Standards & Policies
Quality Certification
National Standards for Disability Services (NSDS) Certification all sites, since 2002. BIZLINK were one of the first services in Australia to achieve Disability Support Certification, now known as National Standards for Disability Services (NSDS). Disability Employment Services must have this certification to operate.
NDIS Employment Supports Certification all sites, since 2022. Registered NDIS services must have certification to operate.
ISO 9001 Quality Management System (QMS) Certification Head Office, since 1998. QMS provides a framework for improving quality across our service in a consistent and reliable manner.
ISO 27001 Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) Certification Head Office, since June 2022. ISMS enables organisations to align with global best-practice for information security management. It provides a framework to continuously improve our information security, and focuses on keeping information confidential.
Right Fit For Risk (RFFR) Cyber Security Accreditation BIZLINK achieved RFFR accreditation on 15/12/2022. The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations is responsible for protecting information and data collected and stored in the administration of its programs. To ensure sensitive information is collected, stored and managed securely, the Department requires all contracted Providers interacting with the Department’s IT systems to meet and comply with certain requirements in relation to IT security. RFFR Accreditation signifies that a Provider has met these requirements. More information here Right Fit For Risk Cyber Security Accreditation - Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Australian Government (dewr.gov.au)
BIZLINK is committed to continuous quality improvement in everything we do and to the achievement of quality outcomes for every person that uses our service. SAI Global audits BIZLINK annually.
As part of our commitment to continuous improvement BIZLINK policies and procedures are reviewed every three years and are also updated as needed. Policy summaries are provided to all clients on registration and are reissued as they are updated. Full versions of policies can be provided on request and the full Policy Manual is available on the website.
National standards for Disability Services
The National Standards for Disability Services (National Standards or NSDS) focus on rights and outcomes for people with a disability. The National Standards aim for people with a disability to be at the centre of service design, planning, delivery and review. Individuals shape and direct service and supports to suit their strengths, needs and goals with the support of families, friends, carers and advocates. Six National Standards apply to disability service providers, the Standards are detailed in the Policy Summary Manual.
STANDARD 1: RIGHTS: The service promotes individual rights to freedom of expression, self-determination and decision-making and actively prevents abuse, harm, neglect and violence.
STANDARD 2: PARTICIPATION AND INCLUSION: The service works with individuals and families, friends and carers to promote opportunities for meaningful participation and active inclusion in society.
STANDARD 3: INDIVIDUAL OUTCOMES: Services and supports are assessed, planned, delivered and reviewed to build on individual strengths and enable individuals to reach their goals.
STANDARD 4: FEEDBACK AND COMPLAINTS: Regular feedback is sought and used to inform individual and organisation-wide service reviews and improvement.
STANDARD 5: SERVICE ACCESS: The service manages access, commencement and leaving a service in a transparent, fair, equal and responsive way.
STANDARD 6: SERVICE MANAGEMENT: The service has effective and accountable service management and leadership to maximise outcomes for individuals.
See Department of Social Services for additional information.
NDIS Practice Standards
The NDIS Practice Standards create a benchmark for providers to assess their performance, and to demonstrate how they provide high quality and safe supports and services to NDIS participants. Together with the NDIS Code of Conduct, the NDIS Practice Standards assist NDIS participants to be aware of what quality service provision they should expect from NDIS providers. The NDIS Practice Standards consist of a core module and several supplementary modules that apply according to the types of supports and services NDIS providers deliver.
The Core module covers:
- rights and responsibility for participants
- governance and operational management
- the provision of supports, and
- the support provision environment
Each module has:
- a series of high-level, participant-focused outcomes, and
- for each outcome, quality indicators that auditors will use to assess a provider's compliance with the Practice Standards
BIZLINK is a registered NDIS provider for Employment Supports and is required to apply the schemes practise standard and quality indicators for the Core Module.
Note: BIZLINK uses the term 'client' with the same meaning as 'participant'.
Ref: https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/providers/ndis-practice-standards
Is Bizlink Working For You? – Complaints Procedure
The 'Is BIZLINK Working for You?' brochure explains the BIZLINK complaints procedure and details your rights and responsibilities as a client of BIZLINK services.
Is BIZLINK Working for You-R14 | Is BIZLINK Working for You-R14
Connections for Quality
Connections for Quality provides information about the services offered by BIZLINK and other employment services in your local area. You can also provide feedback about services to the Department.
Go to Connections for Quality
Privacy Policy
Your privacy is important that is why we have a Policy on Privacy in place to keep your information safe.
Our Policy on Privacy includes information on:
- How we collect and handle your personal information
- Who we exchange your information with
- How you can access and correct your information, and how you can complain about a breach
There is a link to the full version of Policies which include our Policy on Privacy and a link to the Policy Summary Manual on this page which includes a shortened version.
BIZLINK Policies
All BIZLINK policies are available, in full, on request or as required. To make it easier to read we have created a summary of each policy related to the Disability Services Standards.
The Code of Conduct
The Disability Services and Inclusion Act 2023, includes a Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct (or the Code) sets a standard of care for disability service providers and workers by setting out how they should act. The Code of Conduct requires employees and providers delivering supports and services to:
- Act with respect for the individual rights of people with disability to freedom of expression, self-determination and decision-making in accordance with applicable laws and conventions
- Respect the privacy of people with disability
- Provide the supports and services in a safe and competent manner, with care and skill
- Act with integrity, honesty and transparency
- Promptly take steps to raise and act on concerns about matters that may impact the quality and safety of the provision of the supports and services to people with disability
- Take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to all forms of violence against, and exploitation, neglect and abuse of, people with disability
- Take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct.
More information can be found on the Department of Social Services Website Disability Services and Inclusion Act 2023.
Code of Practice and Service Guarantee
As a service contracted to deliver Australian Government funded employment services, BIZLINK has committed to observe the highest standards of fairness and professional practice. BIZLINK aims to deliver employment services at or above the minimum standards set by our Service Guarantee. When assisting people with a disability, we individually tailor our services to each client's circumstances, background needs and available job opportunities. The Code of Practice and Service Guarantee are in the Client Manual.
Client Manual-R16 | Client Manual-R16
Disability Employment Strategy
The BIZLINK Disability Employment Strategy is based on the following key principles:
- We value an inclusive and diverse workforce;
- We recognize that people with a disability have diverse knowledge, skills, abilities and aspirations;
- We believe people with a disability can achieve sustainable open employment given a good job-match and appropriate supports.
This strategy covers activities related to the engagement and retention of people with disabilities both within and external to BIZLINK.
A new National Disability Strategy is being developed and is expected to be released in early 2021. BIZLINK will review its strategy upon its release www.dss.gov.au/disability-and-carers-a-new-national-disability-strategy/developing-the-new-national-disability-strategy.
Disability Employment Strategy-R4 | Disability Employment Strategy-R4
Indigenous Employment Strategy
The BIZLINK Indigenous Employment Strategy is based on the following key principles:
- We value an inclusive and diverse workforce;
- We recognize the diverse knowledge, skills, traditions and cultures of Indigenous Australians.
This strategy covers activities related to the engagement and retention of Indigenous employees both within and external to BIZLINK.
Indigenous Employment Strategy-R4 | Indigenous Employment Strategy-R4
