Afford Annual Report 2015/16

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ANNUAL REP O R T

2015/16 Your NDIS Partner

AUSTRALIAN FOUNDATION FOR DISABILITY 12 Marieanne Pl, Minchinbury NSW 2770 1300 233 673 ABN: 99 000 112 729 AUSTRALIAN DISABILITY ENTERPRISES Campbelltown, Ingleburn, Marrickville, Minchinbury, Minto, Prestons COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION PROGRAMS Ashfield, Belmore, Blacktown, Campbelltown, Canley Vale, Chipping Norton, Condell Park, Eschol Park, Green Valley, Guildford, Jamisontown, Kings Park, Llandilo, Lurnea, Mt Druitt, Narellan, Oran Park, Penrith, Rouse Hill, Windsor

TRANSITION TO WORK PROGRAMS Blacktown, Campbelltown, Fairfield, Liverpool, Marrickville, Penrith, Riverstone DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT SERVICE Bankstown, Blacktown, Fairfield, Liverpool RESPITE Llandilo, St. Marys ACCOMMODATION Cranebrook, Llandilo, Mt Pleasant, Penrith For more information on all services offered by the Australian Foundation for Disability (Afford) call 1300 233 673 or visit www.afford.com.au.

Contents Chapter 1: Who is Afford - who we are, what we do Giving you the freedom to soar 03 Vision, Mission and Values

04 Afford Services Hub

05 Your provider of choice - A snapshot of our achievements 06 2015 - 2016 Highlights 08 Our Strategic Plan

12 Afford is Your NDIS Partner

17 How we can fulfil your journey 18 President’s Report

19 CEO Report 20 Board of Directors 22 Management Team

18 Our Partners and Supporters 28 Afford in the news

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Chapter 2: Our Services Living 32 Community 36 Afford Getaways

42 Club Afford 43 Learning 44 Work 46 Chapter 3: Empowering our Staff Employer of Choice - Our People

48 Recognising Excellent Customer Service 50 Comprehensive Training for Staff 51 More than just a pay packet

52 Performance Management

53 Team Culture 54 Equal Opportunity, Diversity and Fairness 55 Staff Empowerment 56 Low Staff Turnover 58 Staff testimonials 59

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Chapter 4: Financial Overview Financial Graphs

Statement of Profit and Loss

Statement of Financial Position

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Contact Details

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Afford is trusted by 2,000 people with disability every day to deliver the highest quality services for their individual needs

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CHAPTER 1: WHO IS AFFORD - WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO

Giving you the freedom to soar Here at Afford, we get you. We want to offer you choice and deliver the highest quality supports that suit your needs. We’ve been trusted for over 60 years to help people with disability - because we make sure we focus on you.

The Australian Foundation for Disability (Afford) is a registered charity that provides disability services to over 2,000 people in Greater Western Sydney every day.

WHAT THE CRANES REPRESENT

The organisation began in 1952 as the Poliomyelitis Society (NSW) and was established to provide services to people who had contracted polio in the 1950 Australian epidemic and to provide support for their families and carers.

At Afford, we actively support your aspirations; creating freedom, choice and opportunity to fly high to achieve your goals.

Today, Afford is one of Australia’s leading disability service providers and is an active member of the leading industry body, National Disability Services.

Throughout history birds have been viewed as animals of special value and associated with honourable legends and stories, generations old.

In Japanese, Chinese and Korean culture, the crane represents good fortune and longevity, being referred to as the ‘bird of happiness’. The origami crane is a symbol of hope and healing during challenging times, a reason we have chosen it for our logo. Today the practice of folding 1,000 cranes represents a form of healing and good luck.

We also take inspiration from the symbolic migrating pattern of birds. Birds use a V-formation to work and fly together as they migrate, with each bird flapping its wings to create an uplift for the bird following it.

Afford has chosen the origami crane symbol to express our spirit of guidance, support, hope, direction, flight, freedom and team work.

Working together, we hope to lead the way so you can get to where you want to be quickly and easily; travelling on the thrust of our wings.

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The values that help us fly high AFFORD VISION

AFFORD MISSION

Afford is the partner of choice, supporting people with disability to shape their own lives.

To provide innovative and flexible high quality support to enhance lifestyle, learning and vocational opportunities for people with disability, their families and carers.

Integrity “DO WHAT IS RIGHT” Our business and personal principles reflect the highest standards of ethics and honesty. We are personally accountable for our actions.

Afford Values Respect “VALUE EVERY PERSON”

Empathy

We treat our clients and each other with the highest degree of dignity, equality and respect, recognising the important contribution that diversity makes to the quality of our workplace.

“WORKING TOGETHER”

“CARE FOR EACH OTHER” We show understanding for one another through our decisions, actions and words, and commit to appreciating the efforts of all.

Excellence “DO YOUR VERY BEST” We take pride in everything we do and strive to do our best, taking personal responsibility for quality, innovation and excellence.

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Cooperation We encourage communication, working together with enthusiasm and appreciation; sharing information and supporting one another to create a positive environment for all.

Afford services hub Afford services strive to create fun, positive and engaging environments for people to socialise, learn, grow and achieve their own personal happiness.

Living • Shared Living • Independent living • Short stays (Respite) • Household Tasks

Community health & wellbeing

work • Supported employment • Open employment services

education & Training • Transition to Work

• Social enterprise

• Vocational training

• Work experience

• Career planning

• Job coaching

• Mentoring

• Transition to Retirement

• On the job training

• Life skills training

• Afford Active Lifestyles Club

• Traineeships

• One-to-one training

• Apprenticeships

• Drop-in support services

• Community participation programs

• Transport

• Carer support

• Afford Getaways (supported holidays)

"I like it here because I have fun on the computer. With friends all together, we go shopping.

I like dancing and singing the Hokey Pokey and the chicken dance."

Razmig, client

AFFORD ANNUAL REPORT 2015/16 | www.afford.com.au

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Your provider of choice for Greater Western Sydney We take a whole-of-life approach which means we can support you from school, into work or life programs and through to retirement. Here’s how we’ve helped.

650

35,000+

people helped to find open employment Almost

1,000 + 700 person-centred programs

HOURS OF STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING

staff nominations for Excellent Customer Service Awards

delivered every week

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employees with disability provided with meaningful work

1.5 million km TRAVELLED BY AFFORD VEHICLES

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CHAPTER 1: WHO IS AFFORD - WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO

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school leavers helped to transition into the workforce

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90

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Australian a l Afford Ge nd internationa taways organised

18% increase in Facebook followers

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clients assisted into retirement community programs

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ocial s w e n media s aign camp ced en comm ord f for Af le y Lifest es Centr

of YESS-TTW participants moved into employment

10% increase in Afford mentions in the local media

124 ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS THROUGH CLUB AFFORD AFFORD ANNUAL REPORT 2015/16 | www.afford.com.au

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2015 - 2016 Highlights

ORGANISATIONAL GROWTH

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Completed build of 7 new group homes in Penrith area

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Opened new Lifestyle Centre in Belmore

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Opened new Lifestyle Centre in Oran Park

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Opened new Lifestyle Centre in Narellan

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Opened new Lifestyle Centre in Eschol Park

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Opened new Lifestyle Centre in Rouse Hill

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Opened new Lifestyle Centre in Lurnea

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Opened new Australian Disability Enterprise (ADE) in Campbelltown

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Build of 5 further Group Homes in progress in Penrith area in Belmore, Llandilo, Canley Vale & Campbelltown

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Opened 4 new 'Club Afford' hubs providing exciting lifestyle programs including fitness and weekend trips away

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Commenced redevelopment of our 22 hectare super site at Cherrywood

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Comprehensive Property Maintenance Program commenced across all operational and investment properties

CHAPTER 1: WHO IS AFFORD - WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO

MARKETING AFFORD •

We rebranded across all separate operating divisions of Afford

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We relaunched our website including an NDIS planning tool developed with NDS funding

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY •

Implemented the new version of CIMs/Nav - the premier NDIS IT solution in Australia

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Developed key bespoke functionality in CIMs/Nav to support our high quality operations

AWARDS •

Awarded Employer of Choice for the Macarthur Region at the Macarthur Business Awards

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Afford Bankstown and Fairfield Disability Employment Services achieved a 5 star rating for producing exceptional employment outcomes

LIFESTYLE CENTRES •

Client services (Lifestyle Centres/Day Programs, Accommodation, Respite) revenue grew by 23%

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Lifestyle Centres welcomed over 100 new clients

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Client exits from Lifestyle Centres reduced by 45%

AFFORD ANNUAL REPORT 2015/16 | www.afford.com.au

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2015 - 2016 Highlights

CLIENT AND CARERS SERVICES •

We hosted our first Annual Gala Ball which was attended by over 700 clients, carers and supporters

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We launched ‘Afford Getaways’ with over 100 clients visiting Disneyland, Gold Coast, Darwin and enjoying a number of cruises

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We launched our ‘Afford Carers’ Programs with numerous fun events for carers including Harbour Cruises, Paddle Steamer cruises and themed restaurant dinners

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We sold 700 Christmas Hampers packed in our Australian Disability Enterprises (ADE) with all products produced by ADEs

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Launched Club Afford which offers a range of activities, outings and healthy living options to members

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Staged annual Afford’s Got Talent at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre in Penrith

FUNDRAISING •

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Grew fundraising income by 15%

CHAPTER 1: WHO IS AFFORD - WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO

STAFF

PROFIT AND GROWTH

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Staff turnover reduced by 35%

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Introduced ELMO eLearning for majority of training requirements

Operating profit from normal operations improved by over $5 million

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Expanded First Aid, Manual Handling, Driver Training and various complex health needs programs

Capital funding and profit on sale of property generated $1.5 million

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Lifestyle Centres and ADEs were profitable at the bottom line for the first time

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Paid down $12 million of debt

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Large management restructure with savings reinvested in frontline staff

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SOCIAL ENTERPRISE •

Established ‘The Crew’ – Afford’s first mowing service – and won the tender for maintenance contracts for the Department of Housing

COMMUNITY GRANTS •

Secured close to $500,000 Government Community Partnerships Grants to enhance Afford facilities and services for clients

AFFORD ANNUAL REPORT 2015/16 | www.afford.com.au

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Our Strategic Plan GROW QUALITY CUSTOMER SUPPORT Afford has long been known for the high quality of its services, staff, facilities and properties.

In the past year, we have built on that by improving our quality even further through a new and reinvigorated focus on Disability Service Standards, completely reviewed Policies and Procedures, and recertification of Third Party Verification Quality.

As a service business we have invested heavily in the training and development of our frontline staff and introduced numerous initiatives to truly become an Employer of Choice. Well trained, happy staff deliver great customer service.

We can guarantee that our services will not be adversely affected by NDIS pricing and will continue at the present high level of quality going forward.

With these strong foundations we have started to grow rapidly with record numbers of new clients signing on for Afford programs. This has seen Lifestyle Centres/Day Programs grow by 25% with over 100 new clients signing on the past year.

This has seen us needing to invest in larger properties to relocate services and in some cases get a second property to accommodate all clients comfortably.

Our improved financial performance has made investment possible along with new Lifestyle Centre sites in new areas and our fleet of wheelchair vans increased to over 40 vehicles.

Many of our new clients are in wheelchairs and we want to be sure they can access all of the programs we offer every day.

Our Accommodations Services have now started to grow with the completion of the first seven Group Homes accommodating 20 people. In 2016/17 we will complete another five Group Homes accommodating another 20 people.

We will also be redeveloping the Cherrywood site on 22 hectares of land at Llandilo. This will open up CentreBased Respite, Short Stay Accommodation and Lifestyle Centre/Day Program opportunities.

Our strong financial performance is also allowing us to invest in ‘unfunded’ programs that align with our Mission including ‘Afford Carers’ Programs, ‘Club Afford’ and spectacular events for our clients.

More than 700 person-centred programs are delivered across our Lifestyle Centres every week 12

CHAPTER 1: WHO IS AFFORD - WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO

‘George loves to sing, he loves to wear the colour black but we have managed to get George to wear yellow at our last Afford’s Got Talent, and his mum was so impressed.’ Team Leader, Chipping Norton Lifestyle Centre

BUILD CAPABILITY TO IMPROVE FINANCIAL SECURITY AND SUPPORT FUTURE GROWTH 2015/16 saw a massive improvement in the financial performance of Afford.

This began with a complete management restructure to allow increased investment in frontline staff who provide the services to our clients.

With the rollout of the NDIS, financial improvement has been essential for all service providers to ensure their ongoing viability in the new competitive, commercial environment.

Client Services (Lifestyle Centres/Day Programs, Respite, Accommodation) is growing very rapidly and now represent just over half of our business. For the first time, these services did not make a loss during the financial year.

The other ‘half’ of our business is a quite diverse collection of other businesses. Our traditional Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs) are now profitable after full allocation of central overheads. We have grown revenue in these businesses and vastly improved efficiency and procurement.

Our Disability Employment Services (DES) business has a caseload of over 700 clients finding them work in Open Employment and supporting them. This business has recently increased by 15% and we hope for another significant allocation of caseload in the coming months.

grants through the various channels available to Not-forProfits and/or Charities. In 2015/16 we had a record year with grants of just under $500,000.

We also have exited from businesses that did not align with our mission, or were significant loss making businesses. The main business exited was our Coathanger importing business. While these businesses generated over $5 million of revenue they were not viable.

Our property portfolio is what underpins our financial stability. The funds we have generated over almost 70 years have been invested in our ADEs/factories, Lifestyle Centres properties, Group Homes and Investment Properties.

With our strong financial performance, we have been able to pay down over $12 million of debt and restructure our loans so that we now own all of our operational properties.

This gives us great financial security around our operations for the benefit of our clients, carers and staff.

Our Fundraising team have continued to exceed expectations with our Raffle business generating over $1 million per annum. To add to this, we actively pursue

AFFORD ANNUAL REPORT 2015/16 | www.afford.com.au

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LEVERAGE DISABILITY AND COMMUNITY NETWORKS TO OFFER A BROADER RANGE OF SERVICES Afford offers whole-of-life solutions for people with disability and we are considered a provider of choice because we provide one-stop shop service hubs.

Over this past year, we have created all encompassing ‘Afford Service Hubs’ at Canley Vale, Condell Park and Belmore.

We have engaged with the Government and the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to deliver results for our clients. We work with local Governments to create community partnerships and have secured just under $500,000 of government and community grants to enhance service facilities and services to benefit our clients.

Our partnership with the NSW State Government’s Family and Community Services - Ageing Disability and Home Care (ADHC) will create housing opportunities for people with disability in the community. The $16 million project will see 12 homes established to house up to 40 residents.

Each year we hold our Annual Afford Golf Day which is always well attended. This year, we raised close to $45,000 thanks to 105 business and community representatives that attended.

We also were represented at the Special Education Principals & Leaders Association (SEPLA) Conference with

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over 500 delegates by three of our staff members. They took away great information from the conference to pass onto their peers and use within the organisation.

Our partnership with Toastmasters, a youth leadership program tailored for people with disability, allowed four of our clients from the Blacktown Lifestyle Centre to successfully complete the eight week course which is designed to build self confidence for public speaking and managing groups in a meeting scenario, as well as take part in hands-on art and drama therapies.

The Crew mowing service - a social enterprise established for supported employees - tendered for 18 sites in a pool of over 25 different disability support services and were successful in securing the contract for maintenance within the Macarthur region.

As part of a project to raise brand awareness within the local community, Afford took part in the Grill‘d community program at Penrith and secured first place.

CHAPTER 1: WHO IS AFFORD - WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO

CREATE A WORKFORCE AND WORKPLACE CULTURE THAT DRIVES SUCCESS At Afford we firmly believe that to deliver great customer service every day, we need to have highly motivated and happy staff. We believe that our employees are as important as our clients, as we need them to delight our customers every day and not just see coming to work as a job.

This year, we were so excited to be announced as the winner of the ‘Employer of Choice’ Award for the Macarthur region at the NSW Business Chamber. This is a highly sought after title and one that we know is reflective

To maintain and develop the expertise of our staff they have undertaken over 35,000 hours of face-to-face and online eLearning training and development. The safety and professional service to our clients and carers is paramount and we will always maintain extensive training programs.

Afford’s Leadership Conferences held in the Hunter Valley and Bankstown were well attended and provided a forum for peer learning and to educate staff about upcoming initiatives and practices. We also had our first Conference for Frontline staff to spend time with peers and see the bigger picture. The camaraderie of our staff across many geographically spread sites is something we work hard at facilitating and developing, and along with our site by site team building buzz nights we have seen a big change in morale and momentum.

We are always looking for ways to nurture our Staff Champions of Tomorrow and this year alone we have had 69 staff acting in higher roles to develop their skills for promotion opportunities, and 14 staff promoted to higher role. The latter is amazing and shows that our staff truly have a brightness of future at Afford.

The proof our strategies are working are borne out in many KPIs, but most notably in Staff Turnover which dropped by one third as compared to the previous 5 years. These figures included restructuring so in the current year we have seen staff turnover reduce by another third putting us well below the average across the Disability Sector.

WINNER OF

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To continue the focus on delighting our customers and go the extra mile, we have monthly Customer Service Awards that culminate in generous Annual Awards. The Awards have attracted over 1,000 nominees over the past year, some employees on multiple occasions, and we are extremely proud of the actions of our employees that generate these nominations.

of the team focussed and positive workplace that we foster. At the time of writing we are also a State Finalist for these awards for the same category.

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Hence, we have a detailed approach to being an Employer of Choice, starting with making sure we are one of the highest paying Service Providers in the sector.

To attract the best employees to join Afford, and keep them, we recognise we need to reward our employees for their fabulous work and motivate them to go that extra mile. These over Award payments not only consist of higher hourly rates, but also targeted incentive payments to reward for the higher expectations we have of our staff compared to other service providers, and also to celebrate this superior customer service to our clients.

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2,000 people every day trust Afford to provide support to achieve their goals

Afford is a Provider of Choice for disability services in Greater Western Sydney

We can help you develop your skills, find independence and have fun!

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CHAPTER 1: WHO IS AFFORD - WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO

Afford is Your NDIS Partner Changes to the NDIS will give you greater choice and control over the services you want. We would like to be your partner through the NDIS to help support and guide you to achieve your goals.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is giving you more choice in the individualised supports you receive. Aligning with our core focus at Afford, the NDIS offers you a whole-of-life approach to support your needs to achieve your personal goals and aspirations.

The NDIS already has a trial site in the Hunter region and an early transition site in Nepean Blue Mountains for 2,000 children and young people aged 17 and under.

The NDIS will be progressively rolled out across NSW and operating state-wide by July 2018.

We’re NDIS ready and you can trust us to be your partner to care for you on your journey.

We continually review our extensive strategic plan to ensure that we improve on our preparedness for the NDIS with staff, clients, families and carers. During the past year, we have implemented and will continue to build on the following:

We were there for you right from the beginning. We were a founding supporter of the grassroots campaign, ‘Every Australian Counts’ and provided both financial and operational support to convince the Commonwealth Government that a well-funded national disability scheme was necessary to Australians’ quality of life.

We are an active member of the leading industry body, National Disability Services (NDS) and the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), with representation on major committees and regular interaction with other key disability service providers.

Moving to a more structured, nationally funded NDIS model and one that bases support on need, the NDIA will ensure that people receive the same opportunities regardless of the state in which they live. There is also increased funding for early intervention using insurance principles that look at the lifetime costs.

Governments will no longer provide funding to providers.

Instead, every person with disability will have their own participant plan and be able to choose the provider/s of their choice.

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NDIS pre-planning workshops for clients, families/carers Review new IT systems to ensure effective reporting and invoicing for clients Refine quoting and service agreement processes/systems Provide participant supports 7 days per week Increased employment opportunities for staff Provide ongoing staff development to ensure our staff are well informed Continue to review our services ensuring best practice Offer a holistic service for whole-of-life Implement a client feedback and satisfaction survey across all support categories Introduction of recreation and leisure activities on weekends and evenings through Afford Getaways, Club Afford and Afford’s Community Hub (Cherrywood Village) offering a range of lifestyle supports and options Introduction of Coordination of Supports across all support categories Introduction of Afford’s Carer Support Program offering support to parents/carers Opening of our new Group Homes in Penrith providing daily living skills, health and wellbeing, accessing your local community and recreation/ leisure activities

You are unique and we are committed to being your NDIS partner and provide you with the knowledge, advice and services to make sure you receive individualised support to suit your needs.

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AFFORD ANNUAL REPORT 2015/16 | www.afford.com.au

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How we can fulfil your journey As the provider of choice, our focus is on YOU. We want to give you choice in services to suit your needs.

WE’RE PROVIDING ALLIED HEALTH SERVICES

GROWING OUR ECO-CONSCIOUS CREDENTIALS

We can offer you a one-stop-shop for health services to cater for every care need

We are looking to the future and striving to create sustainable solutions

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We have the highest standards and procedures for use of hoist manual handling We can deliver rehabilitation and clinical services Through industry partnerships we are able to provide psychological and behavioural advice and management services Fitness and wellbeing is a focus for individual goals

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We are reducing our carbon footprint by replacing our old fleet with diesel powered vehicles and trucks Our elephant foot machines in ADEs recycle cardboard We are exploring new strategies to become more environmentally sustainable across the entire organisation

ENHANCING LITERACY AND NUMERACY PROGRAMS WE’RE EXPANDING INTO CHILDREN’S SERVICES Children with disability and their families want a place where they can feel safe and at home. We are creating friendly and welcoming services to cater for young clients • • • •

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We have established two early intervention playgroups We have 30 support groups for carers and families Our children’s services will focussed on child development, engagement and fun Our staff working in children’s services are accredited and friendly and will deliver the highest care for you and your loved ones

Numeracy and literacy can help you build your self confidence and learn life skills. We’re there to support your personal growth.

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Our Lifestyle Centres integrate intuitive technology, such as Smart Boards, Smart TVs and iPads, that can provide you with educational experiences We offer library programs that encourage reading and identification of numbers and letters We take time to identify your personal goals and work towards creating opportunities for you to learn

President’s Report The 2015/2016 Financial Year saw many changes at the Australian Foundation for Disability (AFFORD) in getting the organisation “NDIS Ready”. It was also the first full year with Steven Herald as Chief Executive Officer. On his appointment Steven was charged with the responsibility of preparing AFFORD for the NDIS and he has done this with great success.

This year AFFORD recorded a surplus of $7,022,417, which is an enormous and very pleasing increase on previous years. The organisation’s finances will continue to be carefully managed throughout the coming year and reinvested to ensure the sustainability of AFFORD business operations. With sound investment strategies and solid support from fundraising activities, AFFORD is well positioned for further growth of customer services and staff over the next few years.

The implementation of our Strategic Plan developed by the AFFORD Board and Executive Team is well underway, with most major Action Plans completed.

I am pleased to be associated with an organisation that is committed to providing people with disability in our community with meaningful programs for personal growth and enjoyment and life fulfilling work and retirement options.

As one of the longest running disability charity organisations in Australia, we continue to grow our services and our number of customers, providing support to over 2,000 people with disability every day.

Our person-centred approach to our customers and dedicated staff in at the front-line and at head office, continue to position AFFORD as the service provider of choice for many people with disability in local communities across Greater Western Sydney.

This year we have implemented a number of reviews of our service offerings and technology systems to ensure we are prepared to accommodate any changes in business operations brought about by the NDIS. Communicating with our customers, their families and carers is a priority for AFFORD, so we have also incorporated weekly and monthly newsletters which allow us to share important information, such as NDIS initiatives and workshops, as well as sharing the successes and achievements of some of our customers.

We are also looking to build brand awareness in various ways with many exciting new initiatives due for release in the coming year. Building our brand will ensure that AFFORD is recognised for its professional history of almost 70 years helping people in the community and is always considered the disability service provider of choice.

The year ahead will see more changes for our organisation and our customers with further roll out of the NDIS. After 60 years of sound business and customer

operations we are well positioned to successfully manage this business transition.

During the year the Directors of AFFORD embarked on a program of adopting the good governance principles and guidance for not-for-profit organisations provided by the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD). To this end a review of Board Performance was carried out which resulted in a number of initiatives being adopted by the Board to improve governance and performance.

As part of the review, Board Committees have been established in the areas of: • Audit, Finance and Risk • Remuneration and Nomination • Property These Committees comprising of directors with specific experience have streamlined the operation of the Board.

An audit of Board diversity highlighted some shortcomings resulting in a recruitment campaign for directors with specific qualifications and experience. This is an ongoing exercise with the Remuneration and Nomination Committee currently seeking out and interviewing suitable candidates. In line with AICD policy to achieve 30% female representation on Boards we are actively seeking experienced females to become directors of AFFORD. I am pleased to announce the appointment of Ms Eva Ballai to the Board who comes to us with deep experience in health and aged care.

I would like to take this opportunity to recognise and thank the various State and Federal Government departments such as NSW Department of Ageing and Disability and Home Care (ADHC), Department of Social Services (DSS) and National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) for their ongoing support of AFFORD. On behalf of the Board of AFFORD, I would also like to thank the employees of Afford, for their dedication, loyalty and commitment to strengthening the legacy of AFFORD throughout this year.

I am honoured to be associated with AFFORD and work with individuals who are stoic ambassadors for our customers and disability services in Australia. I look forward to another strong year for AFFORD and further successes for the organisation and our customers.

Neville K Barnier Dip FP, GAICD President and Chair of the Board

AFFORD ANNUAL REPORT 2015/16 | www.afford.com.au

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Chief Executive Officer’s Report Over the past year, Afford has continued to grow & evolve as one of the premier service providers in the Disability Sector. With almost 70 years of experience in the provision of an ever widening range of services, we continually draw upon our experience and expertise to delight our clients and carers. Further we continually strive to innovate and adopt more person-centred approaches to maintain our position as a service provider and employer of choice.

As with other service providers in the sector we have had to face up to delivering great services within the confines of tightening funding levels under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). To ensure we continue to meet these needs we have implemented a new operational structure over the past year that is weighted much more heavily towards our frontline staff providing services to the people we support on a daily basis, with a leaner Management & Head Office structure. This has helped improve the culture of our organisation with the emergence of a much keener sense of customer service and consistency across our many sites.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) heralds a completely new approach to the provision of Disability Services. The NDIS sees a move away from a Governmentdirected, program-centric approach to a modern, customer-directed competitive market. The challenge for all Not for Profit organisations like ours is to survive in a much more competitive world while remaining true to our mission. We are very confident that we have achieved that and can guarantee that we will continue to do so.

The Financial Year ended 30 June 2016, was my first full year as CEO and I am proud to say it has seen a significant financial turnaround. Over the last 5 years our underlying Operating Profit has been slightly above break even, with various adjustments. In 2016 we achieved a sustainable Operating profit of almost $5.7 mil with further capital funding delivering an overall surplus of $7 million.

This surplus has been used to pay down debt as we prepare for the much tougher cashflow of the NDIS. I am proud to say we now own all of our operational sites including factories which guarantees services for years to come. We have recently invested in 4 new properties for Day Programs and invested heavily in facilities and their maintenance programs. Further, we have now been

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able to launch numerous ‘unfunded’ programs including our extensive Carers Programs, ‘Club Afford’, and the redevelopment of our 22 hectare Cherrywood site at Llandilo where we are establishing Secret Gardens, Petting Zoo, Mens’ Shed, Gymnasium, Behavioural therapies with animals and so on. Our new Clinical Team will also be an important addition with Psychologist, Occupational Therapist, Speech Pathologist and Physiotherapist as we look to offer a more complete range of supports to our clients including our new Childrens’ Services.

We also invested heavily in IT during the year with the very successful rollout of CIMs/Microsoft Dynamics NAV across all sites in our organisation. This software is the most powerful seamlessly integrated full solution in the marketplace and gives us a great advantage going forward. Indeed, we will be providing back office solutions to other organisations in the sector.

To truly delight customers and deliver great customer service every day we need to have the best staff and the best culture. Along with the flat management structure we have implemented a very detailed strategy around being an Employer of Choice. In this Report is a detailed description of this strategy that helps us attract the best candidates when recruiting, maintain great morale in our many teams, and limit staff turnover. To maximise our professional expertise we have a comprehensive training program which includes using the latest eLearning technologies and leveraging our strong relationships with tertiary education organisations. 80% of our frontline staff have Certificate IV in Disability, and I truly believe we have the best staff in the Sector.

Having a flat management structure also means our teams are truly empowered and as the NDIS rolls out we believe that will give us the agility to respond to clients’ wants and needs promptly in spite of our large size. Conversely, our considerable reserves give our clients and employees certainty at a time when there is fast paced change and many smaller organisations may struggle.

During the year we completed the build of 7 Group Homes providing Shared Living for 20 clients. A further 5 Homes were delayed by the liquidation of the builder, and they will be completed in early 2017 providing a home for another 20 clients. These homes represent a $16 million investment

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funded equally by Afford and Department Ageing, Disability & Home Care (ADHC). The change in lifestyle for our clients has been amazing to be a part of During the year our Day Programs continued to grow at a fast pace, including the opening of a number of new sites. At Afford we are very proud of the high standard of our Day Program facilities and the programs that they offer. With more than 20 Day Program sites throughout Sydney we provide services to over 700 clients every day.

Considerable effort has been placed into making sure that our operations can accommodate the needs of all clients with intellectual disabilities, both in terms of the ‘bricks and mortar’, a vast fleet of wheelchair vehicles, and staff with the appropriate training to meet clients’ needs.

Education has long been an area of strength for Afford and continues to grow with new innovative programs and partnerships. Transition to Work (TTW) programs saw 56 people mentored in making the transition from school to a work environment. The expertise we have developed in these programs along with the specialist knowledge of our education experts saw the continuation of our Transition to Retirement (TTR) program.

Employment Services have also long been a central part of Afford’s business. We take pride in being one of Australia’s largest employers of people with disabilities with just under 500 supported employees in our 5 Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs). Certainly, we are the largest employer of people with Disabilities in Metropolitan Sydney. With the recent developments around wage setting tools in the sector there has been some uncertainty, but we remain committed to giving our clients the opportunity to have a job and earn money on top of their Disability Pension.

The self-esteem from having a job along with the social interaction & friendships provided by going to work are invaluable to our clients.

During the year we worked very hard to increase our Social Enterprises. Our Pallets business is a great success story in providing meaningful employment in a commercial enterprise outside of the historical labelling and packaging areas. Our Warehousing /Distribution business grew significantly this year and the launch of our Mowing/ Landscaping business through the winning of tenders with the Department of Housing and the like is very pleasing.

In the coming year we will be exploring exciting new opportunities such as Car Wash services to help give job security to our supported employees for years to come.

Conversely, we exited a number of businesses, most notably our Coat Hanger Importing Business. These businesses generated over $5 million revenue per annum but no longer contributed anything to our mission or profits.

Further, our Disability Employment Services (DES) have a caseload of over 700 clients and found jobs for hundreds of people with disabilities in open employment. I am proud to say that half of our sites continue to achieve 5 star ratings

from the Department of Social Services (DSS) and that this has led to a recent allocation of more caseload to Afford.

Respite Services was an area of considerable growth with our Centre Based Respite in St Marys providing overnight stays from Friday through Saturday. This limited offering has been expanded as additional funding becomes available under the NDIS. Also during the year we provided various types of Flexible Respite including community access and in home support.

This has grown significantly over the last few months as NDIS packages have included much larger 1 to 1 components. This is a fabulous outcome for our clients.

‘Afford Getaways’ has proven to be a runaway success offering exciting supported travel opportunities locally and overseas. Our first Disneyland trip was the pinnacle of a year of fabulous adventures for our clients including cruises, the Gold Coast and so on.

‘Club Afford’ builds on the community participation we provide to our clients. ‘Club Afford’ is a Club that opens up numerous opportunities for our clients to enjoy activities and social interaction opportunities with their friends, like their other family members may enjoy including fitness programs, day outings, social groups and the like.

On behalf of everyone at Afford, I would like to acknowledge the support of the NSW Department of Ageing, Disability & Home Care (ADHC), and in particular the support of the Minister for Disability Services, the Hon. John Ajaka MP. Thanks also to the Commonwealth Department of Social Services (DSS), and the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) The wonderful achievements of our customers would not be possible without our sponsors, supporters, donor and raffle ticket purchasers who provide the funding to make many fabulous services possible.

I would also like to thank our Board whose support has made the last year of change and great achievements possible.

Also, a huge thank you to all of the staff at Afford. Your ongoing dedication to working with our clients with care, integrity and respect will see Afford continue to grow and provide lifestyle, learning and vocational services to people with disabilities, their families and carers for many years to come.

Finally, thank you to our clients, families and carers for giving us the privilege of being a part of your lives and helping to make people achieve extraordinary things.

STEVEN HERALD B. Bus, CA Chief Executive Officer

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Board of Directors The Afford Board of Directors are committed to upholding organisational mission and values and ensuring Afford fosters sustainable and viable practices. The Board encourages the pursuit of excellence throughout all Afford services to enhance the lives of people with disability in the community.

NEVILLE BARNIER DIP FP, MAICD (CHAIRMAN) Mr Barnier was appointed to the board on 19 December 1983. He spent 28 years in the Financial Planning, Insurance and Superannuation industry before retirement in 2012.

Until recently, Mr Barnier was a director of Penrith RSL Club Ltd for 12 years, the last 7 as Chairman of the Club. He is currently Chairman of the Homes for Heroes Western Sydney Fund Raising Committee responsible for funding the accommodation of homeless war veterans at Governor Phillip Manor in Penrith. Mr Barnier holds a Diploma of Financial Planning from Deakin University and is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He was elected President of the Australian Foundation for Disability on 19 November 2014.

CR. ROSS FOWLER OAM, BCom, FCA Ross is the former Mayor of Penrith City Council and a current Councillor. Ross is the principal of a Penrith-based firm of Chartered Accountants. Other directorship experience includes Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils Ltd, Penrith Whitewater Stadium, Penrith Performing and Visual Arts and Ripples at St Marys. Ross was elected as Deputy Chairman of Australian Foundation for Disability on 18 November 2015.

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MICHAEL ALLEN PSM, FIPAA, Grad Dip, UEM Michael is the former longstanding Chief Executive of Housing NSW, the largest social housing provider in the Southern Hemisphere. Michael has over 35 years’ experience in social housing and asset services and has led a number of reforms include the development of the National Regulatory System for Community Housing.

EVA BALLAI MBA Adv., RN, BN, JP Ms Ballali has over 25 years’ experience in health care, spanning unique breadth of frontline, senior management and board level positions. A Lieutenant Specialist Nursing Officer with the Australian Defence Force and former Treasurer of Special Olympics Australia, Ms Ballai has an extensive operation and strategic understanding of health care settings, particularly Aged Care.

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MARIO BELLANTONIO OAM LLB (SYD) MArio has been a Board Member of Afford for 30 years. Mario is a longstanding and highly respected consultant in legal practice and provides advice on contentious issues of law.

JOHN REED FCPA John is a Business Advisor with extensive management and board experience across sectors as vast as manufacturing to hospitality. John is a former Penrith City Councillor and his involvement with disability advocacy extends 30 years.

CLIFF HAYNES B COMM, FCPA, FLGMA Cliff was formerly Assistant Director General Corporate and Shared Services, FACS and Executive Director of Business Management and Governance at Housing NSW. Cliff was former President of the NSW Division of Local Government Managers Australia, and served the Board for 10 years.

ALAN TRAVERS PSM FLGMA Alan has 42 years’ experience in local government and is the retired General Manager of Penrith City Council and provides consulting advice.

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The Team Leading the Flock Our management team is committed and dedicated to ensuring that every client receives the care that they require. The team oversees the operational and strategic direction of Afford and leads the flock with fairness and respect with the aim of achieving the best outcomes for clients.

STEVEN HERALD Chief Executive Officer B. Bus, CA Steve has held Senior Executive roles for various Service Retail multi-nationals across the last 25 years, including Flight Centre, Mister Minit and Hoyts. Steve is an expert in change management, customer service, and the system management required for high volume and geographically spread business operations. Steve joined the Disability Sector 6 years ago and has a passion spurred by the experience of close family members with intellectual disabilities.

ANJULI CHAMI Supported Employment Manager Anjuli is responsible for the daily training and development of supported employees across Afford ADEs and social enterprises. Anjuli also maintains including Operations Management, Quality Assurance and Behavioural Support.

WALLY PHILLIPS Chief Financial Officer B Com (Hons) CA Wally is responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of the finance function at Afford. He has been with the company for 2 years and has over 20 years’ experience in senior finance roles across a range of industries.

CASEY HAILES Executive Manager of Client Services Cert IV Disability, Dip CommServices Casey holds 15 years of frontline, middle and senior management experience in the disability sector, providing extensive and firsthand insight into successful and efficient service provision. Casey provides measured and meticulous oversight to Afford’s Client Services, that ensures consistent and high quality service standards.

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CHRISTINA EMMANOUEL Business Development Manager LLB Christina is responsible for organisational growth, including NDIS transition and opportunities for expansion. She has experience in Youth Services and Human Resources for commercial and not-for-profit sectors. Christina maintains membership on multiple Government Councils and Committees and advocacy groups is a community advocate for the NSW Police Force.

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STEPHANIE FORSYTH Executive Manager of Human Resources Cert IV HR, Cert IV TAE Stephanie is responsible for the delivery of professional and comprehensive HR services across Afford including the implementation and management of staff incentive and bonus programs. She has 10 years’ experience in Recruitment and HR, and over 7 years’ experience in the disability sector.

GARY HARRISON Business Manager, Pallets Gary is responsible for the management of Afford’s timber manufacturing, overseeing the ADE’s production of goods such as pallets, crates, beds and pegs. His work experience spans 38 years in a variety of management and senior management roles across a number of industries including Electronics and Signage.

NIKITA GUPTA HR Business Partner BSc. (Human Development: Special Needs/Early Childhood/HR), Masters in HR and Training & Devp.; Cert IV TAE, Grad Cert in Business Nikita is a HR professional responsible for strategic direction, leading and implementing cultural change (Brightness of Future) within the organisation. Nikita is the key link between Afford’s employees in managing Communication, HR Operations, Recruitment, HRIS (Payroll) and Training. She has 6 years’ experience in the HR sector, and over 4 years’ experience in the disability sector.

KELLI LORD Business Improvement Manager B.Bus, CertIVTAE, CertIV WHS, Cert IV Prof Writ Kelli leads the Quality Management Team, including alignment of organisational practices and policies with Disability Service Standards and current legislation; and risk management for Afford. She has previously worked as a Senior Manager across the Disability and Public Healthcare sectors.

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MARK SCHWENKE Acting Afford Employment Manager Mark is responsible for the operations of the company’s 4 Disability Employment Services sites from Bankstown to Blacktown. He has 25 years of experience in the employment services industry and 24 of those in management roles.

RHIANNON O’BRIEN Community, Fundraising and Events Manager Cert IV Business Sales, Cert IV TAE, Dip of Property Services, Licensed Real Estate Agent Rhiannon has managed Afford’s Events Portfolio for over 8 years and works tirelessly building community partnerships and opportunities for everyone at Afford.

Rhiannon is responsible for applying for funding and grant opportunities and works with Local, State, and Federal Government as well as the Corporate sector.

She oversees Afford’s Special Programs such as Afford Getaways, Club Afford and Afford’s Carers Program, as well as Afford’s Call Centre.

PAUL THOMAS Vocational Services Manager Dip TAS, Dip FLM, Dip Logistics Management Paul is responsible for the management of Afford’s Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs), Transition to Work and Transition to Retirement programs, along with strategic and operational preparation of our Disability Enterprises in readiness for the NDIS. He has over 20 years’ experience in vocational training and NFP management.

TRISTAN OWEN IT Support Officer MCSA, MCP Tristan is responsible for managing and maintaining the ICT Infrastructure across all sites at Afford. Tristan brings 10 years’ experience in the ICT industry to Afford, having worked across the private and public sectors in roles at the Department of Defence, Fitness First and Technicolor. In his previous roles, Tristan has managed the implementation and administration of ICT Infrastructure for new sites and distribution centres and has continues to execute transitional projects.

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LYN WALLACE Transition to Work Manager Dip Community Services Coordination, CERT 1V TAE, Cert 1V Frontline Management Lyn is responsible for the operational management of AFFORD’s 7 Transition to Work programs. She has over 26 years’ experience in a variety of roles within the disability sector.

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Afford District Managers KIRALEE JACKSON District Manager - Far West Certificate IV Disability, Dip Disability, Cert III Business Admin Kiralee is responsible for managing and overseeing the overall effective operations of multiple support services in the Far West region. She has over seven years experience in the disability sector and has been with Afford for six years.

KYM MAFI District Manager - Accommodation Services Diploma in disabilities, Diploma in Case Management Kym began in Day Programs at Kings Park and has been with Afford for six years. Kym has a great knowledge of the sector and Afford. Kym is responsible for the operational management of our seven new group homes, two drop in support homes and Cherrywood Village, housing 40 residents . Direct support for three team leaders and together as a team ensure that our residents receive the best service possible.

ROBERT MAUCERI District Manager - Central South Certificate IV- Disability Support Work, Diploma – Community Services Coordination Robert is responsible for the strategic and operational management of Afford’s three largest Lifestyle Centres located at Belmore, Condell Park, and Canley Vale. He has over 10 years of experience working at various levels in the Disability Support Field, including supported Accommodation and Community Participation.

KATHY BULLOCK District Manager - South West Diplomas in Disabilities and Community Services Kathy has worked with Afford for the past four years. Her current role is District Manager for the Sydney South West district where she currently manages four sites – Green Valley, Chipping Norton, Lurnea and Campbelltown. This is expected to grow to seven sites as Afford has recently purchased sites in Oran Park, Narellan and Eschol Park which will open in early 2017. Previously, Kathy worked as a Mobile Lender with ANZ Bank and before that she ran a child care centre for 17 years.

ALLAN SIO District Manager – Central North Allan is responsible for the operational management and oversight of sites in Afford’s Central North Region. He has six years of experience working in complex one-to-one and crisis scenarios that has shaped his informed and practical approach to middle and senior management. Part of his experience is working in the education department as a teacher’s aide working in primary schools with young children with complex needs and challenging behaviours.

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Our Partners and Supporters A big thank you to all our generous sponsors who helped with our major Fundraising events.

AMF Bowling Rooty Hill Ashfield City Council Ashfield RSL Bankstown City Council Bankstown Sports club Bellicious Jewellery Blacktown City Council Blacktown International Sports Park Blacktown Police Department Blacktown Workers Club Cabramatta Bowling Club Captain Cook Cruises Commonwealth Bank of Australia Chupa Chups Clintons Toyota Campbelltown Coca Cola Creepy Crawley Cricket NSW Dino’s Pizza Est of the Late Sheila Finlayson Fairfield RSL Featherdale Wildlife Park

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Football NSW Forkbiz Gay Waterhouse Stables Green Design Head Turners Heartland Hyundai Hornsby Mazda Huhtamaki IMAX Ingleburn RSL Joeys Jettings KJ Woods Kookaburra Plumbing Liddell Solutions Liveware MaCher Master Catering Services Ms Mary Blums NRMA NSW Fire Brigade NSW Rugby League Pelikan Artline

Penrith City Council Penrith Panthers Penrith RSL RA Gale Foundation Raine & Horne Commercial Penrith Scully Design Self Move Hire SES Gary Fry Sinclair Hyundai Southern Highlands Realty St Johns Ambulance St Johns Park Bowling Club Stuart Alexander Sydney Cricket & Sports Ground Trust Thomas Hassall Anglican School Tixana Twin Creeks Golf Village Roadshow Theme Parks Waterlogic West Ashfield Leagues Club Wheelies Bikes

CHAPTER 1: WHO IS AFFORD - WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DOAFFORD ANNUAL REPORT 2015/16 | www.afford.com.au

“The Gala Ball was the best day in my life” Toby, Afford Client

“I like exercise and going to places like swimming and bowling and aqua golf. I love walking.”

Deemara, Afford Client

We have opened 4 new ‘Club Afford’ hubs providing exciting lifestyle programs

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Afford in the News We have so many good news stories to share about our client’s achievements and successes. Here is just a taste of what has appeared in print.

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Living Shared Living We want to help you live independently and we respect that you want your own place to call home. We are creating more housing opportunities for you to have the freedom to live how you like in a supportive and welcoming environment.

What we have achieved: •

Seven new Group Homes built in Penrith. Five more to being built

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20 residents have moved into Group Homes. 20 more residents to move into Afford Group Homes

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Groups Homes established for independent living

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Support for residents with Lifestyle Assistants

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Afford and NSW State Government’s Family and Community Services - Ageing Disability and Home Care ADHC investing $16 million into Group Homes project

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We have listened to the needs of residents. Group Homes designed with the highest standards of accessibility within the home and also to the wider community through public transport links

•

Homes provide a supportive community for friends

“I love my new home because it is beautiful and clean. I go to work walking to the bus stop then catch the bus with my house mates. In my new home I take part in the cooking program, house chores and enjoy the rest of the evening by watching TV.” Andrew, resident.

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Andrew’s Journey With a place to call home, Andrew loves his new, spacious place that he shares with his two best mates.

Quiet, considered and friendly, Andrew talks of his new home with affection and respect and explains how this new living experience has helped his independence, confidence and outlook on life.

Andrew has worked with Afford at the Minchinbury ADE for over 20 years doing tasks such as packing and labelling. He received a Long Service Award last year for his work effort and dedication.

Before moving to his home, Andrew lived at Cherrywood Village where he had only a room to himself and communal gathering areas. While living at Cherrywood, Andrew was driven every day to work.

After transitioning to his home in Penrith, Andrew now walks to Penrith station and catches a bus to work with his house mate, Toby.

“CHERRYWOOD WAS A BIT SMALL. NOW I HAVE MORE ROOM AND CAN SHOW OFF THE ARTWORK THAT I HAVE DONE.” Organised with weekly meal plans and lists of responsibilities and household duties, Andrew says that one of his favourite things to do in his new home is to cook.

“WE TALK ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO EAT AND I MAKE A LIST ON THE MEAL PLAN. I COOKED A

SHEPHERD’S PIE ON MONDAY NIGHT AND I’VE COOKED HOKKIEN NOODLES. I LOVE PANCAKES AND BACON AND EGGS ON THE WEEKEND.” The mateship within the house is instantly evident as Andrew talks about enjoying barbeques in the backyard with his friends, doing the weekly shopping together on Sundays and assigning each person’s tasks.

“I MOP THE FLOOR. THE STAFF SOMETIMES HELP WITH COOKING AND SHOPPING.’ In his home, Andrew has the freedom to live life how he wants and when he wants. After transitioning from Cherrywood to his house, Andrew has more space to sit back and relax to watch his favourite show, Home and Away, on the large screen TV. Living in his new home has given Andrew the opportunity to take charge of his own life and set his own routine. He and his house mates, Darrell and Toby, regularly go out for meals or to Westfield or Penrith Panthers.

With space to spread out, relax in an open plan setting with friends and have a place to call home, Andrew now has his own personal sanctuary - much of which is adorned with posters of his other love, Kylie Minogue.

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Afford Short Stays

Cherrywood site is being transformed to offer Centre-Based Respite, Short Stay Accommodation and Lifestyle Centre Program opportunities

SHORT TERM ACCOMMODATION/RESPITE You never need feel like you’re on this journey alone. Our modern and fully accessible accommodation gives people like you the chance to enjoy some time out, or gives your family the chance to catch up.

What we have achieved:

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•

Redevelopment of Cherrywood site on 22 hectares of land at Llandilo will open up Centre-Based Respite, Short Stay Accommodation and Lifestyle Centre Program opportunities

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Renewed focus on the needs of clients and their families and carers

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Flooring upgrade gives clients in wheelchairs more access to the green room and it is also more aesthetically pleasing for visitors to the service

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We have initiated a new carer program for mature aged parents. Since it was established, older carers have discussed new activities to add to the program, such as taking part in an Afford Getaway and attending musicals, such as Aladdin.

•

Our van that transports clients to and from respite has had a face-lift. Out came the colours and origami cranes to add a splash of colour to the vehicle. Those who have used the Respite service say that they feel proud to be part of Afford and using our newly branded van in the community.

Lifestyle Assistants provide in-home care to help you achieve your independent living goals

Household Tasks Our Lifestyle Assistants help people every month with household tasks and everyday duties. It’s help with the little things that can make life more enjoyable.

What we have achieved: •

20 residents from Cherrywood Village have taken part in skills based training courses as they transitioned in new Group Homes and enjoy living independently

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We have facilitated skills based training courses to help develop skills and abilities in cooking, cleaning, sharing space, budgeting, travel and safety in the community

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Lifestyle Assistants have provided in-home care for clients by supporting them to do the weekly shopping or take part in social activities. It’s how we can help you achieve your independent living goals and be confident in your own abilities

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Community Afford Lifestyle Centres Each of our Lifestyle Centres help people with disability every day 10 live a fulfilling life through a range of interactive activities, socialising with others and engaging with the community. We’re here to offer you new life experiences and provide the highest standard of care to suit your needs and interests.

What we have achieved: •

Lifestyle Centres have grown income by 25% welcoming over 100 new clients

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Client exits from Lifestyle Centres decreased by 45%

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We have opened new Lifestyle Centres in Belmore, Oran Park, Narellan, Eschol Park, Rouse Hill and Lurnea

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Lifestyle Centres were profitable at the bottom line for the first time

pergola to enjoy the outdoors and garden. A Ladies Day Program has been established for female clients to develop their skills in hair, nails and make up.

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Green Valley Lifestyle Centre is focussed on healthy lifestyles with new outdoor sporting equipment and a new smart TV with Wii console for multi-purpose activities. A third wheelchair hoist van allows clients in wheelchairs to access the community more regularly.

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Guildford Lifestyle Centre has enhanced manual handling practices with a ceiling hoist in the main bathroom. New sporting equipment promotes active lifestyles and teamwork and a new karaoke program promotes self-confidence, singing/rhythm skills and social skills.

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Belmore: Opening of new site offers modern facilities with spacious communal areas for new programs such as bike riding, aqua aerobics and Zumba classes.

Now one of Afford’s main ‘service hubs’.

Kings Park Lifestyle Centre has listened to its client’s interests and developed three new programs including Hydro Therapy, a personal development program to drive independent living skills, and a woodwork program.

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Campbelltown Lifestyle Centre clients let their talents shine in the JAM-PACT (Performing Arts Community Team) end of year concert at Campbelltown Civic Centre. They have also created a new raised garden bed. The site was a finalist in the Campbelltown Local Business Awards.

Lurnea Lifestyle Centre is offering greater client access with the purchase of a wheelchair hoist van.

New table tennis equipment is offered to promote active lifestyles and teamwork, and a new art and craft program is helping to encourage imagination and creativity.

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Mt Druitt Lifestyle Centre has transformed the backyard into a fun, inviting and relaxing environment. The veggie garden has had a makeover with new vegetables planted. The mystery path has created more opportunities for movement. A new large chalkboard has made numeracy and literacy more enticing, more engaging and more fun.

Here are improvements that some of our Lifestyle Centres have made to benefit clients: •

•

•

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Ashfield Lifestyle Centre has welcomed a new ceiling hoist for client personal care. They have also included several plants in their sensory garden as well as outdoor furniture for use during social gatherings.

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Canley Vale Lifestyle Centre is one of our all-encompassing ‘service hubs’, offering a range of specialised activities, health and fitness opportunities, state-of-the-art sensory services and social connections for clients across Western Sydney.

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Chipping Norton Lifestyle Centre has increased client supports with a new van hoist and a new

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Jamy’s Journey Charismatic and kind, you can’t go past having a good chat with Jamy from Lurnea Lifestyle Centre about what he loves about being a part of Afford.

Jamy joined Lurnea Lifestyle Centre five years ago after he had a taste of what Afford could offer during work experience when in high school. He is a friendly, fun-loving young man who is the first to jump in and raise spirits if someone is feeling down.

“I LIKE MAKING PEOPLE CHEER UP. THE BEST THING IS THE FRIENDS HERE. THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE AND WE HAVE FUN. I LIKE IT HERE BECAUSE I CAN STAY AS LONG AS I WANT.” Joining Afford straight after leaving school, Jamy finds that aside from being close to his home where he lives with his mum, Lurnea Lifestyle Centre offers him many opportunities to develop his skills and learn.

“WE TAKE TURNS TO CUTTING FOOD AND WE’VE MADE LASAGNE, PIZZA, HOT DOGS FOR LUNCH. AFFORD STAFF MADE GARLIC BUTTER WITH ME.” Among the many activities that Jamy takes part in, such as sailing, dancing, rock climbing at Tick Tocks, gym and cooking, Jamy is also working on his communication and money skills and taking part in

travel training. He hopes that by taking part in these activities and programs that he will be more confident in his own abilities to be more independent with everyday tasks.

“I’M NOT VERY CONFIDENT DOING SOME THINGS, BUT AFFORD HAS HELPED ME TO GET BETTER AND LEARN MORE.” Working with his Team Leaders at Lurnea Lifestyle Centre, Jamy has a personal goal of developing his literacy and numeracy abilities, so he regularly visits the local library during group outings to listen to books and engage with others in the community.

With his competitive spirit, Jamy was the ideal team member to join the Afford Lurnea soccer team. The team boasts an undefeated record and playing in the team is one of the highlights of Jamy’s time at the centre.

“I LOVE TO COMPETE AND MEET OTHER PEOPLE AND MAKE NEW FRIENDS. I MEET OLD FRIENDS TOO.”

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Community Support Just like birds fly in a ‘V’ formation to help every member of the flock during migration, we’re here to be the wind under your wings to help you soar. If you need support to get out into the community - no matter where it is across Sydney - we can work with you to make it happen.

What we have achieved: • • • • • •

We have launched Club Afford to get more than 120 clients involved in activities to help their health and fitness We launched ‘Afford Getaways’ with over 100 clients visiting Disneyland, Gold Coast, Darwin and enjoying a number of cruises Our vehicles have travelled more than 1.5 million kilometres to transport clients in and around the community We are supporting more clients to get out and about in the community We have helped clients run errands, visit family or friends or simply get out of the house - we’re here to help We have supported many people to enjoy safe engagement with the community

Flexible Support Drop-in support Choose when, where and how you want support. It’s your choice and we’re here to help.

What we have achieved: • • • •

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We offer more choice about how and when to use our services We have provided NDIS pre-planning workshops for clients, families/carers We are dedicated to being your PARTNER through the NDIS We give you choice about what is right for you and we will make it work

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You may not always need us around, so our Lifestyle Assistants can just drop-in to give you a helping hand for shopping, during meal times or just to keep a routine.

What we have achieved: • • •

We help many people each month retain their independence by providing drop-in support We have a focus on providing support when and where it’s needed We offer a holistic service for whole-of-life approach

Carer Support Each of our clients is our number one priority. But we realise that to have happy clients, we need happy families and carers. We have established an engaging, supportive and fun Carer’s Program where challenges and triumphs can be shared, questions can be asked and connections can be made.

What we have achieved: •

•

We launched our ‘Afford Carers’ Programs with numerous fun events for carers including Harbour Cruises, Paddle Steamer cruises and themed restaurant dinners Over the past year, our Carers Program has experienced rapid growth and established a range of comprehensive and integral programs that create a safe, fun and nourishing atmosphere for carers

•

We employed a full-time ‘Carer Coordinator’ with over 15 years’ experience in the disability sector, in addition to being a carer herself

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Established a rewarding relationship with Carers NSW: their ‘Carer Welling Therapeutic Groups’ were very successful, strategically operating in the Inner West, South West and Western Sydney

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We are committed to carer-centred celebrations and events including the ‘Over the Rainbow’ Gala Ball, Afford’s ‘Carers Getaway’ the Nepean Belle cruise, and an assortment of one-off functions coordinated by the Carer’s events team

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Increased communication and transparency with our carers through the: ‘Carer Connections’ Newsletter, Carer NSW Forums and Surveys

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Development and facilitation of over 30 internal and external support groups in conjunction with Carers NSW’s ‘Together Program’

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Community connections through Commonwealth Carers Respite Centres

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Providing funding for emergency respite and support for our Carers in challenging situations

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Afford goes above and beyond to support our clients, taking a holistic approach to assist families and Carers maintain the best service possible for our clients - whether it’s therapeutic groups, forums, or an evening out

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14 carers from Green Valley Lifestyle Centre enjoyed dinner at a local restaurant and discussed the NDIS. Carers who had been through the NDIA process shared their stories and encouraged each other to be prepared. Within the of carers group, was a NDIA planner, who shared her passion for the NDIA as an employee but more importantly as a Carer

•

In June, 23 Afford carers from South West Sydney participated in a joint project with Commonwealth Carers Respite Centre where they were able to go out for dinner and enjoy the rock spectacular ‘We Will Rock You!’. While the carers were enjoying their well deserved evening, their children were being accommodated by our caring team at St Marys Respite House

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Transition to Retirement Moving out of the workforce - where you have friends, a routine and activity can be a bit daunting for some. Our Transition to Retirement (TTR) program has helped 73 participants find purpose and social connections to prepare for life after work.

What we have achieved:

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Since TTR commenced, 73 people have joined the program

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We recently had 8 people leave the program due to successful transition into retirement

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TTR participant, Dennis Ryan, was nominated by Garden Care as their Individual Volunteer Award Recipient

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TTR participant, Kenny Richards, has become successfully involved in community activities such as keeping the local museum clean and tidy, joining a fishing group, and painting wooden toys and then gifting them to children at the Nepean Hospital (children’s ward)

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TTR participant, Lynette Campbell-Cowie was in the Fairfield Advance for her efforts volunteering in the local community

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Our Transition to Retirement Program offers a wholeof-life approach for disability services.

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Our person-centred approach means that you can trust us to connect you with a community group or activity that will help you make new friends and learn new skills after leaving the workforce

From the moment you join our flock, we will spread our wings to carry you right through to retirement with our supportive Transition to Retirement program.

Laurie’s Journey Charming and ready to help, Laurie has found activities that he loves and that offer him purpose and friendship outside of the workforce.

Laurie feels right at home among the garden beds as he carefully plants seedlings into their pots at the Hawkesbury Community Nursery in Windsor.

Laurie has worked at the Afford Minchinbury Australian Disability Enterprise for some years where he completes packing tasks. He is always one of the first to lend a hand if someone needs help on the factory floor. But as he begins transitioning into retirement, he is looking forward to keeping active and contributing to the community.

Working with his Transition to Retirement (TTR) consultant, Laurie has trialled a variety of community volunteers groups before realising that his interests lie out in the garden. Living at the Afford Group Homes in Penrith, Laurie, with his friend Graeme, catch a train and bus to get to the nursery each Wednesday.

He chats casually with the other ten or so volunteers at the nursery who have welcomed him into the group and enjoys nurturing different plant varieties.

“I DO LOTS OF PLANTS HERE. I PUT TREES IN POTS. I USED TO HELP MY FATHER IN THE GARDEN AS WELL BECAUSE I’M GOOD AT IT. IT KEEPS ME ON MY TOES AND OUT OF MISCHIEF.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE HOW FARMS DO THEIR GARDENING.” Singing has also become one of Laurie’s passions after he was introduced to the Senior Citizens choir group through the TTR program. He has taken part in a range of performances with the choir - singing for the local preschool, At the Afford Christmas Lunch and performing at the Senior Citizen Centre as part of the choir, as well as in a Christmas play. With the choir, Laurie also attends day trips to clubs for lunch where his favourite meals are fish and chips or a healthy salad.

“THEY SAID THEY WERE LOOKING FOR ANOTHER SIGNER AND I SAID ‘I’LL GIVE IT A GO’. I LIKE SINGING LOUD - MY VOICE GOES HIGHER. I’VE MADE LOTS OF NEW FRIENDS. MY FRIENDS FROM THE CHOIR GAVE ME NEW SHEETS FOR MY NEW BED WHEN I MOVED INTO MY GROUP HOME. THEY ALSO GAVE ME ORNAMENTS.” Laurie has developed greater confidence and independence by extending his social networks through the TTR program. Moving into retirement, he now has meaningful activities outside of his workplace that suit his interests and that he enjoys.

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Afford Getaways Every Afford Getaway is researched, planned and packaged to make holiday dreams come true. It’s all about taking time out for a relaxing holiday - and you can trust Afford to deliver memorable supported holidays with a difference.

What we have achieved:

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Launched in 2015, interest in Afford Getaways is constantly growing

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As part of Afford Getaways, over 100 clients have visited exciting places such as Australia’s Gold Coast theme parks, Darwin and California to visit Disneyland, Universal Studios and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. We also offers trips with a more relaxed itinerary such as holidays visiting museums, camping and fishing, as well as trips on Cruises.

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We have listened to the wants and desires of clients to create memorable getaways - whether a request comes from an individual or group, we’re committed to listening to each one to make dream getaways a reality

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We have already organised many Australian and international Afford Getaways

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We focus on fun, relaxation and socialisation on Afford Getaways

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You choose your support staff - holidays are attended by qualified and experienced staff to cater for participants of all care needs and those with multiple disabilities

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We have welcomed many parents and siblings on Afford Getaways to enjoy the holiday experience, while their loved one continues to be supported by trained Afford staff

Club Afford Club Afford is a new membership based program that promotes healthy lifestyle, fun and fitness throughout many Afford sites across Greater Western Sydney.

What we have achieved: •

Opened 4 new ‘Club Afford’ hubs providing exciting lifestyle programs including fitness and weekend day trips

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Our focus for Club Afford is to provide meaningful, social and leisure activities which are of interest to its members

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Through Club Afford, we have offered activities such as Zumba dance classes, discos, movie and games nights, but also day trips to places like Taronga Zoo, NSW’s stunning Central or South Coasts, or to special events such as sporting matches or concerts

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Club Afford offers week day activities outside of the traditional service delivery hours and also weekend activities

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Three of our service hubs - Canley Vale and Belmore Lifestyle Centres and Cherrywood Village - all hosted out of hours Zumba classes to support Afford’s healthy lifestyle initiatives

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20 clients from our group homes, Cherrywood Village and Canley Vale and Blacktown Lifestyle Centres took part in a day trip to the Powerhouse Museum at Darling Harbour

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Our Campbelltown service hub has facilitated trips to the movies, museums, restaurants for lunch

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We have supported many clients to achieve their personal weight loss goals

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LEARNING Your Employment Support Services - YESS/Transition to Work We make sure we have the connections to inform you about your choices when moving from school into work. 90% of our participants have moved into employment and many have begun their journey into open employment.

What we have achieved: •

We arranged for 20 participants to attend an exciting camp in Berri for skills development, fun and socialisation. This camp was fully funded by Afford staff fundraising efforts

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28 participants graduated, 13 completed certificated courses

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90% went into employment and of these, 40% went to open employment or Disability Employment Services.

10% went into community participation or further education

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Two participants received white cards, one successfully achieved Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) accreditation and Responsible Conduct of Gambling (RCG) training

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Three participants successfully received their driver’s license and two became learner drivers

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Topics covered through the YESS - Transition to Work program include budgeting, travel training, money management, life skills and many more

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We offer transition to work support in 10 locations across Sydney including Bankstown, Fairfield, Blacktown, Liverpool, Minchinbury, Ingleburn, Prestons, Marrickville, Penrith and Riverstone

Our Transition to Work (TTW) program has helped close 56 school leavers find their place in the workforce or explore further training and education.

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Mikala’s Journey Bright, enthusiastic and articulate, Mikala has her sights set on the sky for work and life happiness.

You would never know that Mikala is just 20 years old.

She is one of Afford’s YESS program success stories with a drive to succeed and a positive attitude that will ensure she achieves her goals.

Mikala joined the YESS’ Transition to Work (TTW) program after completing work experience at Afford’s Blacktown site while still at school. She took part in various modules and training through the TTW program at Riverstone, such as travel training, preparing for work and WHS procedures.

With a supportive team to guide her through the training, Mikala says that her time in the TTW program truly helped her prepare for life in the workforce.

“I LEARNT A LOT THROUGHOUT THE TTW PROGRAM, AND WHENEVER I NEED HELP, SOMEONE WAS ALWAYS THERE TO HELP ME.” Mikala was headhunted to work in an administrative role at Afford HQ in Minchinbury which she thought was a great opportunity and a position she wasn’t expecting so soon after she had started.

Showing enthusiasm and a willingness to learn, Mikala stands out from the crowd. In her administration and reception role at Minchinbury, Mikala completes various tasks with efficiency and effectiveness. She inputs data into spreadsheets, puts letters into envelopes and adapts to the variety of tasks required.

Mikala’s highlight achievement was being recognised for her hard work with an Afford Customer Service Award from Afford’s CEO, Steven Herald.

“I WAS SO SURPRISED TO RECEIVE A CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD. EVERYONE KNOWS THAT I WORK HARD AND DO MY BEST TO DO MY TASKS.” Now that she has finished her TTW training, Mikala is hoping to secure full time employment with Afford.

“I REALLY LIKE WORKING AT AFFORD. THERE ARE ALWAYS PEOPLE COMING AND GOING. IT’S NICE TO BE PART OF A TEAM.”

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Work Afford Employment OPEN EMPLOYMENT

We help more than 650 people with disability in their search for positions in open employment.

What we have achieved: •

Our Disability Employment Services (DES) business has a caseload of over 650 clients finding them work in Open Employment

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Our DES business has increased by 15%

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Our consultants work with you to investigate work experience opportunities, job training and skills development programs

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Afford Bankstown and Fairfield Disability Employment Services achieved a 5 star rating for producing exceptional employment outcomes

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We have provided support such as help with resume writing, confidence and skills building, support to attend an interview

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We have experienced employment consultants available in four locations across Western Sydney, including Blacktown, Liverpool, Bankstown and Fairfield

Supported Employment As the largest employer of people with disability, we offer more than just supported employment. Our Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs) are places of purpose, social networks and where you can be sure to achieve your work goals and happiness.

What we have achieved:

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We opened a new ADE in Campbelltown

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The first 10 supported employees from our Minchinbury ADE have successfully completed the Certificate 1 in General Education for Adults through our partnership with Nepean Community College

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Employees of the Marrickville ADE completed a creative arts class with Nepean Community College

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Campbelltown ADE established “The Crew” which is Afford’s first mowing crew. The Crew completes mowing and maintenance contracts for the Department of Housing. The Crew will be moving into residential and Council contracts

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ADEs were profitable at the bottom line for the first time

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We have offered supported employees opportunities to learn, grow and enjoy work. We offer a range of jobs including packaging, relabelling, pallet manufacture and many more

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We provide full training before you start work and we have also established a NSW first Employment Work Skills Program in partnership with South Western Sydney Institute (SWSi) TAFE NSW to further enhance employee abilities

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Our ADEs are located at Minchinbury, Minto, Ingleburn, Marrickville, Campbelltown and Prestons

Nicole’s Journey Acclaimed as one of the best workers at Afford’s Ingleburn factory, Nicole is a positive supported employee that has the skills and experience to get the job done.

Nicole is bubbly, friendly and has an amazing smile that lights up a room. With more than 20 years experience working in an Afford ADE, it’s not surprising that Nicole can to tell you the intricacies of all that is happening at the factory, everyone’s tasks and each person’s unique abilities.

During her school years at Lawrence Hargrave School, Nicole was able to complete work experience at Afford’s ADE in Minto. So once it was time to move from school into the workforce, transitioning into the factory environment was a much smoother process for Nicole.

Nicole was one of the first supported employees to start at the Ingleburn factory when it opened in 2005.

It was closer to home for Nicole which made catching public transport easier.

Nicole has completed many job tasks and has had a range of responsibilities including using the heat tunnel for product packaging, gluing, changing rolls and stepping in to operate machines when required.

“THEY CALL ME ‘LABEL EXPERIENCE’, BECAUSE I’M ONE OF THE FASTEST TO PUT ON LABELS. SO WHEN THERE IS AN URGENT JOB, THEY CALL ME AND I DO THE LABELS.” She admits that everyone works together as a team and that it is a very supportive environment.

“IT’S ALL HANDS ON DECK WHEN WE’VE GOT URGENT JOBS TO DO. WE ALL WORK AS A TEAM TO GET THE JOB DONE AS SOON AS WE CAN.” “THERE ARE VERY GOOD SUPERVISORS HERE. THEY ARE HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING IF YOU NEED TO AND THEY CAN HELP OUT IF YOU NEED HELP TOO.” She has a long time friend that works with her at the Ingleburn factory. She often meets her friend onsite after catching the bus on her own to get into work.

One of the highlights of working at Afford for Nicole, is taking part in social events and activities.

“AFFORD HAS NEVER HAD A GALA BALL BEFORE SO I LIKED GOING TO THAT. WE ALSO HAVE THE FUNATHON AND WE CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS WITH A PARTY HERE AT INGLEBURN.” Outside of work hours, Nicole helps looks after her dad and is looking forward to driving herself to and from work once she moves on from her L’s licence onto her P’s.

“I HELP MY DAD GET TO DOCTOR’S APPOINTMENTS AND GO SHOPPING. I’M A PRIMARY CARER FOR MY DAD AND HE IS MY PRIMARY CARER. WE LOOK AFTER EACH OTHER.”

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E

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C H OIC

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Our People

R

LOYE MP

At Afford, our first and top priority is every individual client. Throughout everything that we do, we focus on bringing happiness to our clients by supporting them to achieve their goals. We provide a range of incentives and opportunities for our staff to deliver genuine, person-centred service for our clients.

Staff Achievements: • •

80% of frontline staff have Certificate IV in Disability

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Almost 1,000 Excellent Customer Service nominations

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54 staff have been rewarded with $8,300 worth of cash prizes and 6 staff have been rewarded with $14,000 worth of grand prizes for excellence in customer service

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Paying our frontline staff well and rewarding actual performance

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Recognising Excellent Customer Service

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Comprehensive Training for Staff

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Offering more than just a pay packet

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Egalitarianism

Staff have undertaken 24,108 hours of registered face to face training plus 15,035 hours of online e-learning on ELMO

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Performance Management

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Team Culture

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Many staff are currently studying Cert III and IV in Fitness to deliver fitness programs to clients & staff

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Equal Opportunity, Diversity and Fairness

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69 staff have acted in higher roles to develop their skills for promotion opportunities

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Staff Empowerment

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Flexibility and Support

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Awarded ‘Employer of Choice Award 2016’ in Macarthur by NSW Business Chamber

We drive staff success and customer service excellence through:

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14 staff have been promoted

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Employee Health and Wellness

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34 staff Buzz Nights have been arranged to enhance teamwork and camaraderie

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Low Staff Turnover

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Return to Work

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Leadership Conferences held in Bankstown and Hunter Valley

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Frontline Staff Conference at Mount Pritchard

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Afford Bankstown and Fairfield Disability Employment Services achieved a 5 star rating for producing exceptional employment outcomes

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We pay our frontline staff higher than most disability service providers

We Pay our frontline staff well and reward actual performance To begin with, we as a Company need to attract the best employees in the first place. As the rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) progresses, the sector needs to attract 200,000 new employees nationally. At Afford, we recognise that we need to attract staff in a very competitive space, and attract the best ones!

This approach has served us well in attracting great staff, and we also firmly believe that it brings a dedication to the job that delivers caring, customer service to our customers. Our frontline staff deliver services that transform peoples’ lives, and we want our staff to feel motivated to go that extra mile.

To further perfect our approach, we relentlessly search for ways to reward staff who deliver great customer service.

We do not believe in the old fashioned Christmas bonus for everyone who simply turns up. We believe in recognising those who deliver amazing customer service, and rewarding it.

In a retail business it is easy to structure a rewards system as there is an easily identifiable benchmark – sales. In our business, it is much more challenging to design a way to

do this. As a Not-for-Profit, while we must keep an eye on our sales and finances, our mission is to provide as many great services as possible to people with disabilities.

While we are still working hard to perfect our rewards system, we have found numerous ways to reward our staff for achieving great outcomes for our customers. Whether it be for significantly increasing community access opportunities for our customers to be much happier and build social networks, or for improving the homeliness of our Group Homes, we strive to reward our staff who strive for that extra mile to delight our customers.

By doing this we sow the seeds of a customer service ethos and momentum that actually delivers a person centred approach rather than just planning one.

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Recognising Excellent Customer Service More than 200 of our staff have been nominated for Excellence in Customer Service. Our staff are delivering service excellence, and we reward their success Just like our clients, we challenge all of our staff to do their best and reach for the sky. Our Excellence in Service Awards recognise staff that push the boundaries to deliver exceptional service and support at the front line in our Lifestyle Centres, Australian Disability Enterprises, through Afford Employment and in head office. Every staff member has the opportunity to be rewarded for their efforts.

This year alone, we have received almost 1,000 nominations for staff who have provided exceptional customer service, some staff receiving many nominations.

These monthly awards saw 60 staff rewarded with more than $22,300 worth of prizes - 54 staff were rewarded with $8,300 in cash prizes, and six staff won $14,000 in Grand

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Prizes which include trips to Hawaii and the Gold Coast.

Further, across all Afford businesses, our staff are assessed on customer service to clients through our Operational Performance Reviews. We are overwhelmed to report that our staff achieved an average score of 83% in the most recent quarter which encompasses qualities such as Person-Centredness, Attitude, Customer Service, Efficiency and Standards.

Our Disability Employment Services in Bankstown and Fairfield also achieved a 5-star rating this year for producing exceptional employment outcomes.

We keep, and attract, the best employees and that’s why we place importance on rewarding performance success.

Comprehensive Training for Staff We invest in face-to-face and e-learning training opportunities for our staff to keep them up-to-date We are proud to have skilled staff that are well informed, qualified and trained to provide the right advice and expertise to clients when and how they need it. We take our responsibility to develop and maintain staff skills very seriously and provide comprehensive training opportunities.

We are proud that 80% of our staff have Certificate IV in Disability and this year alone, 18 staff members have completed 12-14 units of study and have been successful in attaining their Certificate IV in Disability. We are also supporting three staff to study Certificate III and IV in Fitness to deliver fitness programs to staff.

Our staff have undertaken 24,108 hours of registered face-to-face training including a Client Free Training Week where staff undergo training in First Aid, Medication, Manual Handling, PEG Feeding, Asthma and Anaphylaxis, Diabetes management, P.A.R.T (Predict, Assess, Respond To challenging/aggressive behaviour).

By completing training, our staff are learning skills that they will have forever and we hope that our investment creates happy and loyal employees for Afford and its clients. We believe in investing in training and development opportunities for our staff for their personal and professional work satisfaction.

Our staff have also completed 15,035 hours of online eLearning on ELMO which gives employees easy access to baseline training modules 24 hours, 7 days a week.

With the roll out of the NDIS, this eLearning initiative will play a pivotal role in keeping staff up-to-date and allow them to refresh their skills. We want our staff to always feel like they are armed with relevant information to provide sound advice to clients and carers.

The skills that our staff develop through training ensures that services for our clients are delivered professionally, offering peace of mind for our clients and their families and carers. Whether it is a long serving staff member or a new employee to the industry, we are committed to fostering an informed team of staff. This is the key to our success as an organisation and one of the reasons we are an awarded Employer of Choice.

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More than just a pay packet We recognise that to be an Employer of Choice we need to be more than competitive when it comes to staff benefits. So while pay and training will always be the biggest focuses, we deliver on many others Salary packaging is available to all of our employees. The opportunities to salary package in our sector are greater than in most others as the Federal Government allows employees of Not-for-Profit companies to pay the highest $16,000 of their pay (approximately) without deducting any tax or paying Fringe Benefits Tax. We use the services of EPay to ensure that this is available to all staff, not just a select few.

We encourage all staff to take advantage of this benefit as it gives them at least an extra $5,000 per year* in the hand, which can make a big difference for the personal circumstances of our staff and can, in turn, make staff much happier about life and work; increasing their desire

to deliver smiling customer service (*staff earning over $50,000 per year with Afford).

At Afford, we also make sure we place importance on down-time - so we take our parties seriously! During work hours we expect the utmost professionalism so every now and then we like staff to have the chance to let their hair down together and have some laughs with good company.

We know our staff work hard and we like to give back to them with some truly memorable parties. It is a testament to the organisation when some of the most memorable and enjoyable experiences for employees have been with work! Our Christmas Parties are part of us recognising the contribution by our staff and saying Thank You.

Egalitarian We apply a ‘one for all and all for one’ approach wherever possible We don’t believe in special privileges for a select few.

Our CEO does not have a PA, his own parking space, or benefits that aren’t on offer to other staff members. In fact, no staff member at Afford has an assistant and all Afford staff undertake their own administration.

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This is central to what we do and what we believe. With everyone on a level playing field, we foster staff camaraderie like no other organisation. We believe that this transparency makes our staff feel happier, more valued and more dedicated to Afford. In turn this brings out exceptional customer service and loyalty to our clients.

Performance Management As Employer of Choice we offer many benefits. We also expect our staff to deliver a higher level of performance and commitment than some other organisations We do this to help our staff to be their best, but most importantly to maintain our service levels to our clients.

We aim to delight our customers every day and we do sweat the small things.

If a client likes to go to the Club every Wednesday night - we make sure it happens. If a client has a new interest in sport and we need to develop a new program - we make sure it happens. If a supported employee wants to learn a new computer skill - we make sure it happens. We often get thrown hurdles in life such as cars breaking down, or people being sick, but our staff are committed and resourceful to push the extra mile for clients - to make sure it happens.

With this high level of employee expectation, we also provide a high level of staff benefits. We have delivered more than $400,000 worth of performance incentives to staff to ensure they are recognised for their excellent effort.

We undertake regular performance reviews where staff can showcase their successes and performance highlights. We

also have regular team meetings to ensure our clients are receiving the dedicated and personalised service that they deserve. We will be expanding even more on this in the coming year with eLearning and more frequent staff one to one meetings. The reason for this is to create accountability for our staff to their customers and their teams.

We have delivered than $10,000s worth of performance incentives to staff for going the extra mile to deliver amazing service to clients

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Team Culture We continually strive to create a genuine team culture and camaraderie at Afford. We want to build work relationships that are founded on mateship to drive great customer service. By providing opportunities for staff to get to know each other on a personal level, we can achieve success together When you join our team, you will instantly get a sense that we’re about more than just a pay packet. We’re an Employer of Choice because we strive to foster a positive, enjoyable and inclusive team culture.

As a Not-for-Profit, we reinvest every surplus in providing support and services to people with disabilities, so working as a team and fostering camaraderie among work colleagues is critical to maximising outcomes for our clients.

We strive for a work environment that achieves excellence for our clients, but one that can still have humour, fun and interesting challenges. We have initiated regular Buzz Nights (34 held this year alone) that are designed to give teams the chance to discuss where the business is heading and individual performance, but also enjoy an afternoon or evening out to build camaraderie and a strong team culture between staff members - while having some fun in the process. Buzz Nights take place once a month and teams are given a budget to have a team building night out on us.

We believe in providing social opportunities for our staff to enjoy, including staff lunches, nights out, Christmas lunches, various networking opportunities for staff at organisational and service levels and more. We share personal joys of our staff such as milestone birthdays,

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or the arrival of a new baby. We are a community and together we stand as one team.

We have held Leadership Conferences at Bankstown and the Hunter Valley this year with many opportunities for employees to socialise and enjoy time together and learn more about each other.

Our focus on creating a team with a strong common drive has been a focus of Afford for the past 12 months, and over this year we are pleased to report that our teams have gone from strength to strength to deliver and initiate excellent services for clients. We attribute this success to our focus on our people and creating an enjoyable workplace for all. We’re an Employer of Choice because we listen and truly care.

By encouraging a strong sense of team and mateship, we can be sure that no matter what hurdles arise, our teams will work together to ensure the things that matter most to our clients, happen. Many of our staff put in that little bit extra to bring a smile to the faces of our clients. Small, charitable gestures like these are not expected, but never taken for granted. Because we know that this is what places Afford ahead of the rest as a first class disability service provider.

Equal Opportunity, Diversity and Fairness We provide opportunities for all - no matter where you come from - we will support you achieve your highest potential We have an inclusive and fair worth ethos. We offer both men and women the opportunity to make a difference to the lives of people with disability by joining our team at Afford.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and offer a variety of progression opportunities for all staff members. We encourage our team to seek out managerial positions and further responsibilities through our Step-Up Program for Team Leaders and District Managers Roles within Client Services.

advantage to understanding and meeting the individual needs of our clients. We have employees that can speak a variety of languages including Chinese (Mandarin & Cantonese), Vietnamese, Arabic, Italian, Spanish, various African dialects and many more.

Whether it is providing translation services for families and carers at the frontline, or presenting different perspectives to solve challenges, we value the heritage of every individual and welcome diversity into our work environment.

We are proud of the rich and varied cultures from which our employees derive and see this diversity as an

83 staff were given opportunity to “Step-up� into higher roles.

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Staff Empowerment Our frontline staff know our clients better than anyone. With the roll out of the NDIS, we strive to empower our staff to support clients through the NDIS planning process to ensure they have the best outcome for their funding package We have regular Team Meetings that give staff the opportunity to discuss services and present options for the best ways to support our clients. We are an NDIS Partner for our clients and will work together to achieve the best results.

Using a fair and objective panel process, we also look to promote from within our organisation for leadership or managerial positions through our Step-Up Program and other opportunities. Promotions are always based on merit, not years of service, and we provide support through the transition into new leadership roles.

This year, we have seen a number of staff transition into new roles and bring new life to Afford service offerings.

Over this year we have seen 14 staff promotions and 69

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staff acting in a higher role during periods of leave. We aim to cultivate our Staff Champions of Tomorrow and we are proud that we have such a wealth of talent within our ranks.

This year more than ever, team leaders are in charge of their own marketing material and client communication.

They have ownership of how their service can and will move forward to benefit work colleagues, clients and supported employees.

We feel that this greater autonomy empowers our team to create change and encourages a ‘big picture’ approach for services. With everyone working towards the same goal and taking ownership for their role in that process we can all contribute to and be proud of our success.

Flexibility and Support We aim to provide as much flexibility as we can for employees to accommodate personal commitments. Our staff can trust that we care By the nature of our business we have many female employees and we do not want to lose them if they decide to start or grow their family.

We provide work flexibility because we understand that sometimes family and personal commitments have to fit in around work.

Sometimes staff request changes to work contractual conditions for various reasons such as family/child care commitments, or because they would like to revisit study,

so we work with them to develop an agreement that works for everyone.

We try to make it smooth and easy for women returning to the workforce after having a baby and supporting staff when they need a helping hand.

We have a Shifts & Rosters process which enables employees to have plenty of notice about work requirements giving them the chance to plan their personal commitments around work.

Employee Health & Wellness We encourage both our clients and staff to make healthy choices. We are developing staff fitness programs, encourage staff to quit smoking and offer counselling We recognise that working within the disability sector can be mentally and physically challenging at times for our staff. All of our staff can access free counselling services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for work or personal reasons.

We are supporting staff to study Certificate III and IV in Fitness to deliver fitness programs to clients and staff that will drive healthy lifestyles in the future.

We offer nicotine replacement therapies for clients and staff.

183 of our staff have also taken up our offer to have flu vaccinations to combat illness during the cooler months.

If one bird in the flock falls behind, you can be sure that there will be others there to fly back and support that one bird so that it can rejoin the rest of the flock with renewed energy and enthusiasm to finish the journey.

We firmly believe that a healthier mind and body will deliver better customer service to our clients.

We are supporting many employees studying Cert III and IV in Fitness to deliver fitness programs to clients and staff

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Low Staff Turnover We offer generous rewards, a positive team culture, and various employee development benefits that make us the Employer of Choice. That’s why we retain good staff and have reduced staff departures Over the previous five years, Afford had a staff turnover rate of 33%. Over the past 12 months, we have reduced our staff turnover to 22% - which is the national average for the disability sector - and we are tracking on reducing this further in the coming year to around 12%.

Afford is a great place to work and we believe this reduction in staff turnover is reflective of employee happiness and work satisfaction.

Return To Work As an organisation in the Disability Sector, we must do everything we can to minimise Workers’ Compensation claims. It is important that our limited funds not be used for claims, but rather invested into delivering outcomes for our clients Our training puts significant focus on the key risk areas in our sector – Manual Handling and Motor Vehicle Safety. Our claims history is very low. We also work with professional advisors who thoroughly review every Workers’ Compensation claim to assess its validity. Further to this, we provide support for injured workers get back to work as soon as possible.

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CHAPTER 3: EMPOWERING OUR STAFF

Staff testimonials I have been working for Afford as a Lifestyle Support Worker for just over four months. I work with clients from a variety of cultural backgrounds who have moderate and high behaviour needs.

I also provide one-on-one support for a client with high autism. I pick them up from home and take them out on day programs, such as bushwalk ,to play in park, or to help him go shopping for himself.

I also take my clients to Afford sensory rooms and on weekends I go to Club Afford where I also work with clients from other group homes.

I feel like Afford has a good understanding of their staff and clients.

I have already been given the chance to develop my skills - I've obtained my Mental Health First Aider Certificate through Afford.

In my very first month with Afford, I was awarded 2nd place in the Excellent Customer Service Awards! I was so happy to see that my hard work was recognised by the company with so many other staff there to see my achievements.

Rahul Chand, Afford Campbelltown Lifestyle Centre

I started working for Afford as a Lifestyle Assistant in 2016. I was successful in becoming a one-on-one support staff for a client at their house, as she suffers with anxiety and depression.

My greatest highlight has been being there for her and slowly building up her confidence. This has had a positive outcome for this client in particular, because she now has the confidence to go out into the community. When I go to her house every Wednesday, she is happy to see me and is comfortable to talk and go out into the community.

I love working for Afford as I love to help others and especially achieve client goals. I also love to be part of the extra activities that they provide, such as Club Afford.

Sarah Chick, Kings Park Lifestyle Centre

AFFORD ANNUAL REPORT 2015/16 | www.afford.com.au

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Financial Graphs For the year ending 30 June 2016 INCOME 2015

INCOME 2016 ■ Government Funding

■ Government Funding

■ Sale of Goods

■ Sale of Goods

■ Rental Income

■ Rental Income

■ Fundraising

■ Fundraising

■ Others

■ Others

EXPENSE 2015

EXPENSE 2016 ■ Cost of Sales

■ Cost of Sales

■ Client Support

■ Client Support

■ Fundraising & Marketing

■ Fundraising & Marketing

■ Other Operating Costs

■ Other Operating Costs

■ Administrative

■ Administrative

■ Finance Costs

■ Finance Costs

■ Depreciation

■ Depreciation

REVENUE $’000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0

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2012

CHAPTER 4: CONTACT DETAILS

2013

2014

2015

2016

Financial Graphs For the year ending 30 June 2016 NET ASSETS $’000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

OPERATING SURPLUS (RECURRING PERFORMANCE) $’000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 -2,000

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

* The above operating surplus has been adjusted to remove abnormal ‘below the line’ adjustments and capital funding to reflect ‘recurring performance’

SURPLUS ATTRIBUTABLE TO MEMBERS $’000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 -2,000

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

AFFORD ANNUAL REPORT 2015/16 | www.afford.com.au

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STATEMENT OF PROFIT OR LOSS & OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME For the year ending 30 June 2016 2016 $

2015 $

46,642,691

47,658,829

Cost of sales

12,348,901

14,989,851

Gross profit

34,293,790

32,668,978

48,562

62,302

34,342,352

31,731,280

14,752,819

15,698,948

Fundraising expense

341,456

349,704

Communications & IT expense

615,804

714,035

1,827,414

1,993,313

624,350

660,286

Administrative expense

3,342,901

4,927,531

Other operating expense

3,636,704

4,184,508

963,716

1,315,795

Depreciation

1,692,587

1,746,258

(Gain) on disposal of assets

(473,095)

(12,796)

27,324,656

31,577,582

7,017,696

1,153,698

-

(947,750)

(446)

166

7,017,250

206,114

-

-

7,017,250

206,114

Revenue

Other revenue Total EXPENSES Client/Program support expense

Occupancy expense Marketing expense

Finance expense

Total expenses Operating surplus for the year Loss from change in fair value of investment property Gain (Loss) from foreign currency forward hedge Surplus for the year attributable to the members of Australian Foundation for Disability Other comprehensive income for the year Total comprehensive income for the year attributable to the members of Australian Foundation for Disability

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CHAPTER 4: CONTACT DETAILS

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION As at 30 June 2016

2016 $

2015 $

Cash and cash equivalents

6,631,530

6,703,314

Trade and other receivables

3,281,488

3,954,158

744,364

857,094

Property held for sale

-

5,012,250

Total Current Assets

10,657,382

16,526,816

Property, plant & equipment

28,518,408

27,851,379

Investment property

24,524,000

24,524,000

130,000

130,000

Total Non Current Assets

53,172,408

52,505,379

TOTAL ASSETS

63,829,790

69,032,195

5,761,772

7,386,582

31,250

600,705

2,186,569

2,388,621

7,979,591

10,375,908

17,549,743

27,331,441

262,229

303,860

Total Non Current Liabilities

17,811,963

27,635,301

TOTAL LIABILITIES

25,791,554

38,011,209

NET ASSETS

38,038,236

31,020,986

8,788,935

8,888,585

29,249,301

22,132,401

38,038,236

31,020,986

ASSETS CURRENT ASSETS

Inventories

NON CURRENT ASSETS

Intangible assets

LIABILITIES CURRENT LIABILITIES Trade and other payables Borrowings Employee benefits Total Current Liabilities NON CURRENT LIABILITIES Borrowings Employee benefits

EQUITY Reserves Retained surpluses TOTAL EQUITY

AFFORD ANNUAL REPORT 2015/16 | www.afford.com.au

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Contact Details AUSTRALIAN FOUNDATION FOR DISABILITY 12 Marieanne Pl, Minchinbury NSW 2770 1300 233 673 ABN: 99 000 112 729 AUSTRALIAN DISABILITY ENTERPRISES Campbelltown, Ingleburn, Marrickville, Minchinbury, Minto, Prestons COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION PROGRAMS Ashfield, Belmore, Blacktown, Campbelltown, Canley Vale, Chipping Norton, Condell Park, Eschol Park, Green Valley, Guildford, Jamisontown, Kings Park, Llandilo, Lurnea, Mt Druitt, Narellan, Oran Park, Penrith, Rouse Hill, Windsor

TRANSITION TO WORK PROGRAMS Blacktown, Campbelltown, Fairfield, Liverpool, Marrickville, Penrith, Riverstone DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT SERVICE Bankstown, Blacktown, Fairfield, Liverpool RESPITE Llandilo, St. Marys ACCOMMODATION Cranebrook, Llandilo, Mt Pleasant, Penrith For more information on all services offered by the Australian Foundation for Disability (Afford) call 1300 233 673 or visit www.afford.com.au.

For more information on all services offered by the Australian Foundation for Disability (Afford) call 1300 233 673 or visit www.afford.com.au

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CHAPTER 5: CONTACT DETAILS

AFFORD ANNUAL REPORT 2015/16 | www.afford.com.au

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1300 233 673 12 Marieanne Pl, Minchinbury, NSW 2770 Australia

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