How NADO spend time on the things that matter

We all know the importance of time in our life, but many of us underestimate its true value. It is a reflection of our priorities, and although time is often just seen through a watch or a clock, many people want to see their time used properly. Such is the case for the team of staff at NADO Disability Services, many of whom have taken a step back from a completely different industry to chase something more fulfilling.

Based out of Western Sydney, NADO is a registered NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) Provider and a community-based charity that supports people with disabilities to achieve their goals and live a more independent life. They are dedicated to ensuring that each individual with a disability is at the center of the decisions relating to their own life, dreams and aspirations.

Given the amount of services NADO offers, it results in a great deal of paperwork for staff to process. Before introducing Adobe Acrobat, the staff would walk into the office daily to see a stack of papers on their desk containing collected signatures to sort through. Now, they have increasingly improved their availability and time so they can focus on what's important: their participants.

Alex Stevens, a former tradie, has been a Support Worker for over four years. He has rolled up his sleeves and taken on many different roles within NADO, helping participants in various aspects of their lives. Now as the Support Coordinator at NADO, Stevens has to bill for every line of communication with a participant as part of the NDIS funding legislation.

Adobe Acrobat, particularly Adobe Acrobat Sign, streamlines the amount of back-and-forth communication and minimises the paperwork NADO must complete. Stevens was averaging 40 phone calls a day to chase the lucrative signature prior to introducing Acrobat Sign. Now, with the ability for participants to add their signature to a PDF file from anywhere, those 40 phone calls have turned into five minutes, resulting in less hassle and more time to focus on achieving goals.

Before working as a Support Worker, Kylie Loadsman was balancing the books and tracking finances as an accountant. Now after six years at NADO, she is the Accommodation Coordinator, responsible for getting participants settled and supported in their own homes. Loadsman uses Acrobat in her role for managing participants' risk documents. If, for example, a participant nearly has an accident, Loadsman can quickly revise their risk document in real-time and get it signed off and approved immediately, ensuring there is no delay in services.

Paper was always the lifeblood of how NADO operated. The lengthy process of preparing documents, printing out hard copies for the participants to sign and return, to be scanned and signed internally, was a long, tedious process NADO has since moved away from. Their first experience with Acrobat Sign saw a participant’s signature returned in under 30 seconds - a clear enough sign for the team to drop their reliance on paper and a triumph for the environment as they watched their wastage drop significantly too.

Speak to Stevens, Loadsman or any other NADO staff member, and they will unanimously agree they want to spend as much time with their participants as possible. Adobe Acrobat has revolutionised NADO in how they process paperwork, allowing NADO staff to build stronger connections with their participants and make a real difference in their lives.