What is it?
The first step in establishing a successful working relationship with your participants is a thorough onboarding process. This includes gathering essential information and setting clear expectations from the outset.
Alongside onboarding, service agreements help formalise the relationship by outlining the scope of services, pricing, responsibilities and terms. Together, these steps provide clarity and professionalism for both you and the participant.
Why it matters
- Clarity: The onboarding process ensures that the participant understands what services you will provide, what to expect and how the working relationship will unfold.
- Shared expectations: A service agreement records the services, pricing and expectations. It can help both parties resolve misunderstandings.
- Trust and professionalism: A structured process shows the participant that you are committed to providing high-quality support. It sets the foundation for a positive working relationship.
How to do it
1. Onboard your participant
Collect essential information: Start by gathering the participant’s name, contact details, emergency contacts, relevant medical information and support needs. The Participant Onboarding Checklist will guide you through this process. Collect only the information needed for the support and store it securely.
Discuss expectations: Have an open conversation about what the participant wants from your services, what they expect from you and any concerns they may have. Setting clear expectations early reduces confusion later.
Set boundaries and communication preferences: Talk about scheduling, preferred methods of communication and how you’ll handle changes or cancellations.
2. Create a service agreement
Use the Service Agreement Template: Outline the specific services, hourly rate, payment terms and other important details. Customise it to reflect each participant’s needs.
Clarify the terms: Be clear about your availability, role and what you can and cannot provide. For example, if you cannot provide certain types of medical care or need to limit your working hours, make this clear.
Address confidentiality: Explain how the participant’s personal and medical information will be protected and when information may be shared.
Review and sign: Go over the agreement with the participant and make sure both parties understand the terms. Give the participant time to ask questions and arrange assistance with understanding it if needed.
The template is a starting point. Check that its terms suit the supports, funding arrangements and current requirements before using it.
What you will need
- Relevant participant information, support needs and emergency contacts.
- The service agreement template, customised to the services you provide.
- Clear communication about your services, boundaries and expectations.
- A secure place to keep agreed documents.
What to expect
As a planning estimate, allow one to two hours for onboarding, depending on the participant’s needs, and additional time to prepare and review the agreement. Treat this as a planning estimate, not a limit on the time a participant needs.
A thorough and transparent process helps you and the participant develop a shared understanding of the services and expectations.
Illustrative example
Olivia onboarded her first participant by gathering key information and discussing their goals. She then used a service agreement template to outline the services, hourly rate and payment schedule. Reviewing these details together before beginning support gave them a clear reference for their working relationship.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Not gathering enough relevant information: Gaps in onboarding can lead to gaps in support.
- Not clearly explaining services: Don’t assume the participant understands your role or the scope of services.
- Skipping the agreement discussion: Make time to discuss and document the arrangement before starting.
FAQs
How detailed does the agreement need to be?
Cover the essential details: services, pricing, payment terms and responsibilities. It does not need to be overly complicated, but it should be clear.
Can I use the same agreement for everyone?
The template is a starting point. Customise it for each participant’s needs, goals and circumstances.
Action steps
- Work through the Participant Onboarding Checklist.
- Personalise the Service Agreement Template.
- Review the agreement together and keep the agreed version securely.