ACCORD GROUP STAFF MAGAZINE WINTER 2014
ACCORDGROUP.ORG.UK
Colleagues come together to celebrate this year’s staff awards Turn to page four now to find out who this year’s Great People Award winners are.
Sarah Marsden, winner of the Sharon Blower Special Recognition Award, 2014
THE WORD
Accord Group staff magazine
WINTER 2014
You said, we did! Welcome Welcome to the Winter edition of The Word. Firstly, I’d like to congratulate all of our winners and finalists at our 2014 Great People Awards. You can read more about who won what on page four and five now. Just missed out this year? Keep your eyes peeled for next year’s awards launching in Spring 2015. In this issue you can read news, views and notes from your colleagues in the new mailbag feature. If you’ve got something to say, whether it celebrating a fantastic project or thanking a colleague, get in touch and we’ll publish a message from you in our mailbag. My contact details are below. Finally, as the end of 2014 approaches, I want to take this opportunity to thank you for submitting some great stories over the last 12 months. If you want be involved next year, let me know. Happy holidays. See you in 2015.
In the last edition we moved our newsletter online, offering you more content than ever before. We asked you to tell us what you thought…
You said… You liked the simplistic style and design.
This year, our corporate annual report was launched at our Annual General Meeting (AGM). Over 120 people attended the event which was held at the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley. Guests heard a special performance of ‘I Vow to Thee, Black Country’ from Black Country band, The Empty Can.
So… We’ve kept it colourful, light and rich with lovely images and photos.
You said… Some pages were too text heavy.
So… We have taken a look
at the last edition and we acknowledge that the business plan information (which is very important) meant that there was more text, and more pages than normal. We hope you find this edition has a better balance.
You said… The hard copy versions don’t have all the content.
So… We have made sure that the printed versions (which you’ll find in staff rooms and break-out areas) now contain exactly the same content as what is online.
Elaine
You said… I find it hard to
Email: elaine.wolkowicz@ accordgroup.org.uk Telephone: 0121 500 2393 Twitter: @elainewolkowicz
the font from a condensed typeface to something more universally user-friendly.
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Annual reports are launched!
read sometimes.
So… We have changed
Customer annual report out now! Following the success of last year’s video, this year’s customer annual report took the form of a film. The digital report has been produced by customers, for customers, with the film containing photos, interviews and highlighting the Group’s achievements over the last 12 months. You can find the corporate Group annual report on our website accordgroup.org.uk/ publications.
Mailbag
Email it to Got something to share? group.org.uk and we’ll publish it here! ord acc z@ elaine.wolkowic
Just a line to let you know Just how far our staff will go. A pensioner mugged and knocked abou t Gained confidence and went back out. Our Angie has enriched his life Now he’s looking for a wife. He’s going down the greyhound track , And suddenly his mates are back. Maybe he’ll meet a partner there? All thanks to Priority Care. Janet Chand, Heantun
In September, myself and a group of colleagues cycled y 101 miles as part of a sponsored bike ride to raise mone ed receiv We ne. Osbor Tina gue in memory of our collea such a fantastic and generous response Group-wide and we are delighted to announce that we have now rt. raised an amazing £1,926 for Macmillan Cancer Suppo gave on, us d cheere who Thank you to everyone sponsorship money and helped us remember Tina in such a wonderful way. ger Anil Farmah, Group Learning and Development Mana Group d Accor ), inator co-ord (and cycle
Well done to everyone who helped us make our Macmillan Coffee morning a great success! We raised a fantastic £115 for charity and everyone said they really enjoyed the delicious cakes, arts and crafts session and fun competitions. Thanks everyone ! Kim Gill, Ribbon Court
Clearing the house but not sure what to do with your old things? We want your unwanted furniture to help our re-use enterprise, Already Loved Furniture. Already Loved Furniture take (and collect, in some cases) old or unwanted furniture and give it a new lease of life to sell on. The company sells furniture and household items to the public, colleagues and customers. All Accord Group customers and those in receipt of benefits will receive a discounted purchase price. So what can you donate? We need you to donate the following items in good condition:
3 Crockery – cups, mugs, plates and bowls 3 Dining tables and chairs 3 Desks, office chairs 3 Bookcases, chest of drawers 3 Lamps 3 Sofas, chairs and three-piece suites 3 Beds and other bedroom furniture 3 Coffee tables. For more information, please contact Stephen Sharman 01922 705286 on or email stephen. sharman@caldmoreaccordha.org.uk and explain what you have to donate. If you live within a 15 mile radius of the Innovation Works in Darlaston, the Already Loved Furniture team can arrange collection. Alternatively, the team will arrange an alternative way for you to donate. 3
THE WORD
Accord Group staff magazine
WINTER 2014
Stars in their eyes! On 25 November, over 100 colleagues attended this year’s Great People Awards ceremony at Wolverhampton Racecourse. The event celebrated the achievements of individuals, teams and volunteers from across the Group, who were nominated by their colleagues.
With an incredible 231 nominations received for the awards, a panel of judges made up of senior members of staff from across the Group and Staff Voices representatives, selected 49 finalists and 19 winners from the impressive entries. Chief Executive, Chris Handy, presented the awards along with Group Chair, Barrie Blower and Group NonExecutive Director, Ghulam Shabar. The quality of nominations was extremely high and Chris Handy thanked all who were nominated for the fantastic work being carried out across the Group.
Enjoying the day
Springboard project won Scheme of the Year
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Capturing success
Barrie surveys his audience
Sarah Marsden accepts her special award
Sarah Turner heads to the stage
THE WORD
Accord Group staff magazine
WINTER 2014
The winners are: Value awards
Christine Farr, Cartlidge House, Care and Support; Tina Dalton, Transformation team, Caldmoreaccord; Amanda Shaw, Finance team, Accord Group; Valerie Morris, Staffordshire Re-settlement team, Heantun; Joy Wright, Staffordshire Re-settlement team, Heantun; Sarah Turner, Darlaston locality, Caldmoreaccord; Daniela Lagana, Human Resources team, Accord Group; Mandy Holcroft, Caldmoreaccord; Lisa Bridges, Trittiford Road, Care and Support
Outstanding Internal Customer Service
Claire Mason Floating Admin team, Accord Group
Outstanding External Customer Service
Jacky Long Showell Court, Care and Support
Team of the Year
Housing Management team, Heantun
Scheme of the Year
Springboard project, Fry Housing Trust
Volunteer of the Year
Craig Williams Transformation team, Caldmoreaccord
Apprentice of the Year
Ashley Lovell Customer Engagement team, Accord Group Stan Palmer was Best Newcomer
Tina Dalton was a double-winner!
Make it Count
Katie Gallon Ashrammoseley
Best Community Initiative
Tina Dalton Transformation team, Caldmoreaccord
Best Newcomer of the Year
Stan Palmer Already Loved Furniture, Caldmoreaccord
Sharon Blower Special Recognition Award Lisa Bridges was presented with her award at Trittiford Road
Sarah Marsden 5
THE WORD
Accord Group staff magazine
spotlight on… What is your name, title and location? Hi, I’m Jacki Lakin and I’m the City Deal Project Director. I’m based at Heantun Housing in Bilston, but I work across the City Deal areas of Bilston East, Darlaston South, Princes End and Kates Hill. What three words best describe you? Crazy cat lady! Or perfectionist, independent, determined. How long have you worked for the Group? Since June 2014 What is the best bit about your job? I really enjoy doing something different to help the ‘hardest to reach’ people in the communities. I really feel like I can genuinely make a difference to people’s lives. Every day is different. I enjoy being out and about and meeting a variety of people from all walks of life. What three things would you take on a desert island? Pen and paper (which I’m hoping counts as one thing), a camera and some music. When and where are you happiest? I’m happiest in the Summer. I would like to be either at 80s festivals or enjoying myself on a Greek island.
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WINTER 2014
MEET THE TEAM
Corporate Housing Services
Who is in the team? The team is headed up by Amanda Nicholls – Director of Corporate Services and includes colleagues from Customer Engagement, Performance and Quality and Customer First. What does the team do? Our new strapline is ‘adding value through trusted partnerships.’ We aim to deliver a seamless service to both internal and external customers, which adds value as well as drives corporate objectives and shared goals. We want to assist the localities in transforming housing services as well as the customer experience, ensuring that what the Accord Group delivers is ‘best in class’. We are the ‘go to’ team for: a b c d
Quality performance and statistical data/data analysis Research into best practice Exploratory work into existing systems and practices First response to customer enquiries via our Customer First contact centre e Support with all forms of customer engagement activity f Community development facilitation. Who do you work with? We work with all central teams and across all localities. We work directly with customers to co-produce and co-design services and ensure that their views are heard. We have developed a set of pledges with our internal customers so that they know what they can expect from us. We have created a new online forum on the intranet that will give us the opportunity to keep colleagues in the loop and more importantly, offer locality teams the opportunity to give us instant feedback. Where are you based? The Customer Engagement team and Customer First are based on the first floor at West Bromwich. The Performance and Quality team is based at Fry. Whilst we are based ‘centrally’, we spend time in localities so that we are familiar with the issues that both our customers and frontline staff are faced with.
THE WORD
Accord Group staff magazine
WINTER 2014
NEWS
from across the Group Got a story? Email elaine.wolkowicz@accordgroup.org.uk
Heantun’s buddy scheme The buddy scheme is an innovative befriending service introduced in February 2013 by the Heantun Foster Care Support team, to carers who have been approved by Wolverhampton City Council. The buddy is an experienced foster carer who volunteers their time in order to share their expertise and insight of fostering and offers emotional and practical support. The buddy is committed to the carer they are matched to, offering reliability and sensitivity to the issues that arise for carers; enthusiastic but realistic whilst remaining professional at all times. Our buddy scheme does not replace existing services, but instead works alongside partners, as an additional area of support, in order to enhance the first six months of a carers journey and helps to ensure the stability of placements for looked after children. Mature carers can access this specialist support depending upon the challenge they may face for example allegations made by a child or young person they are looking after. To date, Heantun have trained 16 dedicated buddies, who have supported 39 carers.
Awards scooped! We are celebrating after scooping two awards at the Institute of Asian Businesses annual awards dinner. Saqib Bhatti, Chair of the IAB, and Mike Hopkins, Principal at South and City College Birmingham, presented the awards for Employer of the Year to the Accord Group and Apprentice of the Year to Accord Group’s Shabana Zafar, in a glittering ceremony at the ICC in Birmingham. Apprentice of the Year (Business Administration), Shabana Zafar, is an Apprentice Housing Officer at Ashrammoseley, part of the Accord Group. Shabana is 12 months into her three year apprenticeship and will progress onto a Level three Housing qualification. The Institute of Asian Businesses Awards are an annual event bringing together the Asian Community in a celebration of recognition. The IAB specialises in the business needs of Asian businesses in Birmingham and Solihull.
New clothes bank
Direct Health award joy
Caldmoreaccord have created a new clothes bank and urgently need unwanted work wear that would be suitable for job interviews to help customers starting a new job to look the part. In addition, donations of warmer clothes for all ages would be welcomed, as would non-schoolbranded uniform such as trousers, jumpers, boots and shoes. To donate, contact Tina Dalton at Jervis Court on 01922 705 280, or by email tina.dalton@caldmoreaccordha.org.uk.
Four colleagues are celebrating after winning Care Team of the Year for their work. Pamela Adams, Suzanne Nagington, Judith Rixom and Jodie Rixom, who all work for Direct Health in Telford, were recognised for their outstanding contributions at this year’s Great West Midlands Care Awards. The Great West Midlands Care Awards took place at the National Motorcycle Museum in Solihull on Friday, 24 October 2014. Well done team! 7
THE WORD
Accord Group staff magazine
WINTER 2014
Take a break
Try your luck with these competitions and win £20
Wordsearch
Win a £20 voucher
Simply find the word that is NOT in the wordsearch to be in with the chance of winning £20 Love2Shop vouchers, which can be redeemed at over 20,000 stores. Send your answer to The Accord Group, c/o Elaine Wolkowicz, 178 Birmingham Road, West Bromwich, West Midlands, B70 6QG or email elaine.wolkowicz@accordgroup. org.uk by Friday, 27 February, 2015. Remember to include the name of the competition that you are entering, your name, address and a phone or email contact. One winner will be chosen at random from all correct entries.
Rudolph
Dasher Dancer
Prancer Vixen
Comet Cupid
Dunder Blixem
Who won Team of the Year at this year’s Great People Awards? Answer the questions opposite to be in with the chance of winning £20 Love2Shop vouchers, which can be redeemed at over 20,000 stores. Send your answers and your name and email address or phone number to The Accord Group, c/o Elaine Wolkowicz, 178 Birmingham Road, West Bromwich, West Midlands, B70 6QG or email elaine. wolkowicz@accordgroup.org.uk by Friday, 27 February, 2015.
What is Jacki Lakin’s job title? Where are the winning Direct Health team based? Who heads up the Corporate Housing Services team? How much money did Ribbon Court raise from their coffee morning? 8