from four agencies with 11 going on to complete Certificate 4 in Community Services Service Coordination.

The package was produced by a group of skilled writers in conjunction with the Better Practice Project, which guided the process and provided much of the written material and other resources.

 

The Better Practice Project Handbook

This handbook was developed in conjunction with the Project by Ronda Held in 2006 for those who have a strong commitment to positive lives for people, regardless of age or frailty. It is designed to provide a resource for service provider staff to:

  • be a discussion starter for staff groups
  • inspire staff
  • give examples to illustrate key points during informal discussions, mentoring/coaching as well as in formal training.

It may be used as a stand alone resource or an additional tool for training as it is closely aligned to the themes, values and theories of the Project's Training Package.

 

Consumer Empowerment Initiative Report

The Consumer Empowerment Project was an initiative of the Better Practice Project conducted in 2005 in conjunction with the Southern Services Reform Group Consumer Reference Group. It aimed to research the levels of empowerment and influence that consumers in the south of Adelaide experience within the services they receive. Fifty people who had accessed 68 actual services were interviewed. Their stories were interpreted by means of various theoretical frameworks and consumer empowerment and participation concepts.

The stories and information gathered are useful for service providers as a resource and for finding ways to involve consumers in service planning and delivery in more influential, effective and meaningful ways.

Some possible directions:

  • To develop a range of strategies that go beyond current quality systems towards empowering consumers as well as developing tools to review and evaluate those approaches.
  • To identify strategies that build consumers' confidence to influence service provision.
  • To build underpinning principles for a strong consumer voice.
  • To guide and change service provision, including expanding, strengthening and influencing staff training for the future.

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