Staff Matters 199

Staff Matters April 5, 2019 Issue 199 Week 40

CARING ABOUT OUR STAFF

HUSBAND & WIFE DUO ACHIEVE OLYMPIC GOLD! Supporting our clients to achieve their personal goals and strive for all that they want in life is our main priority.

For two of our very talented Afford supported employees, Charmain and husband Tony, not only did their dreams of winning medals at the Special Olympics come true - the added bonus was that those medals are GOLD! They were also interviewed on Weekend Today!

With such strong dedication and perseverance, Charmaine Ward, from Afford's Ingleburn Australian Disability Enterprise (ADE), and Tony Ward from Afford's Minto ADE, achieved sensational success in Bocce at the Games.

Charmaine and Tony won a Gold medals in the teams category of Bocce.

Tony also won Gold in the Doubles and Singles and Charmain on Bronze in the Doubles.

In This Issue 1

Husband & Wife Duo Achieve Olympic GOLD! Joke of The Week

2

Affordians Take Pride In Rotary Awards

3

Reaching Out To Kids & Families At Expos New Appointments

4

Healthy Living In The Great Outdoors Upcoming Events Selfies of The Week

The 2019 Special Olympics World Games were held in Abu Dhabi from 8-21 March, with 7,000 athletes with an intellectual disability from 170 nations competing across 24 sports in front of half a million spectators.

Australia was represented by 105 athletes who competed across 11 sports: athletics, basketball, bocce, bowling, equestrian, football, golf, gymnastics, sailing, swimming and tennis. They were supported by 35 volunteer officials.

We're so proud to be part of Charmain and Tony's journey and to provide a supportive community in which they can let their abilities soar!

Watch their amazing interview on the Today Show https://www.facebook.com/130834060284601/posts/2493984330636217/

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

April 5, 2019 Issue 199

AFFORDIANS TAKE PRIDE IN ROTARY AWARDS On 27th March, the Rotary Club of Penrith Valley announced their Pride of Workmanship Awards. Three Affordians were honoured with awards on the evening in recognition of their hard work and The Pride of Workmanship Awards were established to encourage pride

by Australians in their vocations. From this, the theme of 'do it once, do it well, build a better Australia' was born.

NAME: Petrina Adamson POSITION: Property Maintenance Supervisor LOCATION: Ingleburn ADE FAVOURITE SONG? Amazing Grace FAVOURITE MOVIE? Perfect Storm FAVOURITE HOBBIES? 4WD, utes and anything country FAVOURITE FOODS? Thai IF YOU COULD BE AN ANIMAL WHAT WOULD YOU BE? A great dane WHAT IS YOUR DREAM HOLIDAY DESTINATION? Belgium IF YOU HAD THE POWER WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT THE WORLD? For people to appreciate each other IF YOU HAD TO TEACH SOMETHING WHAT WOULD YOU TEACH? Manners SOMETHING NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT ME? That I love country music

The Pride of Workmanship Awards seek to honour people in the community, irrespective of age or vocation, who in the eyes of their employers, show a distinct quality in their approach, attitude and dedication to their job.

Since the early days of Pride of Workmanship the scope and variety of awards has been expanded to include: Community Service awards, Small Business awards, Vocational Excellence awards, Australia Day awards, Environmental Excellence awards, Apprentice of the Year award, Customer Service award, and Youth Encouragement award.

At this year's awards ceremony, Casey Hailes, Executive Manager Client Services, and Gordon Griff, Executive Manager Commercial Services, attended to support our Afford nominees. Casey addressed the group and discussed the valuable contributions that the Afford award nominees make to our organisation.

Huge congratulations to Kathy Bullock, State Manager NSW – Day Programs and Community Services, Teresa Pisani, Senior Lifestyle Assistant from Oran Park Day Program and Richard Dever from our Minchinbury ADE who all received Pride of Workmanship Awards.

We thank you for your amazing dedication to your roles, truly inspirational conduct to deliver quality and exceptional service and for your commitment to encourage all employees to take pride in their work.

Aside from the recognition of outstanding individuals in our community, the awards presentation night was an excellent opportunity to network with local business leaders.

Well done to all award recipients!

www.afford.com.au

April 5, 2019 Issue 199

Staff Matters REACHING OUT TO KIDS AND FAMILIES AT EXPOS

Our Melbourne Team have had a busy week with Afford exhibiting at the Southern Region NDIS Expo on 27th March and the Source Kids Disability Expo from 29th to 30th March.

The Southern Region NDIS Expo in Narre Warren was held at the Function Centre in Bunjil Place. The team, including Kellie Carruthers and Olivia Fox, received positive feedback from visitors with the event attracting great attendance. Visitors were mainly interested in Afford's Day Program services.

The event was free to attend and provided members of the community with the chance to meet face to face with local service providers and for providers to connect with local council representatives.

Afford were Platinum sponsors at the Source Kids Disability Expo held at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre in Southbank, was a great opportunity for our team, consisting of Katie Nuth, Kellie Carruthers, Audrey Falvey, Olivia Fox, Karina Tran and Aaron Young to connect directly with parents and families about their support needs.

For the first time, Afford has its very own mascot with a professional performer dressed in a blue suit with wings which were decorated with Afford's signature origami cranes. Our stand also had a balloonist which was very popular, with long lines of children waiting; allowing our team to speak with their parents about Afford supports. It’s important that our expo stalls match the same vibrancy as our service provision and the recent Source Kids Expo was a great example of this.

Our Allied Health team talked to visitors about our Picky Eaters feeding support and the team also discussed all the various supports that Afford can provide for children now and into the future. Parents commented that it gave them peace of mind to know that there are supports to help their children find work, get involved in activities and live independently as they grow into adulthood.

Katie Nuth did an outstanding job in representing Afford on a discussion panel with other representatives from Noah's Ark and Scope Victoria which discussed how the NDIS has changed the way services are delivered and ways to navigate the NDIS. We look forward to seeing our client base grow in Melbourne with our team really going the extra mile to connect with the community.

New Appointments We would like to congratulate the following Affordians on their new appointment: • Cassandra Hicks – Acting Senior Lifestyle Assistant, Southport, QLD • Laura Perez – Senior Speech Pathologist • Simone Halse – Senior Psychologist • Tennille Whitehall – Senior Occupational Therapist

www.afford.com.au

Staff Matters

April 5, 2019 Issue 199

HEALTHY LIVING IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS Thanks to the Stronger Communities Program, Afford Green Valley Day Program now has funds to enhance their outdoor area and programs for clients.

The Stronger Communities Program has provided $8,500 of funding and Afford has pledged to match this amount so that Green Valley Day Program can create a truly magnificent outdoor experience for the benefit of all clients who visit the site.

Anne Stanley MP recently visited our Green Valley site to officially present and oversized cheque for the funds. Anne was thanked by the staff and clients with a beautiful bouquet of flowers presented by our client, Natalie Bugeja.

These much needed funds will go towards purchasing modified cooking resources and outdoor BBQ, lounge and table and chairs and the development of a healthy cooking program which incorporates healthy eating strategies.

As a not-for-profit organisation, we greatly appreciate funding thanks to the Stronger Communities Program. With this great support, we are able to deliver exceptional services and facilities so that our clients can have amazing life experiences each and every day.

Reminder!

• Site Managers are responsible for ensuring that as far as

reasonably practical, that hazards and risks are eliminated or controlled within their area of responsibility to reduce the risk to staff/clients/visitors.

A hazard is something that has the potential for an accident to occur and cause the potential seriousness of injury to people or damage to property and equipment: • ALL staff are responsible for identifying, evaluating, analysing and controlling risks that may result in injury/illness, damage/loss.

• ANY hazard is to be reported through the hazard reporting process and the site manager notified immediately. If the matter is not resolved, it needs to be referred to the HR Department.

SELFIES OF THE WEEK

od ol' times at Selfie Above: Go ncy, Allan & Na th wi QLD Buzz Christina.

Pawsome Se lfi with fur bab e Above: Idoia Fontan a y.

• Staff, visitors, contractors and clients are to be fully informed of any risk control measures to ensure they comply.

Please remember our duty of care for our clients.

UPCOMING EVENTS DATE:

EVENT:

1-30 April

Parkinson's Awareness Month

7 April

World Health Day

1-10 April

National Seniors Week

8 -14 April

Kidney Health Week

13 April

Wear Green For Premmies

18 April

Yarra Trams Afford Launch

www.afford.com.au