Staff Matters 253

Staff Matters April 17, 2020 Issue 253 Week 42

CARING ABOUT OUR STAFF NEW AFFORD CARE AND AFFORD TELECARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS!

Afford are excited to announce the recent launch of two incredible new services, Afford Care and Afford TeleCare. Afford Care will be life changing for our frontline staff members, as it will offer shifts for staff to continue to work and earn money during these challenging times, by linking with external organisations. Afford TeleCare will assist our clients by providing exceptional Allied Health care, contact free, using various forms of technology!

With our innovative team, we have collectively established these new initiatives to combat gaps in disability supports caused by COVID-19 disruptions that will benefit both our staff and clients.

Afford Care Afford Care is aimed to support as many people living with disability as possible and help those in need of services, whether they are an Afford participant or registered with another organisation.

It is a collaborative initiative where other organisations may notice gaps in their rosters and not have the staff or capabilities within to support a client.

They can contact Afford Care and we can offer them Afford staff to provide our services and supports to a client.

In This Issue 1

New Afford Care and Afford TeleCare Open for Business!

Afford Trivia Ask Our CEO

2

New Afford Care and Afford TeleCare Open for Business Cont.!

Staff Profile

3

A Thank You From HR

4

Rouse Hill & Windsor Day Program Go Digital

Reminder

Handyman Timetable Selfies of the Week Upcoming Events Trivia Answer

Our staff are known for delivering a high standard of support and care. Affordians are passionate professionals and have all completed mandatory training, police check and a working with children checks. We truly do have the best staff in the sector.

Afford Care is available to anyone in the sector who needs the support and will not be limited to certain organisations. We are committed to keeping our amazing staff and for those casuals who are not eligible for JobKeeper Allowance, this will ensure they still have a viable income.

Staff won’t need to register interest for Afford Care. Afford will review the requests from other disability organisations and allocate the staff based on who meets the skill criteria and who hasn’t been given shifts. When staff decide to work these shifts, they will remain an Afford staff member.

If you have any questions about Afford Care email affordcare@afford.com.au.

Continued Pg. 2 - TeleCare

ASK OUR CEO

Do I have to register to get shifts with Afford Care?

No, Afford will manage the process.

www.afford.com.au

Staff Matters

STAFF PROFILE NAME: Marc Ramirez POSITION: Lifestyle Assistant LOCATION: Eagle Vale Group Home., NSW FAVOURITE MUSIC/SONG? Kanye West – Good Life FAVOURITE MOVIE? Bruce Lee – Enter the Dragon FAVOURITE HOBBIES? Gym, watching/playing soccer, anime, video games, listening and making music FAVOURITE FOODS? Clean eating or anything healthy IF YOU COULD BE AN ANIMAL, WHAT WOULD YOU BE? A shark so I could swim all day

April 17, 2020 Issue 253

NEW AFFORD CARE AND AFFORD TELECARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS CONT.!

TeleCare Our Allied Health team have launched their new Afford TeleCare service, which is an innovative virtual method of delivering allied health appointments to clients.

Adapting to Australia’s current COVID-19 social distancing and isolation measures, TeleCare enables our team to provide clients with continued care and support in the comfort of their own home.

Afford TeleCare connects individuals to professionals in psychology, occupational therapy and speech pathology via a virtual platform. In doing this, we can continue providing our essential services, as well as brand new unique programs developed especially for TeleCare.

These include: • Paediatrics Program • Social Skills TeleCare

WHAT IS YOUR DREAM HOLIDAY DESTINATION? Peru

• Literacy

IF YOU HAD THE POWER, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT THE WORLD? I’d make everyone watch soccer and soccer only

• Sensory Modulation

IF YOU HAD TO TEACH SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD YOU TEACH? Soccer, making music and nursing once I gain more experience SOMETHING NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT ME? I used to dj nightclubs in Sydney for 7 years during my 20’s

• Interaction box • Emotional Regulation • Social Engagement Our CEO Steven Herald is excited by the new Afford TeleCare service and believes it will change the way disability supports are delivered in the future. The virtual platform will give every individual access to their regular allied health supports from the comfort of their own home.

Using technology, we can provide remote, contact-free care so that our clients can be assured of regular care through the current isolation and social distancing measures.

Afford TeleCare is available for our existing or new clients who wish to access this service. We are committed to developing new methods of delivering disability supports so that every person living with disability has the opportunity to achieve their goals under the NDIS. As an award-winning provider, our organisational and employee initiatives will continue to lead the way in the disability sector.

For more information contact: Afford TeleCare telecare@afford.com.au or call 1300 379 308.

Now more than ever, clients need these essential services… and we are here to provide it.

1800 723 353.

www.afford.com.au

April 17, 2020 Issue 253

Staff Matters

A THANK YOU FROM HR Our culture is all about our teams and tribes, which means that teams across our departments band together to get things done. It is the Afford Way to help our teammates and recently our Executive Manager for Human Resources, Candace Burke, was grateful for the support from other departments who offered up their time to help the HR team at head office.

On the 9th April 2020 the HR team were made aware there were over 900 working with children checks and police checks that were not entered into the system and/or saved on staff files. The HR team asked Client Services for help and they certainly answered the call for help. Wayne Adamson provided 8 staff to help the HR team with this project.

The staff who helped HR were from Jamisontown; Teroro Haumono, from Windsor; Thomas Gillett, Carol Stewart, Heather Whiting and Sarah Amituanai and from Cherrywood; Ilaisaane Ngalu, Sinead Bannon and Tyler Aitkenhead. These staff assisted the HR team with this project and their efforts helped reduce over 900 checks to be gathered and entered to 477.

“They were amazing. They conducted themselves professionally and were just amazing. Could not have done this without them”, said Candace.

Staff who assisted also enjoyed a team lunch with the HR team! Candace would also like to say a big thanks from HR to Wayne, Kira, Daniel and Amira for organising these staff so quickly for them.

Proud to be part of team Afford!

Reminder!

Staff please be reminded about the importance of social distancing while we out with our clients in the community or in the van.

• In a HiAce van there should only be max of 2 staff and 3 clients.

• In an iMAX there should only be max of 1 staff and 3 clients.

• Standard car there should only be max 1 staff and 1 client.

Help stop the spread and keep safe Affordians!

www.afford.com.au

April 17, 2020 Issue 253

Staff Matters ROUSE HILL & WINDSOR DAY PROGRAM GO DIGITAL

Our Rouse Hill and Windsor Day Programs recently received a grant from the Windsor RSL to purchase iPads for the clients at both centres.

The iPads will be used to assist clients in building their confidence and independence when using technology and will be used weekly across both sites.

The idea of using the internet as a means of contacting people, making appointments and researching information may seem daunting. However, with the support of Afford staff, our clients will be able to practice using their online skills using the iPads. Clients from Rouse Hill and Windsor Day Programs have enjoyed using the iPads so they can research things that interest them, check out the latest trends or watch a video on YouTube.

Both centres have incorporated the iPad into weekly cooking activities, encouraging clients to use the iPads to research recipes that they are interested in learning how to make.

“Each week we are seeing more confidence from all clients,” said Claressa Botha, Team Leader, Windsor Day Program.

Afford is so appreciative of the support received through community grant funding and of the great work from our Grants and Fundraising Coordinator, Toni Preston, in securing these opportunities for our sites. These valuable funds allow us to ensure exceptional experiences and services across our sites each and every day.

Handyman Timetable Meet Our Handyman Tahier

Our Handy Man, Tahier, will be at the following sites this week: - Monday 20th April:

Oran Park & Eaglevale

- Tuesday 21st April:

Rouse Hill, Kings Park & Blacktown

- Wednesday 22nd April: Woodbine & Ingleburn - Thursday 23rd April:

Belmore & Bexley

- Friday 24th April:

Weekly catch up & urgent requests

SELFIES OF THE WEEK

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Pawsome Se lfie Above:K LSA, Camp belltown D ate Delaney, ay Program Hercules. with

UPCOMING EVENTS DATE:

EVENT:

22nd April

Earth Day

25th April

Anzac Day

6th May

World Asthma Day

10th May

Mother’s Day

A: Can you find the the mistake?

www.afford.com.au