Why is this important?
We operate in a complex system, and for many clients, the experience can feel overwhelming. We want clients to feel understood and that they have someone to trust. They should feel guided and supported through this complex process.
A Linker tries to prevent a situation where a client is referred from agency to agency with no single point of contact to help them in times of confusion. The experiences that we aim to create through Linkers are:
- Think like a Linker
- Warm Handover
- Only tell your story once
- No Wrong Door
What is this?
Being a Linker means taking responsibility for helping a family navigate and feel supported within the service system. A Linker helps connect families to appropriate services, and manages the complexity of the system so that the client doesn’t have to deal with it.
What is this not?
The job of just one person. The ability to act and think like a Linker is a capability that all front-line workers must have.
HOW TO GET STARTED
STEP 1:
Familiarise yourself with the key characteristics of thinking and acting like a Linker by reading through the materials on pages 50-52 and case study on page 65 of the Toolkit.
STEP 2:
Follow the instructions on how to use the materials.
STEP 3:
Use existing resources to connect with other Linkers in your network. Your Local Governance group will be able to connect you to the resources used in your local Linker Network