in this issue >>> ISSUE

26

May—June 2017

Employees of the month.

Message from the

Management Committee

Day Program /

Accommodation news.

Section Reports

MACLEAY OPTIONS NEWSLETTER

NDIS provider # 405 000 2720

https://www.facebook.com/MacleayOptionsInc

Are you keeping up with all our news? Find us on facebook;

like our page, share it with your friends and family, become involved and help us grow our

online community .

Transition to Work /Drop In Support /Ageing In

Place / Oasis Day Program & Life Choices news

A message from a grateful Oasis parent:.

“Hi Ladies, just incase you ever wonder if you are making a

difference,,,, this is Bec yesterday on her way to Oasis. Just look at that smile. She was so excited.

Thank you all for taking good care of her and helping her enjoy life.

Buffalo Farm and Football trip wrap up: It was a beautiful day out for service users attending the Lunch with the Buffalo event, the food was delicious and the company was delightful too. Taryn and Dave attended are quoted as saying “it was a great way to spend the day as a couple. We also loved the fact that a 3 month old baby buffalo was roaming the restaurant patio and service users were able to pat and cuddle with him”. The football trip was the most successful holiday event so far ! With just under 40 service users attending it was a massive undertaking but went off (mostly) without a hitch!. We saw the Tigers versus Knights, the Tigers took the win convincingly which was exciting for our Tigers supporters. Luck Andrew Angel even got to meet a few of the players. With

plenty more holiday events on the cards, (including another footy trip in August) everyone should keep an eye out for our flyers and come along next time.

dare

to

Oasis day program update

Everything has been full steam ahead with gearing up to our new extended hours coming

into play 9am-4pm in July this will enable service users to get more out of the program

having a longer day to work towards the goals set in their individual plans.

Oasis participants have been enjoying their usual activities and have enjoyed several great

trips out and about one being at Scott’s Head where they had a Picnic lunch and going to

Ben, Darcy & Letoya Bronwyn Sewing

Rachael at Oasis

Sally beading Michael Cooking Helen Woodworking

Each edition we will be introducing different employees and staff from across the organisation, please do say hello to each other, and share the enjoyment you obtain from being associated with Macleay Options Inc.

I work with the :Mowhawks I love working at Macleay Options because I have met many people and have made many friends. I like to help wherever I can by also working in the Nut room, car washing and in the recycling section doing cocoa bags.

I enjoy going to the Kempsey Riverside markets, watching the Macleay mustangs play footy and l like going to the Kempsey RSL to try and win on the raffle nights.

My hobbies include: Ten Pin bowling in the Week night bowling league competition, some fishing to try and catch a big fish and I love to watch the “Supercars” racing on TV and I often go to Mount Panorama to the Bathurst 1000 to see the action of the “Supercars” live.

Spotlight on: Shane Bowyer

Certificate III Business Administration (traineeship)

What Shane loves about Macleay Options: The many opportunities available. What he loves about the Macleay Valley: Living at the beautiful South West Rocks His favourite hobby / interests: Movies and Xbox One Shane can be found in the 19 Elbow St office on : Tuesdays

Spotlight on: Daniell Kerr

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Management are in the process of converting to the National Standards.

Once this is completed training will be provided on all standards.

Below is an extract of the National Standard 4

Feedback and Complaints

The intent of this standard is to ensure that both positive and negative feedback, complaints and

disputes are effectively handled and seen as opportunities for improvement. To meet this

standard, services are required to have clearly communicated and effective systems in place to

address and resolve issues raised by individuals, families, friends, carers and advocates.

This standard recognises that robust and timely feedback, including compliments and complaints,

is a key driver for continuous improvement. Services should have a range of opportunities to seek

feedback from individuals ranging from : day to day feedback; formal consultation and

engagement; regular satisfaction surveys; consumer groups.

In addition, this standard recognises that people need to feels safe to make a complaint or provide

negative feedback. This includes being able to access independent mechanisms for complaints,

appeals or disputes without fear of adverse consequences or loss of service. The standard also

includes being able to have access to advocates and independent information, support , advice and

representation.

The standard emphasises the importance of:

Clear and regular communication about how to provide feedback including how to make a

complaint;

The use of feedback and complaints to continuously drive service improvements;

Regular, proactive and inclusive feedback systems;

Effective complaints management and resolution;

Transparent dispute management; and

Access to independent information, support, advice and representation to ensure people are

able to provide feedback or make a complaint.

Indigenous Veterans

Commemoration

Service

As part of National Reconciliation Week, the NSW Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Veterans and Services Association conduct the annual Indigenous Veterans Commemoration Ceremony around the Pool of Reflection at the Anzac Memorial. The Ceremony commemorates the service and sacrifice of indigenous veterans who have fought for Australia in every major conflict since the Boer War. This year on the 26th May 2017 members of Kempsey High and Macleay Vocational College, local Elders and Community center personnel traveled to Sydney to attend the event at Hyde Park. We left Kempsey on the 25th May and stayed overnight at the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence in Redfern to prepare for the Ceremony the following day. For those thinking of taking a group to Sydney I would recommend the Centre with comfortable accommodation, excellent catering and a great array of sporting grounds with a fully equipped public gym and swimming pool. On Friday the 26th we attended the ceremony which was similar to the ANZAC day ceremony only specifically remembering the role of Indigenous Servicemen and Women over the many conflicts Australia has been involved in. The day began with a smoking ceremony ,school dancing and singing groups followed by speeches from various Indigenous military personnel, outlining their lives in the military, the Resident Chaplin and His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Ret'd) the governor of NSW. Wreath lying took place with Kempsey being represented by Kempsey High and the Macleay Vocational College students followed by a less formal meeting with a number of military personnel which will be handy in future programs to participate in. The trip was well worth the effort and was a great experience for all those who attended.

Report from :

Gavan Landini

Our Coordinator of

Indigenous Programs

Donations of Saleable Goods,

needed & gratefully accepted

We now have 2 fabulous stores for showcasing our industry products and raising funds for the organisation via the sale of recycled clothing and household items.

Are you cleaning out your cupboards? We happily accept donations of

saleable goods via our SMITH ST Store, where our sorting centre is located. What is a “saleable item? Good condition Unbroken Unchipped Collectables Clothing ( in addition to

saleable we also accept items of clothing with too much wear and tear for either ragging, or if synthetic fabrics, shipping overseas to be turned into mattress filling etc.)

*Clothes;

*Kitchen Items (cutlery, crockery,

pots, pans, glasses and so on)

*linen and towels;

*blankets ;

*furniture ;

*complete board games & puzzles;

*books;

*Fabric remnants;

*Ornaments;

Items to bulky to bring to us? We do collections by prior arrangement on

Fridays. Give us a call on 6563 1271 to make arrangements.

The benefits of donating to our stores: Funds raised stay

in the Macleay Valley Community

Environmental, recycle recycle recycle !

Less ends up in landfill.

New Generator for the Mattress recycling enterprise;

Bag distribution job in full

swing;

and Chainsaw training.

Lots going on around Macleay Options

EMPLOYEE AWARDS May June 2017

Steve Peet— Woodies May2017 David Shanney— Woodies June 2017

Julie Moran- Threads May 2017 Heidi Lowe— Threads June 2017 Amy Hayes— Mowhawks May 2017

Jackson Millard— Mowhawks June 2017

In recognition of having a good attendance, happy nature & being willing to work safely.

You can make a difference? Our fundraising and volunteer efforts go directly towards improving the lives of people with disabilities. The work and care provided by volunteers goes a long way to help them lead full

and rewarding lives and to take on their own valuable role in society. Our volunteers and supporters tell us they find it immensely rewarding to know that they are

making a difference at a very personal level.

Interested in volunteering? Why not call into the Administration office in Smith Street (up the staircase beside the shop) for a information pack today.

VOLUNTEER/Work for the Dole Participant OF THE MONTH

Jennifer Elliott, Macleay Options Stores, without whom our

recycled books sections would be absolute chaos

Wanted:

Used once supermarket bags and recently read newspapers!

Please drop them into our Smith or Elbow St stores to help us reduce landfill and also assist

with reducing our costs for wrapping and packaging customer purchases.

While Lynn was away Lee-Anne and Jacqui held Threads together,

they had a busy time keeping up with the demand for pet beds. We

have recently made a sand pit cover for a local preschool surfboard

covers were also in demand. Jacqui and Lee-Anne appreciated all the

help and assistance from the Threads girls they were a great support .

We are continuing with the NDS bags and Margaret River bags for

Western Australia.

The Mowhawks crews have been very busy over the past months, with lots of new

mowing, pruning and rubbish removal jobs. We also assisted Kempsey Shire Council with

the delivery of over 12,000 yellow recycled bags to all the households in the Macleay that

have garbage service.

A big shout out to all the Mowhawks crews for our excellent team work on the task.

To mix things up we have also been busy picking avocados and helping out in the recycling

section.

May—June 2017

MOMACS NEWS!

Momacs room is in full swing we have had a lot of employees from Mowhawks, Woodies and Threads come in and help out with processing and bagging.

We have been trying to keep up with products for our two retail outlets in between customers hiring out our premises for roasting and pasting their own macadamia kernel.

WOODIES NEWS! May and June have continued to be busy for woodies with orders increasing for survey pegs and hardwood pallets.

Wood boxes have been very popular as it starts to cool off for winter. Woodies are slowly gaining more of our yard and storage space back as the mattress crew has moved back to the tip.

This will enable us to use our space in a much better and uncluttered fashion.

As always James and Sam would like to thank all our employees and a special mention to Elmer and Wayne ( woodies volunteers ) for their efforts and outstanding products they have produced.