Staff Matters 141

Staff matters February 23, 2018 - Issue 141 Week 31

Burst of Brilliance At Afford

In This Issue 1 Burst of Brilliance At Afford

2 Staff Profile Racing Into Team Building Make a Buzz!

At Afford, we value the contribution of every member of our community and we recognise that our diverse and varied backgrounds means that we may have many different approaches to the same challenges.

Afford want to embrace the strengths of our diverse community, so this week we have launched two new exciting internal initiatives to continue building our strong communication.

‘Ask Afford - askafford@afford.com.au’ is a new initiative that gives staff the opportunity to access the knowledge holders of our organisation to ask any questions you may have.

If you have a question about the specifics of a procedure, opportunities for personal or professional development, or questions of an operational nature, simply email your question to askafford@afford.com.au and you will get a timely and accurate response.

‘Burst of Brilliance - bob@afford.com.au’ is our second new initiative that gives you the opportunity to share your fresh ideas and suggestions.

Club Afford, the School Vacation Program and many others were the brainchild of enthusiastic and dedicated members of the Afford community who shared their vision for bringing brilliance into the lives of our clients.

Afford’s internal communication is an important part of our success. Effective internal communication helps ensure that all members of the organisation working collaboratively towards a common goal. It develops a cohesive culture and empowers us to make the right decisions in line with our mission.

As our origami birds show, we are one flock working together with many great ideas ready to give us flight and to soar high into the sky!

Add askafford@afford.com.au and bob@afford.com.au emails to your contacts list.

We look forward to hearing more of your questions and suggestions.

Let your abilities soar www.afford.com.au

3 Prestons ADE Wrapped With Grant!

Lurnea Client Scavenger Hunt In Olympic Park

4 Hole In One - Afford

Support The NSWDRL Charity Golf Day Selfie Of the Week Have a Laugh

Reminder Don’t forget to send your/clients’ achievements, good news stories and photos to CELEBRATE@afford.com.au

Staff matters

2

February 23, 2018 - Issue 141

Staff Profile

Racing Into Team Building Last week, Afford’s Management Team spent the day burning rubber at the Luddenham Raceway track to promote a sense of teams and tribes, building team camaraderie and bonding.

P EM

OF

LOYER

CHOICE

The friendly rivalry was clear from the start with Allan Sio determined to be pole position all the way. It was a battle of the best with the front runners Allan, Steve Herald, Daniel Rogers and Kiralee Jackson vying for top spot.

Toni Preston

Communication Fundraising & Events Coordinator

Minchinbury

Favourite Song: Any Keith Urban song.

Favourite Movie: Frequency with Dennis Quaid and Mad Money.

Favourite Hobbies: Dragon boat racing, watching live music and keeping fit.

Foods: Mexican and Margarita’s If you could be an animal what would you be: A dolphin What is your dream holiday destination: Alaska/Antartica If you had the power what would you change about the world: Terrorism What is the nicest thing someone has ever done for you:? The love and support I receive from my work friends everyday – Priceless!

The winning positions ended with Allan Sio 1st, Daniel Rogers 2nd and Kiralee Jackson 3rd place.

After the team bonding experience, the team were all revved up to spend the rest of the afternoon, strategising in the weekly Friday Meeting.

The energy was so high that the ideas were flowing and the excitement for the growth and future projects took centre stage.

With 2018 in full swing, it is important to encourage our teams and tribes mentality so that everyone in the Afford community feels that they have support around them.

Just like Afford’s signature oragami birds symbolise Afford being ‘bonded together as one flock’, our Afford culture is one of helping others when needed, supporting all so that we achieve together and as a whole organisation.

At Afford, you don’t work in a silo. You have your team around you to deal with profit and loss and every day procedures and routines; you have the wider community which you can depend for a unified approach; and the overall flock is always by your side to steer you in the right direction and give you that sense of belonging.

If you had to teach something what would you teach: Try to teach compassion towards others.

Something no one knows about me: I attend pole fitness classes three nights a week with my twin daughters.

let your abilities soar

www.afford.com.au

Staff matters

3

February 23, 2018 - Issue 141

Prestons ADE Wrapped With Grant!

Prestons ADE has undergone various upgrades recently, thanks to generous funding of $34,500 approved by Melanie Gibbons MP. The funding provided by the Community Building Funding Grants Program was put towards a Shrink Wrapper and new lockers for the ADE. Ms Gibbons recently visited the Prestons ADE to see first-hand all the wonderful work being accomplished.

During her visit, there was a farewell for a long serving Supervisor Mary Nolte who had worked with Afford for over 20 years. Ms Gibbons was very honoured to be part of the farewell and enjoyed talking to all those in attendance. She also told everyone of the exciting news about the new lockers during the morning tea.

Supported Employees were super excited to see Ms Gibbons and all lined up to say hello and speak with her.

After receiving such a welcoming reception during the morning tea, Ms Gibbons decided to stay much longer than she had anticipated and joined in on a tour of the factory talking to everyone individually and asking about their roles.

Ms Gibbons was also very surprised to see so many married couples working at Afford and to hear that some people have been working with Afford for over 30 years. She was very impressed and delighted to see how happy all the employees are in their roles and expressed this many times during her visit.

Ms Gibbons saw first-hand the joy of Afford’s Supported Employees. For the two hours she was at the ADE, everyone who came up to her was happy, and during her walk around the site, employees were laughing, smiling and dancing while they were working.

Lurnea Client Scavenger Hunt In Olympic Park Afford Team Leaders are always challenging themselves to find new and engaging ways to encourage clients to gain confidence in their own skills and abilities.

A wonderful example of this in action is a recent trip by clients at Lurnea Lifestyle Centre to Sydney Olympic Park in Homebush.

Clients decided that they were going to use public transport to travel into Sydney Olympic Park and using navigational skills that they have learnt, they were able to locate a variety of markers and clues to find their way along the map.

They also employed their social skills to work together, communicate with one another - and members of the community - as well as follow instructions.

All clients used their various skills and strengths in order to achieve their group goal. Well done, Team Lurnea!

let your abilities soar

www.afford.com.au

Staff matters

4

February 23, 2018 - Issue 141

Hole In One - Afford Support The NSWDRL Charity Golf Day

Afford staff members, Kathy Bulllock, Kevin Taumata and Michelle Flynn recently took to the green at the NSW Physical Disability Rugby League Association Golf Day at Twin Creeks Country Club, to raise funds for our Australian & Commonwealth All Stars team.

The NSW Physical Disability Rugby League Association organised a fantastic day of golf at the Twin Creeks Country Club, with all the funds raised going straight towards supporting our Australian & Commonwealth All Stars teams attend the Commonwealth Championships at Moreton Bay Queensland in February.

Two Afford clients, Marco Quinto and Marco Spennati from Oran Park Lifestyle Centre are members of the NSW Disability Rugby League (NSWDRL) team and joined others at the Golf Day. As part of the NSWDRL team, Marco and Marco will play a modified version of rugby league for people with physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy, amputees, acquired brain injuries and muscular atrophy.

Best of luck to all the athletes competing!

fl ieweek

Have a laugh

Sethe of

In the Selfie Above: 1:1 supports at the beach, our clients Isiah and Peter. had an awesome day at the beach with Staff Dimi and Rachael.

let your abilities soar www.afford.com.au

Please send in your selfies or laughs