Staff Matters
May 15, 2015 - Issue 4 Week 46
Grant works with wood at Guildford
In this Issue Page 1 • Grant Smith at Guildford wood workshop
Page 2 • Staff Profile • DES Liverpool
Page 3 Pictured: Left - Grant out the front of the workshop and right - Grant hard at work on a project
Grant Smith has been a part of the AFFORD Minchinbury factory team as a supported employee for the last 9 years. During this time Grant has always worked on building his skills up within the workplace. Grant has also taken a keen interest in studying, completing TAFE courses in Horticulture and Agriculture. Grant has been keen to try new things and get involved in projects. An opportunity arose a few months ago with the AFFORD Guildford Day Program who were looking for assistance within their Woodwork program. Grant was eager for the chance to help and for the past 2 months Grant has worked with the Guildford team in their specially developed wood workshop. Grant has learnt many new skills using machinery including how to use electric jig saws, drills and other tools. Grant works with AFFORD Day Program customers from across Sydney and helps them to build all sorts of projects including jewellery boxes, name plaques, letter boxes and bird feeders. Grant is having a great time helping out and supporting other people with disability.
AFFORD Fact The first AFFORD office in 1951 was in Milsons Point and in 1953 the office moved to the Pacific Highway at Turramurra when AFFORD received the gift of a significant home called Cherrywood (pictured right). Cherrywood is where AFFORD first began to provide services to people with disability.
T 02 8805 3700 E info@afford.com.au 12 Marieanne Place, Minchinbury 2770 afford.com.au
• Ashfield Wheelie Warriors • Eliza at Les Miserable
Page 4 • Morning Tea • TTR Overseas Visitor • AFFORD Selfies • Have a laugh
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Staff Matters
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May 15, 2015 - Issue 4
Staff Profile
AFFORD Employment at Liverpool
Anjuli Rangar Favourite Song: Addicted to You- Avicii Favourite Movie: Dracula the Untold Story Favourite Hobbies: Eating, sleeping, scrapbooking Favourite Foods: Lamb skewers If you could be an animal what would you be: A fly so I can be on the wall ;) What is your dream holiday destination: An around the world trip! I couldn’t choose If you won Lotto what would you spend the money on: Travelling, house, my wedding If you had the power what would you change about the world: Racism What is the nicest thing someone has ever done for you: Supported me through the good days and bad! If you had to teach something what would you teach: I would teach people how to be awesome… joke… teach in Community Services Something no one knows about me: That I have always wanted to hold raves by night at the ADEs (but haven’t and won’t!)
Pictured : L TO R: Boris Zdralic, Vicky Bonovas, Joumana Talj, Lilly Devi and Samantha Gough – AFFORD Employment Liverpool
AFFORD Employment is the Disability Employment Service (DES) run by AFFORD. There are 5 offices across Greater Western Sydney and the Liverpool office does a wonderful job of finding long term career positions for people with disability. Placing people with disability in jobs can also include people recovering from mental health issues or people looking to return to work after a long illness. Each job candidate has a personal plan and AFFORD works with each person individually to help them achieve their career goals. This can include TAFE courses, special clothing, workplace modification and a wide range of other supports which help create the right circumstance for a long term career. After a candidate has been placed in a position the AFFORD Employment consultant will visit them regularly to make sure that they are happy and succeeding in their role. The AFFORD Employment office at Liverpool currently provides services to 142 active customers. Since the beginning of their contract in 2013 they have helped over 120 customers find work. Well done to the AFFORD Employment team at Liverpool!
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May 15, 2015 - Issue 4
Ashfield Customers become Wheelie Warriors Wheelie Warriors are a not for profit organisation that have motor cycles specially designed to take people with a disability for a ride and they came to the Ashfield Day Program last month. AFFORD customers really enjoyed this activity as you can see from the photo. The Wheelie Warriors have been a big supporter of Ashfield Day Program and have attended 5 times over the past 18 months. They also regularly attend the AFFORD Funathon and were able to give lots of our customers from both Day Programs and ADEs a really unique experience as they cruised around the huge car parks at Blacktown Sports Park.
Pictured: Wheelie Warriors with AFFORD customer Dominic Triulcio
When they come to Day Programs we also invite parents and carers to come along and see their children having a wonderful time. Some of the parents have commented that they really enjoy seeing the excitement and expressions of joy on their children’s faces as they have their first ever ride on a motorcycle. All the AFFORD staff love seeing the customers have this great experience and it really gets them thinking about other new experiences that we can provide for our customers. If any other Day Programs would like information about how to book the Wheelie Warriors for your site please email adam.garcia@afford.com.au
Nothing ‘Les Miserable’ for Eliza Eliza Young, who works with AFFORD at the Minchinbury factory, recently spent a week staying at AFFORD Respite at St Marys. On one of the bleak and rainy days in Sydney recently Eliza decided that she wanted to see the new production of the musical Les Miserable which was being performed in the city at the Capitol Theatre. During one of the big storms, Eliza caught the train with AFFORD staff into the city to see the show. Eliza was given the option of being driven to the show in an AFFORD van due to weather conditions but she said “No thank you, I really like travel training and no water will stop me from seeing this show.” Not only did she really enjoy the show but she also thought this usher was very nice (pictured left)!
Staff Matters
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May 15, 2015 - Issue 4
Morning tea
TTR Overseas Visitor Sydney University Centre for Disability Research and Policy had a visiting disability researcher from Lithuania, Dr Jolita Viluckiene, who was very interested in the Transition to Retirement (TTR) program and eager to try to adapt it for use in her own country when she returned to Lithuania.
Condell Park Day Program will be hosting an ‘Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea’ fundraising event for the Cancer Council on the 28th May. Come and enjoy a delicious morning tea and support this great cause. It is open to all AFFORD staff and customers and those who attend just need to make a donation of a gold coin or small denomination note. You can RSVP to the event by calling Paul or Faviola on 9708 3173 or just email paul.mitchell@afford.com.au by 21st May. Hope to see you there!
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In this selfie - Adam Garcia and Mirela Radman from Guildford Day Program
Please send in your selfies to Deb Fucci
The University asked Tracey Reid, TTR field officer at AFFORD if she could take Dr Viluckiene to visit some of our TTR participants at their groups and spend some time with her explaining the process of TTR. They visited the Arncliffe Men’s Shed, Ashfield Day Program, Marrickville factory and Liberi Italian Social Group and Dr Viluckiene was very impressed with the program.
Have a laugh