Agatina (Agi) Russo

• Managed and supervised administrative and daily program operations, complying with policies and regulations of both Wellways and partner organisation Goulburn Valley Health.
• Fostered and maintained positive relationship with partner organisation.
• Contributed to the development of program budgets and monitored expenditure in accordance to approved budged.
• Developed monthly & annual program reports on occupancy and performance. Prepared quarterly occupancy reports for partnership steering committee.
• Lead a supportive and effective team based on the ethos of collaboration.
• Established and maintained partnerships and service level agreements with other key stakeholders such as employment service provider.
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During this time, our region was divided into two Acting Regional Manager areas of responsibility. During this time I had oversight of three adult residential programs, the youth residential program and youth outreach program. The programs within my oversight were located in Shepparton and Mildura.

Key responsibilities included:

• Maintained and further developed operational standards for five programs.
• Built positive and productive relationships with two major partner organisations (GV Health & Mildura Base Hospital) to ensure high quality service delivery to the community.
• Generated financial and operational reports for partnership and organisational reporting purposes.
• Developed annual budgets and oversight of performance during the eight months of responsibility.
• Developed significant experience in performance management.
• Fostered a positive leadership culture and team dynamic amongst Murray region leaders.
• Recruited, interviewed and hired Program Managers and key program staff, inclusive of developing induction programs.
• Implemented and delivered talent development and succession strategies using Performance Development Review processes and formal supervision.

• Ensure effective operation and ongoing development of a sub acute mental health residential program.
• Ensure quality systems and standards are developed, maintained and reviewed to support enhanced program delivery.
• Coordinating all program resources (human and financial capital & physical assets).
• Responsible for staff recruitment, ensuring program activities meet service delivery objectives, monitoring resourcing requirements within appropriate budget parameters, identifying service gaps and issues that impact service delivering & taking a lead role in gathering data for tenders/funding submissions.
• Ensuring compliance with service level agreements and funder contracts.
• Fostering effective communication and maintaining positive relationships with strategic internal and external stakeholders.
• Facilitated talent development and succession strategies for the program staff through effective Performance Development Reviews and supervision.

• Program and process development and review
• Preparation of statistical reports
• Plan and facilitate regular team meetings
• Planning and implementation of staff recruitment and student placements, inclusive of orientation and identification of learning & development needs
• Monitoring resources within program budgets
• Identification of service gaps and issues that impact on service delivery
• Monitor daily service provision to ensure continue best practice and participant focused approach
• Support the development of the service provision strategy and future service provision opportunities
• Oversee peer program workers and support the roll out and implementation of peer training and peer/community education
• Develop and maintain positive working relationships with key stakeholders and encourage collaborative service delivery
• Support an effective team based on ethos of collaboration, cooperation and mutual support
• Effective coordination of program staff, support change and people management within the program
• Implementation of staff development activities and PDR supervision
• Represent MI Fellowship in various settings such as external agencies and local community to raise awareness of mental illness and market the organization regionally

• Daily coordination of Home Based Outreach and Mental Health Pathways Programs
• Program and process development and review
• Preparation of statistical reports
• Plan and facilitate regular team meetings
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with key stakeholders
• Work collaboratively within partnerships to achieve set outcomes
• Attend meetings and information forums to represent / promote individual program and organization as a whole
• Performance Development Reviews and regular staff supervision
• Monitor daily service provision to ensure continue best practice and participant focused approach
• Facilitate recruitment and orientation of new staff
• Research and implement program expansion strategies

• In addition to responsibilities listed below for Program Worker, Home Based Outreach Services:
• Provide supervision and support to staff providing service within both Home Based Outreach and Mental Health Pathways programs
• Monitor the intake of new referrals to the program and allocate key workers
• Provide both program and organization representation on various local steering committees
• Collate data and submit monthly reports and program reports as required
• Occupational Health & Safety representation for the Hume Region
• Coordinated marketing, outreach and other visibility efforts in the Shepparton and Moira regions.

• Deliver support within a psycho-social rehabilitation framework to people with a mental illness - aiming to improve quality of life, restore health and living skills and work towards becoming an independent member of the community
• Assessment of daily living skills, identification of needs, creating individual participant plans with strategies and goals to meet the identified need
• Support participants and their families to increase social networks by linking into community activities
• Maintain links to other local agencies through promotion of programs and regular networking
• Provide data for monthly reports
• Provide time resources to other MI Fellowship programs, particularly Day Programs
• Participate in community and school education sessions to increase awareness and reduce stigma
• Supervised activities and events for large groups.