Staff Matters – Issue 120

Staff matters September 15, 2017 - Issue 120 Week 10

Recognising Service Superstars!

Annual Customer Service Awards

P EM

OF

LOYER

CHOICE

In This Issue 1 Recognising Service

Superstars! Annual Customer Service Awards

2 Staff Profile Afford Bonding at the Mater Dei Gala Ball Cherrywood Hub Logo Ripe For the Picking

3 Jodie Scores Try Time Achievement Award

Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate the achievements of our amazing staff at the Afford 2016/2017 Annual Customer Service Award presentation this week.

Being nominated and winning the monthly awards is a fantastic achievement in itself, with strong competition each month driven by our organisation’s focus on exceptional customer service levels.

The very deserving annual award winners consistently go the extra mile to exceed the expectations of our clients and their business units.

Our 2016/2017 Annual Customer Service Award Winners are: • 1st PLACE – ANTHONY FITZGERALD (Campbelltown & Lurnea Lifestyle Centres) $4,000 trip to Hawaii or destination of his choice!

• 2nd PLACE – ANASTASIA ARTHANDI (Team Leader, Kings Park) $2,500 trip to the Gold Coast or destination of her choice!

• 3rd PLACE – TONI HOOPER (Raffles Call Centre) $1,000 5-star getaway in Sydney or a destination of her choice!

Congratulations to all the winners and to all those who were nominated and won throughout the year.

Afford is proud of the industry leading service we provide our clients and their families and it because of the tremendous efforts of our staff that we can continue to call ourselves a leading disability service provider in Sydney!

Let your abilities soar www.afford.com.au

Afford Allied Health Team Give Client A Voice for the First Time

4 Canterbury Bankstown Granting Afford Sponsorship

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

Staff matters

2

September 15, 2017 - Issue 120

Staff Profile

Afford Bonding at the Mater Dei Gala Ball Mater Dei is a Macarthur based school that aligns with Afford’s ethos of ‘inclusion for all’. The school aims to deliver a holistic program that attends to the individual learning and social needs of all of their students.

Anne Haumono

Production Supervisor Ingleburn Favourite Song: Don’t really have a favourite song.

Favourite Movie: Gone With the Wind.

Favourite Hobbies: Cooking Favourite Foods: Scotch Fillet & salmon.

If you could be an animal what would you be: Bear What is your dream holiday destination: Europe If you had the power what would you change about the world: Make the world a better place.

What is the nicest thing someone has ever done for you: Bought me a car.

If you had to teach something what would you teach: Respect and manners.

Something no one knows about me: I’m a JP.

Afford welcomes many ex-Mater Dei students to the Afford community once they have completed their studies, so we were honoured to join as a sponsor for Mater Dei’s 17th Annual Gala Ball. This prestigious black-tie event is by invitation only and held at The Cube Convention and Entertainment Centre at Campbelltown.

Afford was proud to be a corporate sponsor at the Ball on Saturday night, and were glad to play a role in supporting the school to fundraise toward a structured work placement curriculum.

10 Afford staff members joined students, their families, school staff and others to enjoy a fun filled Casino Royale themed night. Afford staff were right on theme, giving their best 007 Bond impressions on the night.

We look forward to continuing our support at next year’s event.

Cherrywood Hub Logo Ripe For the Picking The transformation will soon be complete!

The Cherrywood Super Site is a hive of activity and a sensory playground for all who attend as part of their Lifestyle Centre programs.

To celebrate the transformation, a new logo has been created specifically for the Super Site. Afford’s signature colourful origami cranes are designed in the shape of a cherry tree, in homage to the thriving hub of activity and opportunities available at the Cherrywood Super Site!

We look forward to soon sharing the completion and launch of the Cherrywood Super Site in October!

let your abilities soar

www.afford.com.au

Staff matters

3

a Afford Allied Health Team a Social Success

September 15, 2017 - Issue 120

Jodie Scores Try Time Achievement Award Residents from Cherrywood, True Blue, Dolphin Cove and Billabong group homes had a blast during their rugby league football season this year.

The Brother’s Try Time program, run by Barry Costa, aims to inspire our residents to group together and become an accomplished rugby league team that can kick personal goals every week. The game has done amazing things for our clients’ athletic development and aligns with Afford’s healthy lifestyle program.

The team are dedicated, attend training each week and have shown amazing improvement in their on-field skills and teamwork.

Yesterday, the Try Time program held their presentation at Hickey Lane in Penrith. Afford resident, Jodie Stitt, was awarded the Achievement Award for all her efforts throughout the season.

Afford are proud to see our clients kicking goals on and off the field every week.

GO BROTHER’S TRY TIME!

Afford Allied Health Team Give Client A Voice for the First Time

This week, one of our Speech Pathology clients had an amazing achievement – he has started communicating for the first time thanks to specialised phone apps. He was extremely passive and disengaged with others, but thanks to the technology he is working with alongside Afford Speech Pathologist, he is beginning to come out of his shell and share his thoughts with others.

This is a truly life changing achievement, and his family are thrilled that he has found his voice through his phone. Our Speech Pathologists will continue to develop the client’s confidence in using communication apps, and we cannot wait to hear about his progress.

Also, over the past 10 weeks, 12 clients who had been referred to the Afford Speech and Language Pathology Team have been attending weekly language and social skills groups. These groups have been an overwhelming success, with positive feedback received from group members and staff.

Small group therapy is a great way for our clients to meet their communication goals in a fun and motivating environment. These groups are designed to help participants develop their social skills, expand expressive language and – most importantly – it provides clients with the opportunity to meet and make friends with people from all across Afford!

let your abilities soar

www.afford.com.au

Staff matters

4

September 15, 2017 - Issue 120

Canterbury Bankstown Granting Afford Sponsorship Afford is grateful to receive many community grants, secured throughout the year thanks the tireless efforts of our fantastic Grants Team.

to

Funds provided through grants allow Afford the opportunity to incorporate new resources and develop facilities that ultimately deliver the best experiences, programs and services for our clients.

Toni Preston (Grants Team), Faviola Poblete (Condell Park Lifestyle Centre) and Yvonne Droulias and Kari Jayatilleke (Belmore) attended the Canterbury Bankstown Grants Presentation at Campsie RSL recently. On behalf of Afford, the team were presented with a number of grants as part of the Community Grants and Events Sponsorship Program 2017.

The projects funded through the grants included: $7,500 modified art therapy sessions at Condell Park Lifestyle Centre; $3,000 Health and Fitness programs at Belmore Lifestyle Centre and $1,100 Funathon Sponsorship.

The generous support of our community partners enables Afford to enhance client experiences and ensures that we continue to lead the industry in disability supports and services.

fl iweeek

Sef the o

IIn the Selfie Above: Welcome Madison Kantanka the newest edition to the HR Team, daughter of Lily (Recruitment Assistant) and self-appointed Grandma Maureen (Recruitment Manager).

Please send in your selfies

let your abilities soar www.afford.com.au

Have a laugh