Sunnyfield Matters Autumn Edition 2023 Unlocking skills with technology We’re creating more inclusive programs with the use of new assistive technology. Your perfect holiday awaits Take a look at our first short and medium term accommodation service on the Central Coast. Creating bright futures Find out how Richard has settled into his new home at Kingfisher House.
Bruce Tosello Chief Customer & Market Engagement Officer Listening to and understanding our customer – the person who chooses Sunnyfield, and not always the person who receives the support service – is critical in ensuring we have the programs and services that are needed, and that they are available when and where they are wanted. In most cases we have good communication between our customers, clients and staff at a local level. So we are going to build on this to develop a customer experience program across all of Sunnyfield. We want to use this information to identify programs and services that customers will find valuable but can’t access today. And we want to know what we should be doing more of, or less of. While we will launch our customer experience program soon, we always want to hear from customers. Today you can use the feedback link on our website, or talk to your local Manager. Matt Cleary Chief Service Delivery Officer 2023 is looking like it is going to be another fantastic year at Sunnyfield. I would like to say a big thanks to all the staff who support clients, your efforts are greatly appreciated. So what are your goals this year? Would you like to try something new? Continue something you have been doing for a while? Or encourage a friend or family to join you? This is ultimately being in control to make choices. Remember having choice and control is about people with disability, their families and carers having control over the course of their lives, including the flexibility to make decisions about the disability services and supports they use. At Sunnyfield we believe this is the cornerstone of living life with dignity. 2 Andrew Hyland Chief Executive Officer It is five months since my appointment as Sunnyfield CEO, and I must firstly acknowledge the great work the Sunnyfield community have delivered over the past 71 years. It is humbling and inspiring. Sunnyfield’s mission to enrich the lives of people with disability by creating choice, opportunities and skills for life is at the centre of what we do, and it is something I reflect on each day to make sure what we do is making a difference in the lives of the people we support. For me personally, ensuring the human rights of people with disability are protected and enabled is the reason I work in this sector. It is a great honour and privilege to lead Sunnyfield, and with your support and trust we can build on these great foundations. What we do would not be possible without the commitment, skills and passion of our people. I have met many of our team members delivering service, and every time I am in awe of the work they do. Our team members come to work every day because they care about the people we support. This is more than a job, it is a vocation. It is inspiring to see our team in action, living the values and supporting clients to live their best lives every day. I also want to recognise the team members not directly involved in service delivery, the people who pay the bills, pay the wages, support the technology, maintain the properties, write the stories and create services, fundraise, recruit and train our employees, and make sure we are compliant with regulatory requirements. This group of people are critical to making sure our service is the best it can be, and I would like to acknowledge they too come to work each day to make a difference in your lives. Now that I have had the opportunity to meet many clients, family members and team members, I can talk a little about the future. We have very strong foundations, and our priority is to build on them to continually improve the quality of our service. Improved quality of service means doing things better tomorrow than we do today; offering more options for you to choose; and ensuring we are listening to you about how you are feeling about the services you receive and how you receive them. The big thing I want to do more of is more listening to you and including you more in how we make decisions. That is the best way for us to improve our service. I really encourage you to participate in the different ways to be included and provide your input. Thank you to everyone for so warmly welcoming me to the Sunnyfield community, and I look forward to meeting many more of you in the future.
Celebrating 71 years Rewind back to 1951, Hazel Whiddon, her husband Fred, and sixteen other parents of children with disability began The Manly Sunnyfield Association. The mission was to build a supportive community for their children, and others like them, where they could flourish and grow with dignity. 71 years later, Hazel’s vision has grown well beyond Manly and today, Sunnyfield provides over 2,000 support services for people with disability with more than 1,300 staff fulfilling our mission across NSW and the ACT. In the past year alone, Sunnyfield teams opened a new Community Hub in Armidale, a new School Leaver Employment Supports location in Chatswood, two new Short Term Accommodation services in Toukley and Greenace, a new Shared Living service in Maroubra and expanded our Support Coordination team to service new regions. We sure know how to stay busy! But as we get on into our sprightly seventies, we remember where it all began. Sunnyfield started as a simple idea, held by a small handful, backed by strength of compassion and belief in the power of community. Hazel and her first group of parents were determined to support their children with the opportunities they deserved, and extend it to all people with disability. That’s the vision we’ve been carrying on for seven decades, and the next seven look even brighter. 3
Inside Lakeview Cottage STA Opening in September 2022, the four-bedroom Lakeview Cottage STA is Sunnyfield’s first Short Term Accommodation (STA) service on the NSW Central Coast and the team has been hard at work making sure the STA is a place that clients will want to return to, over and over again. Lakeview Cottage is beautifully furnished with a spacious, open plan kitchen for preparing delicious and nutritious meals, a separate dining area, and space for indoor activities and games for the occasional rainy days. Outside there is casual and bistro seating, barbeque, lawn games and a garden swing for clients to enjoy with friends. ‘Lakeview’ is no misnomer - there’s a breathtaking vista of the lake and it’s just a short leafy walk down to its shores, together with its lakeside barbeque facilities, sensory garden and cosy café. Zoom out a bit more and the local area has a lot to see and do. With dozens of restaurants, shops, cinemas and theatres on their doorstep, there’s also the famous Norah Head Lighthouse, Australian Reptile Park, Central Coast Zoo, Treetops, and Hunter Valley just a short trip away. And let’s not forget to mention all the pristine beaches and lovely nature hikes everywhere you look! So whether clients are looking for thrilling new experiences or a more laid back refreshing time closer to home, they’ll be spoiled for choice. But most importantly, they’ll be making new friends, learning new things, choosing how they spend their stay, and having an awesome time! Lakeview Cottage STA is not just for clients on the Central Coast. It’s a great holiday location and welcomes guests from far and wide. Introducing Lisa Fairlie Lisa has been leading Sunnyfield’s expansion as our new Service Manager for Lakeview Cottage STA. Lisa is thrilled with the new location and what it represents for Sunnyfield and the clients. She’s focused on client experience up on the Central Coast, ensuring clients are empowered to make choices and learn skills for themselves and importantly that there are smiles all around, with her team ready to support them at every turn. For Lisa, the goal is fulfilling life experiences for every one of her clients. Between the facilities onsite and the great places to visit in the local area, Lisa’s team ensures there is always something exciting to do with fun to be had every day. Whether guests stay for one night or a couple of weeks, there’ll be laughter and learning, excitement and relaxation, and a real sense of growing together as a community. Lisa is always happy for prospective new clients and families to pop in and have a look around Lakeview Cottage STA. You will always be very warmly welcomed! For me, it’s about our guests. If they’re happy, I’m happy! “ ” 4
My Journey Home Meet Richard, resident of Kingfisher House Richard, or Ric as he’s known to his friends, is one of the residents at Sunnyfield’s new Shared Living service, Kingfisher House. As he settles into his new home with us, we thought we’d see how he’s going. It’s a time of big opportunities and big challenges, but with the support of the staff at Kingfisher House, it’s been a very rewarding journey so far. The move has been exciting, with lots to do and see. He loves getting out and about with staff in the local area, like going bowling, getting to see a movie, or having a browse around the shops. Food is his great passion, particularly barbeques and burgers with the staff. Just like any big move, there have been some challenges. He’s worked out a system for personal privacy at Kingfisher House, set up his own boundaries for bath time, and tries to get as much time with his family as possible through calls, group chats, and Friday basketball with his Dad. His bond with the staff has grown even bigger, and nothing illustrates this better than his stuffed animal toy, named “All Staff,” which he cuddles when he misses them. Otherwise, Ric is an independent young lad. He gets out on his own, going to Return And Earn, shopping for himself, and picking his own haircuts (mohawks are especially cool). Ric has big goals for 2023. Exploring more food - including eating healthier - is a big one, as is being a man about town. Lately, he’s picked up an interest in tennis, and even trains with the Special Olympics on Thursdays! All in all, Ric is settling in like a champ at Kingfisher House and has rapidly become a beloved member of the community. We can’t wait to see where his goals and independent streak will take him next. [ Help create a place to call home ] FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE Support more clients like Richard by donating to Sunnyfield’s tax appeal. All funds raised will be used to purchase furniture and soft furnishings to create shared living homes. To make your donation call 1300 588 688 or visit sunnyfield.org.au/donate
SLES Assistive Technology Unlocking new skills with technology David Manczak, our Vocational Services Manager, is proud to show off the teams new tools to empower clients learning new skills in Sunnyfield’s School Leaver Employment Supports program. Each of these tools are instrumental in helping learners develop essential skills they need to reach their full potential and approach the job market with confidence. For learners with reading challenges, C-Pens work like a personal mini scanner, with the ability to read text on a page and translate it into perfect audio connected directly to personal headphones. With C-Pens, we can help learners with conditions like dyslexia read with ease and vastly improve access to information and independent self-guided learning. Laptops have proven essential in teaching important computer literacy skills. They are powerful educational tools not just in developing typing skills, program knowledge and literacy, but in also promoting self-directed learning and exploration. One innovative addition to the system is our use of SMARTboards to develop handwriting skills in both group and individual activities. Learners can write on these digital SMARTboards and have their own handwriting automatically sent to their laptops. And in a setting where COVID is still a concern, we provide personal accessories like headphones and keyboards to use. iPads, and tablets in general, are vital for many learners as their touchscreens are directly interactive. We have our own bespoke apps to use with learners, helping to teach dozens of life skills from hygiene, personal presentation and interpersonal communication to work skills, teamwork, and occupational health and safety. David is clearly excited about the future, specifically the possibilities for virtual reality tools. He sees opportunities to safely expose clients to workplace situations in a more immersive environment where they have an opportunity to learn, try, and try again. It’s an inspiring new world for us too; as we use these tools to help develop clients’ skills every day, we learn more about the endless possibilities to better support them in reaching independence and their employment pathways. 6
Introducing Mike Elvidge We’re welcoming Mike Elvidge as our new General Manager for Employment Services. The way he sees it, passion for Sunnyfield’s mission is what drew him to the team. It’s not just a word to him; Mike is driven by seeing real results, real impact, on real people. He joins us at a time of growth in employment services, with nearly two hundred supported employees in the Sunnyfield team. He’s inspired by a change in the employment landscape for people with disability, noting that more companies are becoming more aware of how accessibility needs can be met and the value of doing so. Mike’s great mission is continuing to break down the barriers between life and work skills, thinking about clients in a holistic context, ensuring their educational programs are seamless from one area to the other, and empowering them to bring their whole selves to work. After all, real people don’t turn into someone else at 5pm! The future of Employment Services looks exciting with Mike at the wheel as he puts staying abreast of the changing landscape and how we can best help clients develop at the top of the agenda. He’s always hungry to learn about the team and the insights we have that can make our programs more effective, so be sure to give him a big welcome if you see him around! I think it’s a matter of making it happen - and we will do it! “ ” 7
New England Sports Day All Champions In New England The Tamworth, Gunnedah and Narrabri Hubs are still bustling with the excitement of the New England Sports Day at Lake Keepit. Met by lovely weather, the three hubs came together for a day of fun outdoors. This is the second Sports Day for the New England area, and it was even more of a smashing success than the first. Michelle Kolesnikoff, Service Manager Tamworth Community Hub, recalls how the day played out. Between the canoe races, archery range games and lawn bowls, it proved to be an outstanding event for all, filled with fresh air, skill development, community building, and strengthening the connection between Sunnyfield staff and clients. As it wrapped up with a big, healthy lunch and everyone got on the buses back home, Michelle remembers everyone bursting with joy from the day and cheering, “Let’s do it again!” That’s a ringing endorsement. Here’s a big congratulations to the team organising the day. It all just came together to make for a great day! “ ” 8
Everyone can partipate in all activities... They’re super, super happy! “ ” 9 Orchard Hills New Accessible Kitchen Switchin’ The Kitchen Something’s definitely cooking at the Orchard Hills Hub! The old kitchen has finally been given the chop, and has been remodeled with new, more accessible equipment and appliances, causing quite the stir among the local community. We think you’ll agree it deserves to be the toast of the town! Besides a fresh coat of paint and brand new flooring, the new kitchen features a wheelchair friendly stove, sink, dishwasher and oven set, a pullout chopping board for easier access, and an induction cooktop for burn safety. The Orchard Hills Hub family are thrilled with the new kitchen and have been busy showing off their culinary skills with new delicious dishes every day, and dreaming up the next recipes they want to try. The remodelling was generously funded by Clayton Utz law firm, who are long term friends of Sunnyfield and our community. We celebrated the remodeling and showed our gratitude to the Clayton Utz team with a big morning tea prepped in the new kitchen. The impact on clients and staff was immediately ecstatic and the room filled with chatter about all the new opportunities. We can’t thank Clayton Utz enough for making it all possible.
Woolworths @ Work Corporate Volunteer Day The Gift Of Giving Sunnyfield warehouses at Allambie and Mt Druitt recently hosted a team from Woolworths At Work for a volunteer day. The Woolworths At Work team visited Sunnyfield clients and staff on site, learned about what we do, toured the area, and lent us a hand with work. This is what we call a “triple win.” Clients love sharing their experiences with new friends, production gets a little boost for the day, and our visitors get exposure to stories from the Sunnyfield community. Going out on a limb, we proposed the idea of a Christmas wishing well for some of the clients without family support. The Woolworths At Work team responded with full hearts, pulling together the money to donate all of the 125 gifts on the wishlist! Clients were certainly thrilled with their new presents on Christmas morning, and our sincerest thanks to the Woolworths At Work Team for giving clients a Christmas to remember. 10
New Wheels for Rosella House Our new Shared Living service, Rosella House is celebrating the arrival of a brand new Toyota HiAce van, furnished with the generous donations from the ASX Refinitiv Charity Foundation. Sunnyfield and the ASX Refinitiv Charity Foundation have been partners for decades. Sunnyfield has been a grateful beneficiary of their regular donations over the years, while we’ve participated in many of their charity events over our long and fruitful relationship. This van represents another fantastic page in our continued story. The new van, valued at over $80,000, is locally custom fitted for accessibility and mobility and allows connection to the wider community, greater access to medical needs, and the ability to thrive in the world for clients at Rosella House with some of the highest support needs. We once again thank the ASX Refinitiv Charity Foundation for the new van. It will go a long way to making a real impact on the lives of residents at Rosella House. Sharon Moore Wins Most Outstanding Support Worker Sharon Moore has truly devoted a lifetime to caring. Being one of six kids, dreaming about becoming a nurse as a young girl, to having eight kids of her own, Sharon always knew that care matters. When her kids were old enough to care for themselves, she sought to apply her passion to a wider world and did certificates in Aged and Community Care. Now with Sunnyfield for seven years, Sharon was recognised as Australia’s Most Outstanding Support Worker at the 2022 Australian Disability Service Awards. A client that Sharon supports, Grace*, nominated her with her own extraordinary story. After extended hospital stays, Grace was bed-bound. With Sharon’s help, Grace achieved what she thought impossible. She’s now taking her first steps with the assistance of a walking frame. Every step was hard fought for, but having Sharon by her side made it possible. Sharon truly is a shining example of a natural carer. She’s compassionate, patient, empathetic, supportive and she’s a fighter - she doesn’t give up on anyone. And today, as we’re overjoyed with the news that she’s Australia’s Most Outstanding Support Worker, we’re reminded of why it’s critical that we should care about carers. That’s recognition well deserved, Sharon. 11 If it wasn’t the small things, the big things would never happen “ ”
© April 2023 Sunnyfield ISO 9001: 2015 Quality Management System ABN 72 000 415 127 Charity Fundraising Number 13915 Feedback We are not only in the business of improving lives we are also in the business of improving the way we do it. So if you have any feedback, about the things we have done well, or the things we could do better, please visit our website to submit your feedback. Sunnyfield acknowledges Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders past and present. Contact us T 1300 588 688 E enquiries@sunnyfield.org.au www.sunnyfield.org.au Registered provider NDIS
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