Staff Matters 113

Staff matters July 28, 2017 - Issue 113 Week 3

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Reimagining Afford Employment

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In This Issue 1 Reimagining Afford Employment

employment

2 Staff Profile Minto Pallets A Solid Performer Akash a Rising Star

3 Reimagining Afford

Employment Continued

4 Dean Our Star Employee Digs Afford

Selfie Of the Week Have a Laugh

As we know, the introduction of the NDIS has greatly changed the disability landscape. The promise of stronger vocational outcomes in the next year of NDIS transition and the flexibility of funding for vocational outcomes has created a range of opportunities for Afford Employment.

Afford Employment now enters the challenging and very exciting stage of redefining what we do and how we do it. The synergies between the 3 arms of Afford Employment, ADEs, TTW and DES continue to grow and develop each day as we strive to create a whole of life vocational pathway for our clients.

Our Transition to Work department are working tirelessly toward engaging school leavers to explore the world of opportunities presented by engaging in work. TTW helps young adults identify their passion and discover vocational pathways that may never have been presented to them before.

Continued on Page 3.

Giving you the freedom to soar www.afford.com.au

Reminder Don’t forget to send your/clients’ achievements, good news stories and photos to CELEBRATE@afford.com.au

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July 28, 2017 - Issue 113

Staff Profile

Mark Riding

Warehouse Supervisor Ingleburn Favourite Song: Over Kill Favourite Movie: Avengers Favourite Hobbies: Sailing Favourite Foods: Cookies If you could be an animal what would you be: A kookaburra What is your dream holiday destination: Malta If you had the power what would you change about the world: Peace for all.

What is the nicest thing someone has ever done for you: MyMother bought me into the world.

If you had to teach something what would you teach: Understanding Something no one knows about me: Not telling!

Giving you the freedom to soar

Minto Pallets A Solid Performer Who ‘wood’ have thought when Gary Harrison started up the small pallet business for Afford in 1999 it would grow into $7 million dollar business employing up to 34 Supported Employees.

In 2003, the pallet business outgrew their factory and moved into the purpose built site at Minto.

From humble beginnings that required everything be made by hand, to now having a large computerised pallet machine that is capable of making 1,300 pallets in a shift, the Minto pallet business has become a solid performer for Afford.

Gary and his team have created a stable and positive culture at Minto, where 17 of the Supported Employees have been able to thrive and grow with the business for over 15 years.

They work tirelessly to produce and sell 5,000 pallets, 100 beds, 500 pegs and 500 second hand pallets weekly.

A fantastic achievement in a highly competitive market.

They are looking forward to greater returns next year, with the market being extremely competitive in recent years due to timber prices being so volatile under the housing boom.

With the dedicated, hardworking Minto team leading the way, there is no doubt that our Afford Pallets business will continue to be a solid business performer!

Akash a Rising Star

Akash is one of our stars! Akash initially came to Afford from DES Blacktown and is one of our success stories from the reimagined Afford Employment, that has each of its 3 arms working collaboratively to achieve the best possible outcomes for clients.

Akash has worked in our Scanning Department in the ADEs and has done a great job on his projects there.

As he is studying a degree in finance and commerce, Akash has been a valuable addition to our team Akash is now not only working within our ADEs completing administration, but he has recently taken on a role with our Marketing Department assisting with invoicing, and is now moving into NAV user entry and entry of our NDIS participants.

His friendly nature and keen to learn attitude is making Akash a great addition to our team!

We also can’t wait to hear his amazing guitar performance at Afford’s Got Talent.

www.afford.com.au

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July 28, 2017 - Issue 113

Reimagining Afford Employment Continued The introduction of the NDIS School Leaver Employment Support (SLES) Program adopts an individual, outcomes approach where trainees can engage in activities such as open market work experience and group based skills development around becoming ‘Work Ready’. This progress is all made whilst working towards achieving Qualifications and Training relevant to the Industry they would like to work in.

Most excitingly, this year will see a rewrite of our Transition to Work program as we release the new Soar to Success Program which will be launched next month.

Afford ADEs have also seized the opportunities presented to us by the NDIS, which are giving our supported employees even more opportunities to grow and develop. Our ADEs are adopting a strong commercial focus as we work toward cementing ourselves in the market place as a reliable, customer focused co-packing service provider. Afford ADEs are developing our internal systems and processes to give customers a streamlined and efficient service. The implementation of NAV inventory, capacity planning and load sharing as well as our commitment to staff and employees training and development is taking our ADEs to new levels. Our new Employer of Choice initiative will also be recognising the great work supported employees do every day.

The successful procurement of Diageo and Colgate work are the stepping stones towards Afford ADEs competing in a commercial marketplace. Afford ADEs strongly align with the other 2 arms of Afford Employment, as we are working towards identifying and developing social enterprise opportunities to engage supported employees in new vocational pathways. Afford ADEs are assisting supported employees to gain skills in mainstream roles such as Gardening, Catering, Lawn Maintenance, Administration and Accounts.

Afford ADEs are recreating themselves as training centres which provide opportunities for people with a disability who are looking for work in the open market. By collaborating with DES, Afford Employment is creating more opportunities for potential job seekers to work in a trial work environment and gain work experience. ADEs are a new step on the pathway for job seekers as it provides a supportive environment where they can develop leadership skills and new found confidence that they can take into the open market.

As we move through Afford Employment, our DES department is going from strength to strength, with two 5 Star sites and two 4 stars. This makes all of our DES sites well above the National Average, and the 3rd highest performer nationally! Afford DES deliver a high quality model of one-on-one service, a model which will be utilised in all areas of Afford Employment. DES provide specialist support services to help develop job seekers and give them the tools for success that they need. DES offer tailored services to their job seekers to help overcome barriers to employment, as well as ongoing on the job support.

Afford DES are working closely with the ADEs and TTW to help develop a knowledge base for staff around overcoming employment barriers, preparation for work, as well as identifying opportunities and outcomes.

The reimaging of Afford Employment is well and truly underway with all departments are eager to give clients clear vocational pathways towards achieving their dreams, and provide them the support necessary to do so. Who knows what the future will hold, but the sky is the limit for the new Afford Employment department.

Giving you the freedom to soar

www.afford.com.au

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July 28, 2017 - Issue 113

Dean Our Star Employee Digs Afford Meet Dean, one of our Star Employees at Minchinbury ADE. He was awarded the Star Employee of the Month for being a great team player in the factory with the Afford ‘can do’ attitude! Dean always puts his hand up to try new things & ensures our factory is sparkling clean.

Since moving over to Afford Dean Minchinbury ADE and moving into one of our Group Homes, Dean has truly blossomed. He loves the Afford Lifestyle so much that he made a special request to be featured in Staff Matters this week to let everyone know!

Dean instantly became an invaluable team member at Afford, as a hard working Supported Employee who wholeheartedly throws himself into any task he takes on. He has incredible drive that even won him a medal in the Special Olympics for Swimming.

He is extremely houseproud and enjoying the independence of living in his new group home, which he helped decorate. He especially loves his vegetable garden and never forgets to weed and water the yard.

Dean is a shining example of the great work our supported employees do every day at Afford!

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In the Selfie Above: Staff Albert Shlemon, NDIS Internal Support Co-ordinator taking a selfie with the Afford Logo.

Please send in your selfies

Giving you the freedom to soar www.afford.com.au

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