Staff Matters 17

Staff Matters

August 14, 2015 - Issue 17 Week 7

Customer Service Awards!

In this Issue Page 1 • Customer Service Awards

Left: Michelle Jeffery receiving her award from Steve Herald

Page 2 We are proud to announce there was an overwhelming response from staff for the first ever Customer Service Awards within AFFORD. HR received 15 nominations from across various divisions within the organisation. All nominations provided great insight into the fantastic work of staff who have gone ‘above and beyond’ to please their customers, whether ‘external’ and/or ‘internal’.

All the nominations presented were worthy of winning the award. They were all discussed by the voting panel and it was definitely a tough decision for the panel.

First prize winner was Michelle Jeffery, Coordinator, Accommodation Services.

Over the past month, Michelle has shown her willingness to go over and above for our customers on numerous occasions. This included an emergency medication/staffing matter where she attended on the weekend to manage the situation and made herself available throughout the night when we had a long power outage at Cherrywood. Michelle constantly makes herself available to help out the team by taking shifts or doing duties without fuss and was a key member of the team of people who assisted through the life changing hospitalisation/ surgery of one of our clients and the changes to his ongoing care requirements.

Second prize winner, Helen Berridge, Coordinator, Windsor and Mount Druitt Day Programs once again showed her innovation and understanding of our customers in organising a large event for AFFORD customers. This time it was AFFORDs Got Talent which was an amazing success and a few months ago it was the immensely successful Harmony Day. Third prize winner, Sarah Vandermeer, Accounts Payable Officer was nominated because of her bubbly and positive attitude - she is always happy to help, nothing is too much trouble and she is outstanding at her job.

We congratulate all the following nominees: Julie Shaw, Lifestyle Assistant, Lakemba Day Program, Boris Zdralic, Business Development Specialist, DES Layla Naji, Team Leader, Bankstown DES, Peter Tindall, Supervisor, Prestons, Indra Krothapalli, Lifestyle Assistant, Green Valley Day Program, Maryam Montagami, Lifestyle Assistant, Green Valley Day Program, Kym Mafi, Lifestyle Assistant, Kings Park Day Program Joseph Munoz, Lifestyle Assistant, Penrith Day Program, Neville Bergofher, Leading Hand, Minto, Fred Etuk, Lifestyle Assistant, Campbelltown Day Program, Carol El-Achi, Lifestyle Assistant, Guildford Day Program.

Please keep your nominations coming through!

T 02 8805 3700 E info@afford.com.au 12 Marieanne Place, Minchinbury 2770 afford.com.au

• Staff Profile • EID Celebration Condell Park

Page 3 • Blacktown Disco Divas • Cover Girl Renee

Page 4 • Kings Park Meet Celebs • AFFORD Selfies • Have a laugh

AFFORD Fact In May, 1980 in an endeavour to run its own business and reduce dependency on sub contract work, AFFORD purchased a company known as Feeney Electronics. The business made electronic light dimmers under the brand names of “Computalite” and “Moonglo.”

These units were found in many of the large hardware and department stores throughout NSW.

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August 14, 2015 - Issue 17

Staff Profile

EID Celebration at Condell Park

Angela Dion DES Manager Minchinbury

Favourite Song: Anything by Pink Martini or ACDC Favourite Movie: The Power of One Favourite Hobbies: Cooking Favourite Foods: Italian, Greek, Spanish, Vietnamese If you could be an animal what would you be: A Lion What is your dream holiday destination: The world is my playground, anywhere and everywhere If you won Lotto what would you spend the money on: Hmmm depends on how big the win is! A holiday, I’d invest, if I’m thinking very big, I’d love to set up a foundation giving people a “hand up” What is the nicest thing someone has ever done for you: Believed in me and challenged me If you had to teach something what would you teach: “anything is possible” Something no one knows about me: Currently doing some work with the homeless

On the 30th July, Condell Park Day Program hosted an EID party to celebrate the festival of Eid as many customers come from an Islamic background at Condell Park.

The EID festival turned out to be a great success with close to 100 customers from different AFFORD sites such as Ashfield, Mount Druitt and Chipping Norton, as well as Condell Park customers, families and friends.

Everyone gathered together to enjoy a Middle-Eastern inspired theme day. The day included a customer focused magic show, followed by a variety of Middle Eastern Cuisine and desserts for all to enjoy. It was wonderful for customers and families from many different backgrounds to get together to enjoy a day of bonding as well as experience the Middle Eastern culture and learn more about it.

A prospective parent from Caroline Chisholm School even came on the day and she was so impressed with the atmosphere at Condell Park she said she would be telling other parents about AFFORD.

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August 14, 2015 - Issue 17

Blacktown Disco Divas Blacktown Day Program held their first disco on the 31st July. It was a great success and in addition to our Day Program staff, customers and carers, they were fortunate to have customers from other organisations join in with over 40 people attending the disco.

The atmosphere on the night was electric and fun was had by all with lots of dancing, glow sticks galore and fantastic music. Everyone who attended the disco had a ball as you can see when looking at the huge smiles on everyone’s faces.

Blacktown Day Program will be holding a disco once a month and would love to see more customers from AFFORD join us at the next one so please keep an eye out for details on the next disco.

A big congratulations to Kim French for showing the initiative and understanding of our customers to organise such a successful event. This event, like AFFORDs Got Talent will be heavily branded AFFORD going forward and will help build our brand as we move forward to NDIS. The event was attended by many people who are presently not customers of AFFORD and we aim to grow this event exponentially over the coming months by advertising through our networks.

Cover Girl Renee Recently Staff Matters ran a story on the great achievements of Renee Mclaren and how Amar at AFFORD Employment Services assisted her in overcoming some barriers she struggled with.

Renee recently won the Business and Faculty Student of the Year Award for TAFE and she was supported and encouraged by Amar while she was studying for her TAFE qualification. Renee also continues to go from strength to strength in her current employment situation.

We are proud to announce that further to these achievements Renee now appears on the front cover of the latest TAFE pamphlet.

Congratulations Renee!

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August 14, 2015 - Issue 17

Kings Park meet Celebs Recently Kings Park Day Program customers had a day out at Madame Tussauds.

The customers had a great time looking at the realistic wax figures and getting their photos taken with all the celebrity figures such as Marilyn Monroe, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt and Einstein just to name a few.

All the customers and staff from the Day Program are really looking forward to their next day trip.

AFFORD is committed to growing our holidays and “day out”type activities. Our first cruise is around Above: Trevor with Marilyn Monroe figure Above: Trevor Whitney (L) and Lia Patsalou the corner and our first weekend (R) with Brad and Angelina figures to Canberra is not far away either.

We will be adding weekend “days out” with activities like catching the ferry to Manly, going to the zoo and a day trip to Kiama.

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Pictured above: Coreena WIlliams from Mount Druitt Day Program

Please send in your selfies to Deb Fucci

Have a laugh