Staff Matters 187

Staff Matters January 11, 2019 Issue 187 Week 28

2019 A NEW YEAR BEGINS

AFFORD STAFF TAKE THE LEAD

At Afford, we don’t wait for opportunities to come to us, we make things happen. It was this drive and commitment to support people living with disability, that has allowed Margaret to enjoy the Afford Lifestyle and have a place to call home.

Margaret’s mother passed away in 2018, leaving her without her primary carer.

She moved in with her sister, Belinda and her two boys, but this presented some challenges, particularly because Margaret didn’t have an NDIS Plan.

It was only after Belinda shared their story on social media, that an Afford staff member reached out to her to say that Afford could help.

From then, Belinda and Margaret have been supported by Afford to get the assistance Marg needs and to find her a home where she will live independently, be among friends and enjoy living life on her terms.

A few weeks before Christmas last year, Marg - as she is now affectionately known by staff and housemates - was welcomed into her new Neptune Group Home in Bligh Park. Marg now has her own space where she can decorate it as she likes. Belinda and her sons helped Marg move into her new home and decorate her bedroom walls with butterflies in memory of her beautiful and courageous mum. Family photos will also be placed around her room, so Marg is always reminded of her connection with her family. Marg enjoys full choice and control over her space, with her bedroom bright and colourful - a reflection of her outgoing personality.

In This Issue 1

2

Afford Staff Take The Lead Joke of The Week

Smoking Etiquette Reminders Interstate Buzz

3

Employer of Choice Initiatives Reward Talent

4

Cherrywood Hub Transformed Into A Supersite Upcoming Events Selfies of The Week

On the day that Marg moved into her new home, her sister commented: “It was me with the tears when it was time to go. I know she is in good hands and I trust that Mum would be proud of the amazing opportunities ahead for Marg”.

Over the past few years, Afford has grown a strong reputation for being a disability service organisation that cares. It is because we care about every individual’s specific situations and needs that we are continuously welcoming new clients and residents into our services.

Our proactive approach, knowledgeable team and compassionate manner is attracting many new clients and their families to our services and the Afford Lifestyle across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.

Well done teams! Let it continue in 2019!

REMINDER

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

www.afford.com.au

Staff Matters

STAFF PROFILE NAME: Karlie Harris POSITION: NDIS Support Coordinator LOCATION: QLD South FAVOURITE SONG? Anything RNB FAVOURITE MOVIE? I love a chick flick/comedy – Bridesmaids has to be up there FAVOURITE HOBBIES? Family time, the beach and shopping FAVOURITE FOODS? Carbs IF YOU COULD BE AN ANIMAL WHAT WOULD YOU BE? A bird, free to fly WHAT IS YOUR DREAM HOLIDAY DESTINATION? Maldives IF YOU HAD THE POWER WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT THE WORLD? That everyone would be seen for who they were on the inside rather than the outside IF YOU HAD TO TEACH SOMETHING WHAT WOULD YOU TEACH? Practical life skills for teens transitioning into adulthood SOMETHING NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT ME? I have different coloured eyes

January 11, 2019 Issue 187

SMOKING ETIQUETTE REMINDERS

We’re at the start of 2019 so now is a great time to reassess your personal health and life goals and whether giving up smoking is at top of your list.

If it is, then we encourage you to take advantage of Afford’s Employer of Choice initiative of Nicotine Replacement Therapy. At Afford, we are passionate about promoting healthy and balanced lifestyles and can support you on your path to better health.

If you’re finding it hard to kick the habit, then we would like to remind you of some of the guidelines about smoking while at work: • Staff conducting 1:1 support with clients are not permitted to have smoke breaks • Never smoke around clients • Only smoke in designated smoking areas - at Head Office these areas are the bench seats next to the main gate and the seats next to the skip bins • All staff are only to have ‘smoke breaks’ during your allocated morning tea break and/or lunch break (45 mins per day in total for staff who work an 8-hour day) • In client services, if you are not rostered a break (as per clause in the

Award when supporting clients) then you should not be taking any ‘smoke breaks’ at all.

If you smoke, please dispose of your cigarette butts responsibly (i.e. do not leave them on the ground).

INTERSTATE BUZZ

Our North Queensland team recently held their very first Buzz Night!

17 staff attended the local Teppanyaki Restaurant at Scarborough for a great night out.

The evening was a wonderful opportunity for all staff to meet for the first time as a whole group and get to know each other a little better.

The food was delicious with the Teppanyaki style of cooking really putting everyone’s catching skills to the test as the evening progressed. The chef aimed for some empty rice bowls held by those in the group, but it’s fair to say more rice was worn than caught.

Some of the group really showed amazing skills and abilities when faced with the prospect of flying rice bowls!

Just like the North Queensland Buzz Night, Melbourne managers also took some time out just before Christmas for their own Buzz Night. The group enjoyed Asian cuisine while talking about the year that’s gone and all that Afford has achieved by launching in Melbourne.

Exciting times are ahead for the Melbourne team with efforts really ramping up to forge a strong presence for the Afford brand in Victoria.

Buzz Nights are a great way to encourage our teams and tribes camaraderie.

It’s a time where you can let go of any inhibitions and know that you are among friends who will support you whenever you need it. Buzz Nights are an Employer of Choice initiative and we’re pleased to be able to provide these important social opportunities for all our staff.

www.afford.com.au

January 11, 2019 Issue 187

Staff Matters

EMPLOYER OF CHOICE INITIATIVES REWARD TALENT We have a very talented pool of staff within our Afford community and that’s why we go above and beyond to provide a range of Employer of Choice initiatives to reward our amazing staff.

We regularly reward amazing effort through our Customer Service Awards; we pay our frontline staff more than any other provider; we hold Buzz Nights and conferences for team bonding; we have healthy lifestyles subsidies; we have a Step-Up Program for career progression; we offer a range of training modules to up-skill for life; we have established great deals for our staff with corporate partners such as NRMA; and much more.

In 2018, we added the Afford Rewards program to our suite of Employer of Choice initiatives. We also extended this program to our Carers in December 2018.

We established Afford Rewards to say thank you to you - our staff - who are on the frontline and behind the scenes working hard to deliver exceptional service to our clients so that we continue to be a leader in the disability sector. It doesn’t matter whether you are casual, temporary, part-time or full time - we made Afford Rewards accessible to everyone, because you’re all part of the Afford community. “Every individual staff member’s effort is making a huge contribution to the lives of our clients and to the overall success of Afford as an organisation. Working in the disability sector can be demanding, so we’ve established this Rewards Program to give back and say thank you to our Afford community and make a positive impact on the lives of our staff as well as their families.” - Steven Herald, Afford CEO.

We love our job

Paid Training and Wages for all Staff

Fitness Passport

Cert IV Qualified Perm Staff Paid Higher

Study Leave and Support

Quarterly Bonus

Subsidised Work Shirts

E Learning

Christmas Parties

Step Up Program – Career Progression

Staff Conferences

Salary Packaging

Massages

Employee Assistance Program

Nicotene Replacement Therapy

Customer Service Awards

Flu Vaccines

Buzz Nights

Afford Rewards Discounts

NRMA Roadside Assistance Discount

With our whole-of-life approach to disability services, it made sense for us to extend the Afford Rewards program onto our Carers. For Carers, it’s an opt-in initiative and our way of saying ‘thank you’ for all that they do and for choosing Afford as their partner.

Afford Rewards provides our staff and carers with a range of deals and discounts from a variety of retailers including big name brands such as Woolworths, Coles, Myer, JB Hi-Fi, Jeanswest, Dan Murphy’s and many, many more!

Start building your savings for 2019 by logging onto Afford Rewards at: www.affordrewards.com.au or download the SmartSavings app on Google Play or the Apple Store and grab some awesome bargains!

If you have any questions or technical problems, the Afford Rewards Customer Service Helpline is on hand to answer your enquiries on:

Call 1300 233 673 or email hr@afford.com.au

1300 900 186.

www.afford.com.au

Staff Matters

January 11, 2019 Issue 187

CHERRYWOOD HUB TRANSFORMED INTO A SUPERSITE Last year, the last of our residents moved out of what was Cherrywood Village and now enjoy the Affod Lifestyle in their new group homes. This meant that Cherrywood Hub could officially become the thriving service hub that it is today.

Boasting an array of sensory gardens - all themed differently to engage and excite our clients - as well as amazing programs for the many clients who attend as part of our Penrith Day Program every day, Cherrywood Hub is a wonderful example of all the supports that should be available for people living with disability.

Further to this, Cherrywood Hub features the Cherrywood Friendship Farm, where Afford, in partnership with Bushbred Horse Assisted Learning Programs, delivers unique Animal Therapy programs for people of all abilities.

Participants of the Bushbred program have the opportunity to: • Develop life skills through experiential and experimental interactions with horses • Engage and manage their behaviour around horses • Think of different ways to explore solutions for everyday life The program covers topics such as grooming, and feeding horses and learning about the dayto-day care and raising of livestock.

Our Animal Therapy has been such a success that Channel 9’s Weekend Today program and Channel 10’s Studio 10 program came out to film our clients and staff in action to spread the word about the wonderful person-centred programs Afford offers for people living with disability.

SELFIES OF THE WEEK

UPCOMING EVENTS DATE:

EVENT:

19-28 Jan Tamworth Country Music Festival

well selfie

ove: Fare In the Selfie Ab en. uy from Don Ng

Pawsome Se lfie Above: E Roache wit h her furbab mma y!

26 Jan

Australia Day

1 Feb

National Wear Red Day

2 Feb

Sydney Waitangi Festival

16 Feb

Chinese New Year

www.afford.com.au