Staff Matters 116

Staff matters August 18, 2017 - Issue 116 Week 6

Mikala Steps Up at Afford!

In This Issue 1 Mikayla Steps Up at Afford!

2 Staff Profile Cherrywood Supersites Furry Friends Preston’s Carers Function

3 Rewarding Outstanding Service

Colgate Queen - Star Employee of the Month Mikala is a young woman with a drive to succeed and a positive attitude that ensures she achieves her goals time and time again.

After completing Afford’s Transition to Work program which included some work experience and work readiness training, Mikala began working part time as an Administration Assistant in January this year. She has continually impresses everyone around her with her willingness to learn and efficiency in completing tasks.

She became a full time receptionist for Afford in August this year where she professionally answers the phone and performs administrative duties at Afford Head Office.

Now, Mikala has achieved yet another career milestone with Afford by moving from the Supported Employment Award to the SCHCADS Award this week.

Mikala has moved from strength to strength during her time with Afford.

Congratulations Mikala - you are truly one of Afford’s successful ‘Step it Up’ stories.

Let your abilities soar www.afford.com.au

4 Jyde’s Journey Selfie Of the Week Have a Laugh

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

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August 18, 2017 - Issue 116

Staff Profile

Cherrywood Supersites Furry Friends Before moving into the Cherrywood Supersite, clients from our Penrith Lifestyle Centre rarely had the opportunity to get up close to animals. But this week, client have enjoyed even more animal encounters as they joined Dave from Bushbred to take part in a Horse Assisted Learning Program for people with disability and community support networks.

The Horse Assisted Learning Program is about exploring solutions for life through experiential and experimental interactions with horses.

Kerrie Levinge

Lifestyle Assistant Cherrywood Village Favourite Song: Dancing in the Moonlight Favourite Movie: The Notebook Favourite Hobbies: Gardening, beach, snorkelling, fishing, concerts and Zumba.

Favourite Foods: Indian If you could be an animal what would you be: Pelican, because they only have 1 partner their life.

What is your dream holiday destination: World Trip If you had the power what would you change about the world: For everyone to be treated equal.

What is the nicest thing someone has ever done for you: Listened and let me be me without judgement.

If you had to teach something what would you teach: To treat people how you would like to be treated.

Something no one knows about me: I lost 70kgs.

The program will run from the Cherrywood Supersite and encourages clients to introduce themselves to the horses and build their confidence and the horse’s confidence.

During each session, clients have the opportunity to work towards developing confidence to lead horses through an obstacle course. Clients instantly fell in love with the horses and were thrilled to spend time out in the horse paddock, learning to walk the horses on a lead and direct them where to go.

The program involves helping clients to learn to control frustration and keep calm under challenging situations These are valuable life skills that will not only help clients through the horse assisted learning program running from Cherrywood, but also in real life situations when they need to reduce stress and manage behaviours. The program is a welcome addition to the Cherrywood Supersite, which is quickly becoming a oneof-a-kind for the disability sector.

Preston’s Carers Function Afford’s Carers Program offers families a great opportunity to connect with others with similar experiences and have a night out to themselves.

Carers functions are offered by Afford to build support networks, share experiences and discuss topics such as NDIS, supports, programs, short term accommodation and shared living.

Recently, 13 carers from the South West district enjoyed a get together at Enzo’s Cucina Casula Italian Restaurant. Carers enjoyed a lovely meal together among friends and shared many laughs and stories.

Afford understands that the needs of carers should also be a priority and our Carer’s Program aims to provide the social connections and valuable information that our carers desire.

let your abilities soar

www.afford.com.au

Staff matters a

August 18, 2017 - Issue 116

Rewarding Outstanding Service

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At Afford, we feel that it is very important to recognise those team members that go above and beyond to provide outstanding service time and time again. Our Customer Service Awards is an Employer of Choice initiative and we are committed to rewarding those that provide exceptional service to our clients.

This month, we will launch a new customer service award program which will allow each district/division to develop their own program with a bigger focus on the teams and staff within each district/division.

Our June/July Customer Service Awards were awarded this week and once again we have three deserving winners.

Maureen Brown (Recruitment & Training Manager) is our first prize winner who brings to Afford an amazing energy and kindness like no other. Since she has joined Afford, she has helped resolve recruitment issues by paying attention to details and keeping her cool to ensure all things are run smoothly. Maureen received a whopping 9 votes for her outstanding efforts during Client Free Week training!

Allan Sio (District Manager, Central West) is our second prize winner who is always happy despite his busy schedule to step up to represent Afford at formal events. After a recent request from the Local MP, Guy Zangari, to visit our Canley Vale Lifestyle Centre, Allan very kindly volunteered to conduct this visit on behalf of Steve Herald. All who participated were professional and acted in a manner that has made Afford proud.

Judy Blanch (Team Leader, Chipping Norton) is our third prize winner for being the “go-to” person whenever something needs to be done. She is always the first to offer help when any team member is in need and nothing is ever too much for her to handle. Judy is focussed on team work and always helps staff to achieve their best.

Well done to all our deserving Customer Service Award winners!

Colgate Queen - Star Employee of the Month

Congratulations to Sonya Crawford for being awarded Afford’s August Employee of the Month! Sonya is a very hard worker and all of her supervisors praise her for her commitment to her job. Sonya is a big fan of West Tigers and most days, she turns up to work wearing some form of West Tigers gear.

Known as the ‘Colgate Palmolive Queen’ at Afford’s Ingleburn ADE, Sonya is always ready to pack, unpack, load products to their table, or undertake palletising and performs her best with great proficiency for every task.

Angelo Buenaflor, one of the senior supervisors at the ADE Ingleburn says that he can rely on Sonya because she knows her job very well.

Sonya’s efforts and sincerity have made her a deserving recipient of the Employee of the Month Award and everyone at Afford congratulates her on her wonderful achievements.

let your abilities soar

www.afford.com.au

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August 18, 2017 - Issue 116

Jyde’s Journey Jyde joined the Afford Transition to Work (TTW) program in Minchinbury after his final year in high school. Jyde entered the program a shy and quiet trainee that lacked confidence in his abilities.

Throughout his journey with Afford, Jyde has shown an eagerness and willingness to learn.

He has taken part in all Afford training prorgams and actively seeks opportunities to develop his knowledge and learn new skills that will prepare him for life in the workforce.

JJyde has succeeded in completing his Certificate I in Life Skills at Nepean Community College and Certificate I in Basic Computer Skills at Macarthur College. He is now also in the process of completing his Certificate II in Computer Skills.

To gain some hands-on experience, Jyde was connected with an Afford Employment consultant in Blacktown who was able to secure him a role at Flemington Markets and Clyde Phone Repairs Service to further enhance his skills. He welcomed the new experiences and was excited to interact with the wider community in a work environment. Jyde brings enthusiasm, kindness and a wonderfully strange sense of humour to the Afford TTW team and is an inspirational trainee that has proved time and time again that he is capable of achieving all that he dreams and more.

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In the Selfie Above: Andrew Bryson, Supported Employee at Minchinbury is a die hard Canberra Raiders fan.

Please send in your selfies

let your abilities soar www.afford.com.au

Have a laugh