an introduction to the injured workers support network

A Brief Introduction to The Injured Workers Support Network

(C) Injured Workers Support Network 2014

Our Aims

✦ To assist and support workers who have

sustained work related injuries & disabilities

✦ To provide and share information and

experiences about the workers compensation

system and the rights of injured & disabled

workers

Injured Workers Support Network


Our Aims ✦ To form networks between injured workers and

other organisations that have similar aims and

objectives

✦ To assist and encourage injured workers to

establish links within their local community health

system, government departments, organisations

and other individual support groups who can assist

injured workers.



Our board 7 board members.

• 1 representative from Unions NSW

• 2 Representatives from affiliated Unions

• 4 Elected representatives from our membership

• Northern region

• Southern region

• Western region

• Sydney region



What is our structure?


Workers Health Centre Director

Injured Workers Support Network Board Workers Health Centre Board


Industrial Health & Research

Foundation

Workers Health Centre

The Industrial Health & Research Foundation


Who else is involved? The Workers Health Centre

• The Workers Health Centre provides the bulk of the funding for the IWSN through their profits.

• The IWSN Coordinator reports directly to the Workers Health Centre’s director Michelle Burgess.

Unions NSW

• Unions NSW through the Work Health and Safety Officer provided logistical support to the IWSN



What about the members? • Our members elect their representatives every two years.

• Each Network Meeting has responsibility over the actions of that group-

• the Coordinator reports on actions within each region to the Regional board member and the network meetings within the group.

• The Coordinator does not attend meetings or negotiations without at least one memers present (unless there is no alternative)



What if I have a problem or a complaint about the Coordinator?

• You can talk to the Director directly to raise any concerns you may have about the Coordinator.

• You can also speak to a board member.

• If you have a problem with a board member you can raise that issue with the Boards Chair or with Michelle Burgess.

• If your problem is with a volunteer. You can raise those issues with the Coordinator.



Our Guiding Principles 1. The IWSN is a Not-For-Profit organisation offering

information and support for any individual who have become

injured, ill or disabled due to a work place incident.

2. The IWSN extends this support to the families, friends and

supporters of any individuals who have become injured, ill or

disabled due to a work place incident.

3. The health and wellbeing of our members is our highest

priority.



Respect • The IWSN will not withhold or limit service to anyone on the basis of race, age, gender,

sexual orientation, disability, political persuasion or union association.

• The IWSN celebrates its union heritage and is within the union movement. But is not

union itself.

• The IWSN does not tolerate violence or intimidation in any form towards its members,

volunteers, visitors, guests or employees.

• The IWSN will only associate or accept donations from organisations with like-minded

objectives.

• IWSN meetings cannot be attended by any outside organisation without prior consent.



Support • All actions of the IWSN will focus on the empowerment of its members.

• The IWSN will maintain its core function of facilitating peer-to-peer support through its

Network meetings, online presence and individual support.

• The IWSN actions will be led and guided by the agreement of the members through

their Network meetings and through representation of members on the board of

directors.

• The IWSN future plans will be guided by the principal of ensuring maximum support

for its members.

• The IWSN will provide training, supervision and ongoing support to all volunteers



Listen • The IWSN regards all information disclosed by its members to

be confidential. Except: where permission is given and/or where

failure to disclose may result in harm to the member or others or

where forced to do so by a court of law.

• All Network meetings will ensure that each person is listened to

but that no one individual issue is given more importance that

the focus of the group itself.

• No Network meeting will be recorded without the prior consent

of all participants.



Share • The IWSN through its employees and board will make any decision making

process as transparent as is legally possible without breaching

confidentiality or relevant legislation.

• The IWSN will at all times ensure that members and non-members can

share their opinions freely without edit unless they breach one of the IWSN

Guiding principles or comments policy.

• All network meetings will provide equality of access and time to all members

who wish to participate.

• Network meetings will ensure any actions undertaken by them will be put to

the meeting and voted upon prior to that action taking place.



What we actually do Injured Workers Support Network


The Website A website dedicated to informing injured workers about their rights, information on community support organisations and a place where members throughout the State could contact each other asking for advice and assistance.

www.iwsn.org.au



The Helpline

A helpline where members could seek specific

advice and referrals. and to provide assistance for

more immediate concerns, such as referral to

emergency financial support and emotional

support.

Monday to Friday

12:30 to 4:30



Advocacy • The IWSN Strives to advocate for the rights of injured workers

through any means possible

• Media

• Government

• Politicians

• Unions

• any opportunity.



Activism • The IWSN provides opportunities and training for its

members to take part in all aspects of the IWSN and

• The IWSN actively promotes members to take their own actions.

The issues we face are systemic. The actions we need to take to change this system are collective.



Member Network Meetings Member Networks throughout the state where

members could meet and support each other. Also

providing a venue where guest speakers could

address their questions on the system and make

contacts with other support groups within their

local area.



The IWSN Coordinator • The IWSN Coordinator:

• Provides the Administration for the IWSN

• Answers the Hotline

• Updates the Website

• Links the network with other organisations and supporting services

• Provides leadership and mentoring to members and IWSN volunteers

• Ensures opportunities for members to participate and be active in campaigning.

• Provides training to members and network meetings



Network meetings are at the core of the IWSN.

They provide:

• General Support

• Personal Advocacy

• Social Support

• Procedural Support

• Group activism.


General Support

The Injured Workers Support Network links injured

workers and their families to community

organisations who can and do provide support in

any aspect of a members life.



Personal Advocacy

Personal advocacy in this term is the training and

strength the IWSN group provides its members to

take control of their workers compensation

process.



Social Support

The Injured Worker Support Network Meetings

serve a purpose in and of itself. The act of meeting

together has a benefit without reference to any

other aspect of our purpose.



Procedural Support

The Network Meetings provides a place for people

to ask questions about the Workers Compensation

process. Though no-one is expected to be an

expert, It’s hoped that the latest information

provided by the IWSN office will be available or

that the network facilitator will have read it and

have it on hand.



Group Activism

The Injured Workers Support Network takes a

systemic approach to the problems facing our

members. The issue isn’t about the individual, it is

about the workers compensation system itself. A

systemic problem requires a systemic action to

highlight it and encourage change.



The Injured Workers Support Network Our Local Networks


The basic structure • Network meetings are held once a month on the same day

at the same time of that month.

• Network meetings run for 2 hours.

• The first hour is for guest speakers or training.

• The second hour is split into two. – 1st part. Member story & Discussion

– 2nd part. Campaign meeting



How local networks are run

• Members contribute to the organising of the meetings and the network.

• A Facilitator is appointed to chair the network meeting. -they must be trained.

• The IWSN head office provides support and advice to local networks.



The really really important part



Empowerment

Every

Member’s

POWER

Means

Every

Network’s

Triumph (C) Injured Workers Support Network 2014

EMPOWERMENT: To

make (someone) stronger and

more confident, especially in

controlling their life and

claiming their rights.

an introduction to the injured workers support network

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