Staff Matters
May 8, 2015 - Issue 3 Week 45
Champion of the Cherrywood Raffle
In this Issue Page 1 • Lillian Glass
Left: Lillian seated at her desk ready for the next phone call
Page 2 • Staff Profile • Ashfield love to swim
Page 3 • Career Success for Ngaire • Style Manual For over 20 Years Lillian Glass has been making over 150 calls a day to sell Cherrywood Raffle Tickets to raise money for AFFORD. This in itself is a remarkable achievement. However, coupled with the fact that Lillian was told in the early 1990’s that she would never work again, makes this feat even more incredible. Originally from Northern Ireland, Lillian came to Australia in 1973, in search of a better lifestyle. In the early 1990’s, Lillian developed a chronic disease and it was then that she was told she would never work again. However, Lillian was never one to lie down or turn her back on a challenge so she decided the doctors were wrong. The Cherrywood Raffle gave her the opportunity she was seeking, when they took her on as a Telemarketer, selling Raffle Tickets to raise funds for the AFFORD. Not only did Lillian survive in this difficult role, she thrived. She is dedicated, resilient and determined to succeed. Lillian rarely misses her target and has raised millions of dollars to assist AFFORD customers. When we asked what makes her so dedicated and successful, Lillian replied “I have a great affinity for people with disability, as I have one myself. I also thrive on chasing down targets knowing that the harder I work, the more money I can raise for people who are less fortunate than I am.” Lillian is the life and soul of the Call Centre and without doubt its loudest member! In her spare time she loves English Football Club, Liverpool, and likes nothing better than spending time with her grandchildren. Recently, her grandson left Australia to become a professional footballer in England and she hopes to follow his career closely, crossing her fingers that one day he may play for her beloved Liverpool FC.
T 02 8805 3700 E info@afford.com.au 12 Marieanne Place, Minchinbury 2770 afford.com.au
Page 4 • IT Update • TTW Breakfast • AFFORD Selfies • Have a laugh
AFFORD Fact AFFORD built the first sports ground in Australia specially designed for people with disability at Cherrywood in 1979
Staff Matters
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May 8 2015 - Issue 3
Staff Profile
Ashfield loves to swim
Tom Patrick
Favourite Song: Believe by Lenny Kravitz Favourite Movie: The Ghost & the Darkness Favourite Hobbies: Cycling, building/ restoring bicycles, photography Favourite Foods: Chinese,Thai, chocolate If you could be an animal what would you be: Chameleon What is your dream holiday destination: Netherlands (bike friendly!) If you won Lotto what would you spend the money on: Home loan, kid’s future education & homes, family holiday, hair regrowth treatment for guys at AFFORD If you had the power what would you change about the world: Complete diversity. There needs to be more equality for women, for everything! What is the nicest thing someone has ever done for you: Just being there for me when I’ve needed them for support If you had to teach something what would you teach: I’d write a manual for how to be a dad, for beginners and do talks about it Something no one knows about me: I got my security licence from a company called Intercept Security. It was staffed by ‘The Gladiators’ (for those who remember the show). Electra was the receptionist, her husband Tim (the referee) was the owner of the company and Vulcan was my trainer
Pictured : Patrick Coneely with Jackson enjoying a swim
Thanks to over $10,000 in grant money from Wests Ashfield Leagues Club, Ashfield RSL and Petersham RSL the Ashfield Day Program was able to buy equipment to build an ongoing swimming program at local pools and the Ashfield Baptist Homes Aged Care Facility heated pool. The grant funds purchased a hoist, mesh slings and a wide range of pool noodles, body floats and mats. The grants also paid for DSWs from Ashfield, Canley Vale, Lakemba and Green Valley Day Programs to be trained by AUSTSWIM in the skills required to support people with disability in the water. Each customer has their own swimming goals and they are all well on the way to achieving them. Patrick Conneely (pictured above) is a trained swimming instructor and has really helped the program to move along, sharing his knowledge with DSWs from all the sites. Jackson really enjoys his swimming lessons and as he is in a wheelchair it allows him the wonderful freedom to more around without restriction and stretch his muscles. The swimming helps to improve his overall movement and as you can see from the look on his face, he thoroughly enjoys every session. The program runs up to three times a week due to the huge demand from all the customers. Everyone is grateful to Rhiannon O’Brien for all the hard work she does to get the grants which fund these amazing programs.
Staff Matters
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May 8, 2015 - Issue 3
Career Success for Ngarie Ngarie came to AFFORD Employment at Bankstown in January 2015. Ngarie is a lovely, well presented and softly spoken young lady who has been struggling with depression and anxiety and needed help to find and sustain employment. Ngarie’s skills were very strong with previous experience in childcare and hospitality where she worked as a chef, but she decided that she really wanted part time work in the retail industry to suit her current needs. Her AFFORD Employment consultant, Jennifer Nguyen, actively sought this kind of role for Ngaire and got her an interview with a local employer as a merchandiser/ sales assistant. Ngarie was successful at the interview and commenced work in February 2015. Ngarie is thrilled with her job; she now works for an understanding and supportive employer, and she is able to combine part time work with her role as primary carer for her young son and husband. Her employer at Enfield Produce said that he is especially proud of her contribution to the business, assisting with store displays and merchandising and providing excellent customer service. Ngarie continues to be supported whilst at work by Jennifer, in an intensive Post Placement Support Pictured: Ngarie with her employer Harry Chandros program to maximize her chance of keeping her job. Ngarie knows that support from AFFORD Employment and Jennifer, is only a phone call away.
Style Manual - out next week This week you will all receive a copy of the new Corporate Style Manual. The manual contains information on how to use the AFFORD logo, what the AFFORD corporate font is and what the AFFORD email signature should look like. It also contains information on the AFFORD corporate colours and what information should be on business cards. The Manual will be posted on the intranet and will be available for you to download and print. If you have any questions about the guide, or any additional information you would like to see in the guide please email Fiona Ellis with your suggestions.
Staff Matters
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May 8, 2015 - Issue 3
IT Update In an effort to speed up the system and to get us up to date with software, we have configured 3 new servers that are running Microsoft’s remote Desktop services, in a Load balanced Environment. This will solve one of the biggest issues with browsing the Internet and being unable to access certain sites with the current system. This is currently being tested and will be rolled out across the organisation ASAP. For Day Programs, we have increased the amount of Memory in the ACED database Server and have been working to get the database to a speed that is acceptable for everyone. Currently the database holds records from 2011 and there are approximately 15000 forms and 770000 client notes. We are investigating ways to reduce this number which will in turn reduce the amount of traffic going through the database. We will keep all staff updated on the progress.
fl ieeek
Sef the w o
In this selfie - Condell Park DSW’s Melissa Sedrak (L) and Caitlin Boyce (R) with the new site bunny Mr Hops
Please send in your selfies to Deb Fucci
TTW Learn to Cook
TTW trainer Jermyn Chan has a great love of food and he is endeavoring to pass that love onto our customers. Recently Jermyn helped some of our TTW customers cook themselves a delicious breakfast using only a flat sandwich press. They made bacon, eggs, toast, sautéed mushrooms with butter and garlic, tomatoes, chevapi, dusted with cracked pepper and mixed herbs and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. One customer said “I used to hate eating mushrooms when I was a kid, but these mushrooms tasted really nice!”
Have a laugh