MAXLink Newsletter
Issue 11 | April 2014
MESSAGE FROM THE NATIONAL OPERATIONS MANAGER JOHN P CONWAY
I am sure your experience will be both a positive and motivating one, where we are working with you to achieve your employment goals.
Have you heard of the MAX Assist App? The MAX Assist App gives DES Clients who are working, the opportunity to access 24 hour support for those times when they feel that they would like to speak with one of our staff about any issues affecting their work. It is free to download and only takes five minutes to register.
As a company, we are proud to have welcomed a large number Welcome to the eleventh of new participants into our edition of the MAXLink services. We are now working newsletter, which is our way of with in excess of 10,000 communicating with you, our DES participants in both the valued DES participants. We Employment Support Service If you have any questions, have just completed a very busy and Disability Management please contact our Help Desk period in our DES Business Service programs across more on 1800 805 505. which saw us take on many new than 90 of our sites. I wish you all continued success clients in Queensland during Our integrated model is the and give you my commitment February as well as more than key to the success of our that we will continue to 2300 DMS clients joining MAX participants and you will work with you on your Employment nationally as part have the opportunity to work journey towards sustainable of the Department’s business closely with your Placement employment! It is only when reallocation process. Consultants, in conjunction with you succeed, that we succeed. This recent change took place our Health Services Officers Please see page four to be over the weekend of 1st and and Training teams. inspired by one of our client’s 2nd March and we are busily good news story. engaging with clients to commence them in our service. I trust that many have found the transition an easy one and that “You can never cross the ocean until you you have commenced working have the courage to lose sight of the with your Placement Consultant and dedicated teams at your shore.” – Christopher Columbus local office. 1.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY? We are committed to providing a quality program to our DES participants and welcome feedback from you on how to improve our services. You are encouraged to do this at any time (see MAX Employment Job Seeker brochure for details) or by completing the Job Seeker Feedback Evaluation form that will be sent to you. This provides an ideal opportunity to take an active part in the development and review of policies, practices, procedures and factors that influence overall service provision.
If any concerns arise that you wish to comment on the levels and/or type of service provided, we would appreciate hearing from you. In the first instance we welcome you to raise matters locally and will offer you appropriate follow up and feedback within two working days.
With required levels of consent we also welcome the involvement of family, friends, carers or advocates in this feedback and complaints process.
If you are still not satisfied with the course of action taken you are encouraged to phone the Complaints Resolution and Referral Service (CRRS) on 1800 880 052 (free call).
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Should you wish to pursue matters further you can discuss them with our National Quality Manager who can be contacted on (07) 3809 5100 or at quality@maxnetwork. com.au.
IS WORK GETTING YOU DOWN? Do you feel like you don’t want to go to work because the situation there is unbearable? Did the boss just say something to you that makes you think you are going to lose your job? Do you feel like walking out and tossing the job away? Rather than letting it play on your mind or do something you may regret later, did you know that you can speak with a representative of MAX Employment any time, day or night? This is a free service and is available to any of our DES participants who are employed in any type of work. To access this service, all you need to do
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We look forward to working together with you and having your active involvement within your Disability Employment Services program.
is download the MAX Assist App from the iTunes store to your iPhone and register your details with our Help Desk. After downloading and registering your MAX Assist App, you simply push the phone number below the ‘help’ button when the need arises. This will put you straight through to someone who will listen to you without judgement and will set things in motion to try and resolve the issues you face at work. Remember, this service is available for you 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year.
NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR DISABILITY SERVICES Any organisation or business that provides services to persons with disability in Australia must undergo an annual review to show that it is treating its participants with the dignity and respect they deserve.
AUDIT OPENING SESSION
MAX Employment will be participating in a review of its services by our auditors between 13 May and 3 July 2014. You are welcome to attend the opening and/or closing sessions of this review.
Tuesday, 13 May 2014 at 9.15 am MAX Employment National Support Centre 141 Barbaralla Drive, Springwood, QLD 4127 Refreshments Provided
Simply accept the invitation and we will look forward to seeing you there. If you are unable to attend in person, then you may choose to dial in via telephone. Let us know and we will provide you with a toll free number to call on the day.
Thursday, 3 July 2014 at 2.00 pm MAX Employment National Support Centre 141 Barbaralla Drive, Springwood, QLD 4127 Refreshments Provided
AUDIT CLOSING SESSION (incorporating Audit Debrief)
Please RSVP to Sonny Sheedy on 1800 807 505 or via des@maxemployment.com.au by Friday, 9 May 2014
MAX EMPLOYMENT MARRICKVILLE OFFICIALLY OPENS On April 22, 2014 MAX Employment opened a new office in Marrickville, New South Wales, servicing job seekers under the Disability Employment Services – Disability Management Service contract. Above: Louise Nelson, Gabriel Akkary & Deborah Homewood at the Marrickville office opening. Below: Deborah Homewood with Mark Manukonga from Rainbow Lodge.
MAX Employment Managing Director, Deborah Homewood was joined by local job seekers, employers, community organisations and representatives from the Department of Social Services to officially open the new premises.
As part of MAX Employment’s commitment to changing lives, the organisation made a $1500 donation to Rainbow Lodge, a local organisation providing supported transitional accommodation services to men released from NSW Correction Centres. The donation will be used to help fund daily activity programs for clients, assisting them in the development of life skills and job readiness. The new MAX Employment Marrickville premises is located at 252 Marrickville Road, Marrickville and can be contacted on 02 9572 4800.
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GOOD NEWS STORY Peter* first came to MAX Employment as a client looking to register with us directly. At his first appointment Peter brought along his mum, Sara* and explained that he had been blind from birth. He also mentioned that one of his real passions was music.
final year of school. It was not fair that Peter had spent his whole first year out of school confused about his future; talking himself in to believing that he would not succeed in employment.
I had previously worked for a disability organisation. So, When we got on to the after my first meeting with topic of what kind of work Peter I sent an email to my old Peter would like to do, his boss explaining about Peter suggestions struck me as kind and his awesome musical of odd. He was suggesting talents. I proposed that he jobs like mail sorting, or might like to meet Peter and process line work, and while potentially hire him as a music these are perfectly respectable therapist for clients. My old jobs I asked Peter why he boss called me within minutes wouldn’t want to do something of my email and said he’d love using his passion and talent for to meet Peter. music. Peter looked surprised Over the next few weeks I and said that because he is blind there were probably very had a number of meetings with my old boss and Peter few jobs that he could do. to make sure we were all This made me feel really sad on the same page. Early in for Peter; that at 18 years old February, Peter started his he believed he would never dream job. Peter works eight be able to do a job he loved hours a week , facilitating small because of his disability. group sessions for clients with disability - playing music and I then explained to Peter and interacting with them. Peter his mum about all the support loves his job and his employer that MAX could offer Peter, couldn’t be happier having not only in looking for work hired him. but also in his job for as long as was necessary. Peter and his The thing that I have found mum were amazed, but I was working in this role is that shocked, I didn’t understand there are so many employers why something like the out there who want to support DES program had not been people with disabilities they discussed with Peter during his just don’t know how to. What
seems to be the key is working with a DES provider. As a DES provider we are committed to making sure clients receive the best possible support. We also work hard to foster strong relationships with local employers, ensuring a successful outcome for all involved. The reason why I think this program is so important to people with disabilities is because without it someone like Peter might have gone his whole life believing that his talents and skills weren’t valuable, simply because he can not see. Peter’s vision impairment is merely one element of a lovely and caring young man who is already making a dramatic impact on other persons with disability. * Names have been changed to protect their privacy
“Change your thoughts and you change your world.” – Norman Vincent Peale www.maxemployment.com.au
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