Our Story So Far:
I have worked extensively across the Central Highlands, Wimmera, and Western Outer and Inner Melbourne regions in the capacity of a professional consultant, auditor, and high-level project manager. And yes, I have worked via consultancy for the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) for quite a time within head offices in Geelong. I held executive (EL1) level positions and was responsible nationally for supporting and leading within areas of development such as procurement, contracts, policy, process, risk, strategy, operations, planning, indigenous, mental health, complexity, service design, customer relationship, management systems, and participant experience.
At the end of 2020, I made the conscious decision to go back to ‘grass-roots’ works that are more focused, purposeful, tangible, and realistic to achieve – whether it be short, medium, or longer term. Here, I can apply all my knowledge, experience, education and training, and access to my extensive networks and stakeholders in assisting and supporting those participants with an NDIS plan and funding to set direction, choose a pathway/s to align with funded goals and get the motion moving and driven forward in progressing towards the plan goal/s.
Stuart, a young man with lived disability was sourced and recruited locally via a professional connection and is integral in getting this business to where it needs to be over the coming years, and in getting our services and supports ‘reach’ and connections out there to those participants, families, and communities that need us most. I am extremely appreciative to be working alongside Stuart, who is open about his disability, and with his consent has allowed part of his story to be communicated to you.
Rhys McAskell (Managing Director)
(FGIA, MBA, Grad Dip, Grad Cert, B/Comm, Adv Dip, CertGovPrac&RiskMgt)
I have worked in and alongside people with disabilities and associated secondary mental health illnesses, as well as specialising in intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, and acquired brain injury, plus student transition, of all ages and diagnoses for well over 25 years. I have worked across metropolitan, regional, and rural settings regarding sector priorities relating to design/development and implementation of legislation, policy-processes, funding, quality/risk, programs, services and supports against monitoring/review and evaluation of overall effectiveness of obtaining and/or achieving the desired and agreed outcome/s.
From front line operational supports and service delivery, to holding management and executive level positions working within the disability adult sector, health, human and social services, community engagement/development, education/training/employment, early childcare settings, primary/high school and higher learning settings, aged care, CALD, indigenous, and youth within Federal, State and Local government and community service sectors.
- Master of Business Administration Strategy: Australian Institute of Business
- Graduate Diploma of Management Operations: Australian Institute of Business
- Graduate Certificate of Management Finance: Australian Institute of Business
- Bachelor of Commerce (UG): Deakin University
- Advanced Diploma in Community Sector Management – Spectrum Training
- Risk and Governance Certification: Governance Institute of Australia
- Project Management Six Sigma/Lean “Black Belt” Certification: Australian Society for Quality
- State Emergency Services Certification: Emergency Management
- IAP2 Spectrum of Public Participation and Facilitation Certification: DSE
- Master Class Business Consulting: Australian Institute of Business
For providers and government: “I am also a qualified and experienced Business Management Consultant, who since 2015 has worked extensively across Central Highlands, Wimmera, and South Coast regions. I also provide NDIA/NDIS business consultancy to providers and government who either already work within the disability sector, and/or are looking to get into, on a time-limited, ‘fee for service’ contract basis.”
Please open up attachment (green link below) to review all 40 plus workshops and training courses completed to date:
Masterclass 1: ANXIETY, KIDS & SELF-CARE
Masterclass 2: Tools for Working From Home….With Kids!
Masterclass 3: How to Cope with Financial Stress During COVID-19
Masterclass 4: Are You Addicted? Behaviors Formed During Isolation
Masterclass 5: Building Your Mental Muscles
Masterclass 6: Relationships – Tips for Success and Recovery
Masterclass 1: Transitioning to Telehealth – What You Need to Know
Masterclass 2: Tools to Increase Productivity and Motivation
Masterclass 3: Family Violence During Isolation – What is Your Role?
Masterclass 4: Addictions Arising in Isolation: Preparing for What’s Ahead
Masterclass 5: The Mental Health of our Essential Services: What is Your Role?
Masterclass 6: The Future of Mental Health: Preparing for the Post-Pandemic Aftermath
Please open up attachment (green link below) to review all 24 workshops and training courses completed to date:
Yanng Ngalung Maligundidj Cultural Training – Joanne Harrison Clarke’s , Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Workshop – Central Highlands, Wimmera- Southern Mallee
Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre – First Peoples Country, Identity and Culture workshop
Emerging Minds – Working with First Nation families and children – A framework for understanding
Emerging Minds – Aboriginal children and the effects of inter-generational trauma
Emerging Minds – Exploring Aboriginal stories of hope Frameworks for understanding
Emerging Minds – Aboriginal approaches to health
Emerging Minds – Aboriginal mainstream service experiences – where are we now? How data has shaped our response
Emerging Minds – Using Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge Systems to Strengthen Family Resilience
NDIS Workforce Training CALD Workshops: SSI Settlement Services International
Fundamentals of culturally responsive practice in the disability context
Working with language services
Engaging CALD communities
Recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce
LGBTQIA+ Introduction – ACON Pride Training
Asking Questions on Gender and Sexuality – ACON Pride Training
LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Practices Workshop – ACON Pride Training
Embracing Change Project is for organisations that provide services and supports to people living with, or at risk of developing, psychosocial disability and their supporters.
Embracing Change: Webinars & National Forum – Mental Health Coordinating Council (mhcc.org.au)
Webinar 1: Pain Points and Priorities for Providers in Applying the Practice Standards in Psychosocial Disability Services
Webinar 2: Demonstrating Compliance with NDIS Practice Standards
Webinar 3: Governance, Operations, Risk, Quality and Information Management
Webinar 4: Feedback, Complaints, Incident and Human Resources Management and Continuity of Supports
Webinar 5: Provision of Supports and Provision of Supports Environment
Webinar 6: Understanding behaviour support under the NDIS
Webinar 7: Worker Screening and Workers Requirements for Registers NDIS Providers
Webinar 8: Governance, Information Management and Privacy for Registered NDIS Providers
Webinar 9: NDIS Quality Management
- Australian Rural and Remote Mental Health Symposium
- Workplace Mental Health Symposium
- International Mental Health Conference
- Child and Adolescence Mental Health Conference
- Stop Domestic Violence Conference
- Australian and New Zealand Addiction Conference
- National Disability Summit
- Governance Institute of Australia Annual Conference
- NDS: Disability at Work Incorporating the Workability International Conference
- Correctional Services Healthcare Summit
National NDIS and Psychosocial Disability Quality and Safety Forum
- Governance Institute of Australia (Fellow – FGIA post nominal)
- Australian Project Management Institute (APMI)
- National Disability Practitioners (NDP)
- Australian and New Zealand Mental Health Association (ANZMHA)
- Risk Management Institute of Australia (RMIA)
- Australian Institute of Business (AIB) – Alumni
- Australasian Supply Chain Institute (ASCI)
- Professional Indemnity ($5m)
- Public Liability ($10m)
- Working with Children Check Card
- Police Clearance (Australia Wide)
- ASIC-ATO business registered
- Victorian Drivers License (Full Points)
Official verification of all professional education/certifications, training-conferences/symposiums, professional memberships, insurances, and clearances held for both Rhys and Stuart can of course be provided upon prior request whether verbal or in written form.
Stuart Brennan (Business Manager)
(MMus, BMus (Hons))
I come from a background of disability having lived with one my whole life. Although I have been working in the disability sector for only a year, and come from a background in music and education, I bring a unique perspective of “lived experience” with a disability to Outcomes-Won. I am a dual citizen of both Australia and the United Kingdom and have experienced the medical and disability systems of both countries. Over recent years, I have completed an Honours degree and a Masters (research) degree in Music Performance at the University of Melbourne. I have also held positions in secondary and tertiary education institutions, as well as other NDIS providers.
I have come on board to Outcomes-Won as Business Manager. What I bring to the role, besides my unique perspective in the disability sector, is skills in communication, IT, customer service, research, data management, and design. I am incredibly excited about working to help participants achieve their NDIS goal/s.
Our Philosophy:
We are about people with disabilities and dual diagnosis, with the support of those important to them, setting the direction, progressing on chosen pathway/s, and obtaining their desired outcomes. To achieve this we listen and clarify. Then we investigate, communicate, collaborate, evaluate, reflect, and apply learnings for ongoing continuous improvements of our services and supports.
Our Work Approach:
Our approach is ‘Human-Centred’ via ‘Supported Decision Making’ and ‘Informed Consent’, and what we incorporate and refer to as ‘Human Project Life Cycle’ management, in that everyone involved is part of the participants virtual ‘Project Team’. We all have a role to play with associated responsibilities (whether paid or not), that best addresses ‘Human Strengths-Based’ and ‘Services/Supports Wrap-Around’, of both formal and informal services, are included for the participant in a timely manner.
We are evidence and strengths based including risk exploration regarding research, planning, development, and implementation of a tailored approach that best suits and fits the participants situation and what outcomes they wish to be achieved by the ‘Project Team’. Utilising the ‘Human Project Life Cycle’, we then monitor and review progress stages and evaluate against agreed key indicators, ensuring we are ‘On-Track’ and the participant is being properly supported and serviced to achieve set outcomes (NDIS Plan Goal/s).
‘Human-Centered’ Design:
We utilise and apply what is known as 2019 International Standard 9241-210. This is a ‘Human-Centered’ approach to problem solving. It is commonly used in service design and management frameworks that develops solutions to problems by involving the human perspective in all steps of the problem solving process. We actively design and plan for services and supports using ‘Human-Centered’ design utilising the four principles of:
- Understand and address core problems
- Be People-Centered
- Use and overall an “Activity-Centered” holistic approach that requires systems, services, and supports to have seamless integration
- Test, monitor/review and evaluate the design at shorter term intervals to identify faults and implement corrective actions
Choice and control is thinking about how you arrange your care and support. It is designed to help you to receive services in a way that suits you and your family, and offers you more control over the way your services are delivered. This is also known as self-directed support.
Supported decision-making is the provision of decision-making support which enables people with disabilities to exercise their legal decision-making rights (also called legal capacity).
Dignity of risk is the idea that self-determination and the right to take reasonable risks are essential for dignity and self esteem and so should not be impeded by excessively-cautious stakeholders, concerned about their duty of care.
Strengths-Based approaches concentrate on the inherent strengths of individuals, families, groups, and service and support providers in deploying personal strengths to aid recovery and empowerment. In essence, to focus on health and well-being is to embrace an asset-based approach where the goal is to promote the positive.
Wrap-Around is a way or process of working via facilitation in and alongside the participant, their families, professional services and supports and other stakeholders important to the participant, and the process in addressing personal and service-support barriers. During the Wrap-Around process, community-based services and supports ‘Wrap-Around’ the participant and their family and can involve the wider community in an effort to help meet their needs.
We take into account, use, and apply the ‘Human Life Cycle’ in our works:
We utilise the design process of the ‘Human-Centered’ model:
We implement the ‘Five Steps’ process, known as ‘Project Life Cycle’, against works:
How We Work:
We do what we say, and say what we do. We are focused and outcomes driven, engage in open ‘two-way’ communication, respectful, active listeners, empathetic, and accountable for our advice and actions taken (Duty of Care). We are transparent in the way we work to support and service participants, as the participant is our employer and we represent them to the very best of our abilities and always act in ‘good faith’ on their behalf.
Our Support and Service Guarantee Statement:
Our work approach and what we offer via supports and services may not be suited for everyone and that’s OK. We guarantee that we will let you know if we are not the ‘right fit’ for you and will assist you via forward referral and communication contact request to other local supports and services that may be that better fit for your situation to work with you.
If we cannot commit to taking you on as a new client, due to reaching ‘full capacity’ of works relating to existing clients, we will assist you as above and place you on our ‘demand list’ if you wish, and advise within 14 days what date we can take you on, within an upcoming three month period.
Example heading
We acknowledge and thank the NDIA for their permission given for the usage of logos displayed. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands for which we service, and pay our respects to their Elders past, present, and emerging. We extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We acknowledge and thank artists Mr Harold Thomas, the late Mr Bernard Namok, and Mr Gilbert Baker for the promotion of inclusion and diversity in usage of the three flag symbols.
