OCLife
AT YOUR SERVICE
BIRRANG GETTING THE JOB DONE — JONATHAN ROE —
“You are not a number with us,” says Birring’s NDIS Operations Coordinator, Harley Seckold.
E
stablished here in Orange in 2003 as a regional service provider offering employment and vocation training to Aboriginal people, Birrang has expanded over the years and now runs a diverse range of community development projects across the state including the highly successful learner driver program. Birrang is now also a fully accredited National Disability Insurance Service (NDIS) provider offering support coordination, plan management and services to more than 300 clients in Orange and towns as far away as Bourke and West Wyalong. “Birrang, as far as I know, is only one of a few in Orange that offer all three of these service under the one roof,” said Harley. “Usually you have a support coordinator sitting in an office somewhere and then a plan manger somewhere else. Here we have support coordination that sits out in the back room with me, then we’ve got our plan management and finances
next door and we then our support and social service guys… So here we are a one-stop shop!” Depending on which support you require, Birrang can provide it or facilitate another provider.
they are, you are going to get the same service. We are all trained the same and we all have the compassion, empathy and the drive to be here, to work in community services.
And being a close-knit team working together means they are able to really focus on providing personalised service at Birrang, said Harley.
“Everyone will say it, but you are not a number with us, you’re not ‘Client 123’, everyone knows you here, everyone knows what you get, our team is always here for you.”
“Our team is across every client that we have. You really are a person not a number here. If you are a client of ours and ring up everyone knows who you are and what services you get. The only way to say it is that we care.” Harley has spent five years working in the NDIS field and said he and the Birrang team are passionate about what they do. “It is not an industry for everyone, but everyone who works here wants to be here. They are not just here to get a paycheck every week, they are here because they want to help,” he said.
...Our team is across every client that we have. You really are a person not a number here...
“What we’ll say to our clients is anyone who turns up wearing a Birrang shirt, it doesn’t matter who
Contact Birrang today by phoning 63619511 or email Harley ndis8@birrang.com.au Birrang Enterprise Development Co Ltd 9 Colliers Avenue Orange NSW 2800
16
AUGUST 20 — 26, 2020
Unsure whether you are eligible for funding through the NDIS? Birrang can help you to submit your access request to find out if you are eligible, then support you through your pre-planning process, helping you in getting ready for your planning meeting. Birrang can also go with you to your meeting for support and to advocate on your behalf to ensure you get the best available plan to meet your needs. “We help people with access, which is free of charge,” said Harley, “So if you or a family member think they might be eligible we do that for you.