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Matters Staff Matters Staff Staff Matters ISSUE 08 | WEEK 10
In This Issue Celebrating 300 Editions Of Staff Matters
Afford Continues To Expand Our National Footprint
Q&A With Steve Get To Know - Staff Profile
August 7, 2020 Issue 269
ISSUE 300 | WEEK 37
CELEBRATING 300 EDITIONS
It is with great excitement that we bring you the 300th edition of Staff Matters! It has been an amazing journey since releasing the first edition of Staff Matters on the 24th of April 2015. In this time, we have achieved some truly extraordinary things and overcome significant challenges. Our 300th edition of Staff Matters is an excellent opportunity to reflect on what the last five years have brought to Afford and its community Let’s celebrate all that we have accomplished – and for this incredible momentum to motivate us onto even greater successes in our next chapter. Since the launch of Staff Matters Issue 1 Afford has: • Welcomed the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) • Expanded from providing services in Greater Western Sydney to now National servicing Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia • Developed into the most profitable and fastest organically growing organisation in our sector • Grown from 600 employees to over 2,000 employees – that’s workforce growth of well over 100%!
Celebrating Our Carers 2021 Expos - Events
• Been awarded #1 Disability Care Provider in Australasia
Afford Academy Launches! Taking Learning To The Next Level
• Introduced Australia’s first Client Ball
Top Selfies From The Last 50 Editions!
• Rebranded to the current Afford logo and imaging, rich with symbolism that gives meaning to the work we do to let our clients’ abilities soar
• Launched our Allied Health services, including Telecare, offering support to clients across Australia in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia
• Introduced a robust Employer of Choice framework, which brings to staff the highest wages this sector has to offer, the Step Up – Career Progression Program, Customer Service Awards, Afford Rewards, Afford Learning, Afford Academy and so much more
• Rebranded and relaunched our successful Club Afford and Afford Getaways services
Top Selfies From The Last 50 Editions Continued
• Implemented sector-leading IT systems • Welcomed WALCA, Redland Respite Care, Norma Parker Respite Centre, DSA sites across NSW and Bedford sites across VIC to the Afford Community This is just a snippet of the achievements Afford has made since Issue 1 of Staff Matters. Our resilience to push forward through the events of 2020 is proof of how strong our team culture is. Afford continued to provide our award-winning services to those in need throughout COVID-19, so no client was without support. We are one community of teams and tribes that works together to look out for each other and our clients. Be proud to be an Affordian and let’s have a fantastic 2021, celebrating our 70th year anniversary!
Afford Teams and Tribes
Staff Matters Staff ISSUE 08 | WEEK 10
Matters
ISSUE 300 | WEEK 37
AFFORD CONTINUES TO EXPAND OUR NATIONAL FOOTPRINT
Afford has spent most of its rich 70-year history as a New South Wales based provider, which in recent years has predominately provided support to the Greater Western Sydney community. Following the full transition of Afford’s existing services to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Afford as an organisation had learnt an enormous amount about what it takes to be a successful provider under the NDIS. We had reinvigorated our business model and day-to-day operational practices to operate more efficiently under a fee-for-service approach, implemented sector-leading IT systems and sizably staffed up to meet demand.
By 2018 with our foundations and financial position strong, it was clear that to continue to fulfil our mission – providing quality and life-changing support to as many people with disability as we can – we needed to think bigger. Without the limitations of each state being answerable to their state-based system of disability funding and administration, Afford could embody one of the National Disability Insurance Scheme’s central tenants by becoming a national provider. The 1st of July 2018 marked the start of the NDIS transition for the area we now know as our Queensland South District. Starting with our Southport Head Office as our flagship site, we replicated our districtdriven model in Queensland South. We built a team of frontline staff, allied health professionals, support coordinators and customer care managers. Afford’s transition to South East Queensland has been an enormous success. We were met with a resoundingly positive reception from the local community and the large demand from NDIS participants saw our rapid expansion in the new district. The next stop on our interstate expansion journey was Melbourne, with a focus on supporting clients around the bayside area through the launch of our Victorian Head Office in Frankston. Our areas of support have since grown and we are now supporting participants across the state. In Victoria, many large-scale partnerships have emerged, such as the Hawthorn Hawks and Yarra Trams Community Partnerships, which have been hugely successful. Next, we circled back up to establish the second district in Queensland, our Queensland North District, which supports North Brisbane up to Noosa, capturing Caboolture and Maroochydore. The areas have been prosperous, with Caboolture’s Day Program quickly becoming one of the top five day programs less than three years after opening. In June 2020, we expanded our footprint to provide South Australia and Western Australia services, making us a national provider. Since our expansion, we have opened our first day program in Holden Hill, South Australia. This site will be our main base for Adelaide and was recently was Affordified with bright blue paint and our signature signage. Our property team is currently working hard to establish a head office in Western Australia located in Bentley, Perth. Teams in all states have done a fantastic job spreading our Afford wings far and wide. Afford’s interstate expansion cement Afford as a national leader within the disability sector and gives us a larger voice at the table when influencing the Australian disability landscape.
Afford Teams and Tribes
Staff Matters Staff ISSUE 08 | WEEK 10
Matters
ISSUE 300 | WEEK 37
get to know our ceo STEVEN HERALD NAME: STEVEN HERALD POSITION: CEO LOCATION: SYDNEY FAVOURITE SONG? Animal by Def Leppard FAVOURITE MOVIE? Snatch, All The Presidents Men and The Natural FAVOURITE HOBBIES? Motor racing
FAVOURITE BANDS? Dragon, Bring Me The Horizon, Depeche Mode, Foo Fighters, Linkin Park, Garbage, Feeder, Def Leppard, Evanescence and Stellar SOMETHING NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT ME? My DNA test results show that I am 70% Scottish, 10% Irish, 10% English and 5% Norwegian and 5% Swedish
FAVOURITE FOODS? Italian and seafood IF YOU COULD BE AN ANIMAL WHAT WOULD YOU BE? A bird
FAVOURITE PLACE IN AUSTRALIA? Sydney Harbour PEOPLE SAY I LOOK LIKE? Ewan McGregor
WHAT IS YOUR DREAM HOLIDAY DESTINATION? Barcelona, Nice, London and Tokyo Disneyland MY HEROES? Donald Hillsdon-Ryan (DHR), Graeme Turner (Skroo), Bill Gates, Jackie Stewart, Peter Brock, Karen Carpenter and John Lennon
Afford Teams and Tribes
Matters Staff Matters Staff Staff Matters ISSUE 08 | WEEK 10
ISSUE 300 | WEEK 37
CELEBRATING OUR CARERS
2021 EXPOS QUEENSLAND • Brisbane Disability Service Provider and Participant Connection Expo 30 Apr – 1 May • Gold Coast Disability Expo 18 - 19 Jun • Brisbane Source Kids Expo 3 – 4 Jul • Brisbane Fresh Futures Market – 4 Aug • Ipswich Fresh Futures Market – 1 Sep • Logan Fresh Futures Market – 8 Sep • Redlands Fresh Futures Market – 15 Sep • Sunshine Coast Regional Disability Expo – 16 Sep • Brisbane CARE Expo 17 – 18 Sep • Brisbane Disability Expo 15 – 16 Oct • Gold Coast Fresh Futures Market – TBC NEW SOUTH WALES • Sydney Source Kids Expo 10 – 11 Apr • Sydney Disability Expo 6 – 7 Aug • Nepean Disability Expo 17 – 18 Sep VICTORIA • Melbourne Source Kids Expo 1 – 2 May • Melbourne ATSA Independent Living Expo 18 - 19 May • Valid Having a Say Conference 15 – 17 Jun • Melbourne CARE Expo 6 – 7 Aug • Melbourne Disability Expo 19 – 20 Nov SOUTH AUSTRALIA • Adelaide Disability Ageing Community Expo 14 Oct WESTERN AUSTRALIA • Perth ATSA Independent Living Expo 26 – 27 May • Perth Disability Service Provider and Participant Connection Expo 11 – 12 Jun
At Afford, we recognise and celebrate the incredible role carers play in our clients and the community’s lives. It takes energy, dedication, strength and selflessness to be a primary carer. We understand that assisting individuals to achieve their goals extends beyond traditional disability supports. It also involves supporting the people around them. That’s why Afford across Australia regularly host Carers events. In 2020, Afford hosted over 20 carers events, including dinners, spa days, cruises and luncheons, for our carers to reconnect after months of isolation. Carers events provide families, friends and carers with the chance to come together to talk with Afford staff about disability supports relevant to their loved ones. These events are also an opportunity to socialise with others who have shared life experiences. Our Carer Support Program offers a wide range of opportunities to meet other carers and form new friendships in a relaxed and welcoming environment. The events give carers a chance to take time out for themselves to enjoy therapeutic massages, yoga and relaxation, NDIS planning, health and wellbeing and social events. Supporting over 600 carers, we go above and beyond to support our clients, taking a holistic approach to assist families and carers. Looking after the wellbeing of our carers is essential. Supporting carers means that every individual we support receives exceptional care throughout their life. When carers are well-rested, strategies and routines established by Afford can continue at home. After the events of 2020, Afford’s wholeof-life approach to disability supports has never been more critical. Caring for our clients and carers physical and mental well-being is paramount to ensuring every person has the chance to achieve their goals for home, work and life under the NDIS.
Afford Teams and Tribes
Staff Matters Staff ISSUE 08 | WEEK 10
Matters
ISSUE 300 | WEEK 37
AFFORD ACADEMY LAUNCHES!
Afford achieved another considerable milestone last year, the launch of Afford Academy. Afford Academy will change the future of Afford. Recognised as an employer of choice, our staff will now have the best training in the disability sector. Afford Academy will ensure all Team Leaders and District Managers have the best training available to them by delivering a unique intensive program for leaders to teach, guide, support and equip them to do their jobs with confidence. Afford Academy launched its first team leadership 4 step training program on the 27th of July 2020.
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Academy
Staff attend a five-day intensive training workshop followed by five days of ‘shadowing’ an experienced Team Leader to reinforce training learnt throughout the program. Once staff complete the ten days of training and shadowing, they move into the role with support. New Team Leaders will have on-call specialist support from a dedicated team for two months to implement training and learning and enable them to reach out to other leaders on the program. After two months, staff attend a one-day refresher and one-day assessment to test applied learnings. Successful completion of the program and pass mark on assessment will then be celebrated with an official Afford Academy Graduation! Congratulations to those who were our first Afford Academy attendees. You have become part of Afford history!
TAKING LEARNING TO THE NEXT LEVEL
We are excited to announce the upcoming launch of Afford’s new learning resource to support our staff’s continuing professional development, Afford Learning! The new platform will replace our old learning portal, ELMO. The new learning hub will make it easier for staff to access innovative, interactive learning and development resources and tools. Three months of hard work has all paid off as we proudly showcase our new learning platform for our staff to learn about all things Afford. This is just one of the things that make our staff the best trained in the sector!
learning
Staff will receive certificates and achievements as they move through the modules, encouraging a sense of accomplishment. Afford Learning launched in October 2020 and it was fantastic to see sites get involved in holding their launch events. Exciting times ahead as we gear up for an entirely new way of learning The Afford Way. The game has changed when it comes to learning at Afford and we can’t wait to see our staff excel in their learning and enjoy the new platform. “Today is the day to learn something new.”
Afford Teams and Tribes
Matters Staff Matters Staff Staff Matters ISSUE 08 | WEEK 10
August 7, 2020 Issue 269
ISSUE 300 | WEEK 37
Top Selfies From The Last 50 Editions!
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Afford Teams and Tribes
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Matters Staff Matters Staff Staff Matters ISSUE 08 | WEEK 10
August 7, 2020 Issue 269
ISSUE 300 | WEEK 37
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Afford Teams and Tribes