Disability support workforce - community engagement report
The success of disabled people having choice and control over how, where and when they are supported to lead the life of their choice is strongly linked to the capacity, capability and culture of the workforce.
Disability support workers must be empowered to act in partnership and as enablers to the people and communities they support.
To find out more about what disabled people, tāngata whaikaha Māori, whānau and communities want and expect when it comes to the disability workforce, Disability Support Services in the Ministry of Health asked Allen + Clarke and All is for All to engage with people, communities, and organisations to ask about what was important to them.
This engagement took place over a few months in 2022, during the transition to, and the formation of Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People. This project was transferred to Whaikaka after Whaikaha was established.
On this page
Community Engagement Summary
Allen + Clarke and All is for All’s Disability Support Workforce Community Engagement Summary reports back on that engagement. It describes what the community say is important to them, and what they see as the challenges to achieving that and why, what was being done well, and what people would like to see in the future.
The report is based on interviews, focus groups and survey responses of stakeholders, including those with lived experience of disability, family and whānau, disability support workers, service providers and representatives from other organisations who are involved in the sector. Te Amokura assisted the project team to ensure that Māori voices were authentically captured.
Whaikaha acknowledge all those who have contributed to this report. The insights it contains, along with other information we have gathered, will inform the development of a disability workforce programme.
Executive summary with alternate formats
Download the executive summary (DOCX 173KB) of the Community Engagement summary report.
You can find alternate formats of the executive summary below:
- New Zealand Sign Language - Executive Summary external URL
- Audio - Executive Summary (MP3 1.8MB)
- Braille - Executive Summary (BRF 5KB)
- Easy Read - Executive Summary (DOCX 8.7MB)
- Easy Read - Executive Summary (PDF 3.8MB)
- Large Print - Executive Summary (DOCX 83KB)
- Large Print - Executive Summary (PDF 171KB)
Whaikaha disability sector workforce programme
The disability sector workforce programme will set out the actions Whaikaha can take to address some of the challenges, as well as building the future workforce for the transformed disability support system.
The longer-term strategic vision for the workforce will align with Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and the principles of Enabling Good Lives. It is part of the wider work Whaikaha is doing to transform the system.
We are committed to working in partnership with disabled people, Māori, the workforce, providers, and others as this work progresses.
The disability workforce work programme is still in development, and we will be sharing this with the community once it’s ready.