Staff Matters November 8, 2019 Issue 230 Week 19
CARING ABOUT OUR STAFF DOUBLE THE CHRISTMAS CHEER IN MELBOURNE
In This Issue
Welcome aboard the Afford Christmas celebrations to Melbourne staff, clients and parents!
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After a year of hard work and determination, it was great to see the local team let their hair down at the staff Christmas Cruise. Victoria Star, a refurbished Sydney ferry, was the host vessel for the evening’s festivities. Not only was the evening a great chance for our Melbourne team to get together, but it was also an opportunity for interstate staff from Sydney to touch base with their counterparts who they’ve been working with remotely throughout the year.
Double the Christmas Cheer In Melbourne Joke Afford Trivia
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Cherrywood’s Yellow Wagon Ride Reminder
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Double The Christmas Cheer In Melbourne Cont. Handyman Timetable
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The night presented everyone with a wonderful opportunity to meet and get to know others in the Afford Community, especially for staff typically rostered on 1-to-1 shifts. Like all Afford events, the Christmas cruise was a night to remember and most importantly, was a celebration of our success so far. Everyone was in good spirits and enjoying the views of the docklands from the boat. The boat was rocking with the DJ getting the dance vibes going with pumping tunes.
Afford Celebrates OT Week Flash Mob Style Upcoming Events Afford Trivia Answer Selfies of the Week
The celebrations were so good that everyone carried on to the after party at the Watermark in Melbourne’s Docklands. Aside from having a great time, everyone shared stories about all the achievements this year and, of course, what 2020 would bring for Afford in Melbourne. Keeping the Christmas cheer momentum rolling, Afford VIC hosted their Client Christmas party for clients, their parents and carers at the Melbourne Zoo! Clients from all Melbourne locations attended and enjoyed dancing, karaoke and gingerbread making in private room at the zoo. After lunch, clients and staff walked around the zoo and visited the butterfly house. It was a sensory explosion, where many clients and staff had beautiful butterflies landing on them. Returning to the venue from the zoo walk, clients were served a refreshing cold ice cream for dessert before either returning home for the day or continuing the adventure throughout the zoo. It was a great day had by all who attended and we look forward to the year to come. Keep the good times rolling Melbourne Team!
AFFORD TRIVIA
What year did we adopt our current logo?
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Staff Matters
STAFF PROFILE NAME: Pennie Jones POSITION: Lifestyle Assistant LOCATION: Redlands, QLD FAVOURITE MUSIC/SONG? All music FAVOURITE MOVIE? Not sure FAVOURITE HOBBIES? Beach, kids & friends FAVOURITE FOODS? Thai IF YOU COULD BE AN ANIMAL, WHAT WOULD YOU BE? A dolphin WHAT IS YOUR DREAM HOLIDAY DESTINATION? Hawaii IF YOU HAD THE POWER, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT THE WORLD? I don't know IF YOU HAD TO TEACH SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD YOU TEACH? Not sure SOMETHING NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT ME? Secret
November 8, 2019 Issue 230
CHERRYWOOD’S YELLOW WAGON RIDE Recently volunteers and work experience participants who worked in the Cherrywood Mates Shed helped to make a dream come true, working hard to build a beautiful horse drawn wagon. The yellow wagon rolled out of the shed on the 16th of October and took clients, including wheelchairs, on its first outing with Tommy the Clydesdale horse. Thank you to all volunteers and work experience participants who put in the hard yards to make this happen. Thanks to you, everyone will be able to enjoy a horse drawn wagon ride. Bushbred is now taking bookings for wagon rides, light refreshment and heritage games for groups of all ages and abilities. Come enjoy the outdoors and the clip clop of hooves in a quiet rural setting. To book, call Dave on 0418 761 340. Cherrywood has grown into Hub for clients to enjoy our Day Programs, sensory gardens and the Cherrywood Friendship Farm that is facilitated by Bushbred Horse Assisted Learning Programs. Bushbred is a unique and highly engaging program, where clients learn about social interaction by interacting with animals – including a camel, cows, goat, chickens, horses and more – and honing these skills to use in everyday life. Flavoured by its rich history, Cherrywood remains one of Afford’s most unique services and a real point of difference for us within today’s NDIS marketplace. Designed to provide clients with a greater choice of more person-centred supports, Afford’s Cherrywood Hub provides opportunities for our clients to enhance their skills in gardening, cooking, bike riding and learning how to provide care to animals. The site has a sensory garden centrepiece that incorporates a walk through a fairy garden with a zen seating area to chill and let your imagination run wild. There are big plans ahead for Cherrywood with road safety & travel training courses, camping & fishing programs and recreation on the water, just to name a few. Dave from Bushbred has already kicked off a few of the programs such as themed bushwalks and campfires, and the new Mates Shed which started in October this year. Clients are engaged in hand tool use, sanding, nailing, problem solving and social skills. For enquiries call Dave on - 0418 761 340.
Reminder! A general reminder for ALL Staff: • Staff are reminded to read new forms, policies and procedures from the intranet • Remember to read your Afford emails regularly • Remember to send your good news stories to Marketing and post on Facebook. To meet PACES, your Facebook page should be posted on 3 times a week and 1 good news story per fortnight submitted.
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Staff Matters
November 8, 2019 Issue 230
DOUBLE THE CHRISTMAS CHEER IN MELBOURNE CONT.
Handyman Timetable Our Handy Man, Tahier, will be at the following sites this week: - 11th November: Rouse Hill, Kings Park and Blacktown - 12th November: South Windsor and Bligh Park - 13th November: Minto ADE and Ingleburn ADE
Meet Our Handyman Tahier
- 14th November: Jamisontown and Butterflies
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November 8, 2019 Issue 230
Staff Matters AFFORD CELEBRATES OT WEEK FLASH MOB STYLE The Surfer's Paradise community was surprised and entertained by a fully choreographed flash mob performance by our amazing Afford Occupational Therapists, Afford clients and family and friends to celebrate Occupational Therapy Week 2019. Complimented by cowgirl stilt walkers to add to the sensational performance, the group danced to 'Git Up' by Blanco Brown as part of the #GitUpChallenge. Everyone moved to the rhythm to steps they had prepared weeks in advance. The crowd, though, had no idea that the performance had been practiced and planned and was completely surprised at the burst of spontaneous dancing! The flash mob was coordinated by Afford Occupational Therapist, Nicole, to coincide with Occupational Therapist Day. The flash mob celebrates and recognises the positive impact that occupational therapy has on the lives of many people living with disability across Australia. A marvellous and entertaining performance, our Queensland tribe boogied to the choreographed steps of Blanco Brown's Cowboy Boogie, Hoedown, Butterfly, and Two-Step. Not only was the flash mob a way for our dedicated OTs to 'make some noise' about the benefits of occupational therapy to individuals living with disability, but it was also a chance to show the wider community these therapies in action. The benefits of dancing and performing the 'The Git Up' gave participants a goal to work towards and they made it happen! It was also about being part of a community and feeling connected. It was also a way to use dance to relax and unwind. Following and remembering multiple steps, as well as coordinating our bodies to move our arms to cross our body, or in different directions, are components of everyday life skills, which occupational therapists work in partnership with individuals and groups to develop. Most importantly, the flash mob was proof that engaging your imagination and having fun are all part of life. Fun leads us to live the life we have always wanted.
Following the flash mob spectacle, the group enjoyed a relaxing lunch together by the beach and celebrated a successful performance and amazing achievement.
SELFIES OF THE WEEK
UPCOMING EVENTS DATE:
EVENT:
9-14 November 15 November
International Week Of Science and Peace DES Fostering Integration Cruise
15 & 16 November QLD Christmas Parties 1-30 November ma & Linda at Selfie Above: Em Chrismas party. the Melbourne
Pawsome Se lfie Above: Day Progra m LSA, Shan Jamisontown feeding he r horsesom ice Peterson e friend!
Movember
Afford Trivia Answer: 2015
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