Endeavour Foundation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has improved the organisation’s ability to rapidly develop and implement safety process and procedures. Endeavour Foundation took a risk-based approach to keep vulnerable customers and staff safe and continue its essential services and home support during COVID-19.
Endeavour Foundation has a complex and diverse business model. It offers residential accommodation, support to access the community and supported employment to people with disability. It was impacted during the pandemic in a number of ways:
- Business impact: customers unable to self-isolate, adhere to physical distancing requirements, or wear masks due to cognitive impairment. Many have underlying health conditions that make them more vulnerable to COVID-19 or have behaviours of concern which can escalate during periods of stress.
- Supported employee impact: customers unable to attend their workplace.
To manage such a broad range of challenges, several innovative control measures were introduced including:
- a Covid-19 Hotline
- a complex support hub to support staff in residential services
- big box of fun for home customers comprising a box of activities, games and resources sent to each residential service
- supply of home sites with iPad and smart phones to facilitate customers to connect with families
- redeployment of staff to support customers during lockdown
- call campaign to support and check in with supported employees.
Consultation included all areas of the business from work health and safety, customer safeguarding, practice marketing and communications, social workers, risk management team, human resources and IT.
The fast-tracked IT programs have improved connectivity and there has been a cultural shift with the different business streams (work, community and home) now working more collaboratively. Staff, customers and volunteers all have a better understanding of how their services contribute to one another and support the whole customer.
