CUSTOMERS. CEO s Message

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1 CUSTOMERS CEO s Message Welcome to the summer edition of Activ News. There has been a lot happening at Activ over the last few months, and I hope you enjoy catching up on the latest news. One of the highlights for me was Rockingham Textiles team winning the Galaxy Team award at our recent Activ Stars Awards night. The team (of staff and supported employees) won for their amazing teamwork, and producing consistently good work. The Stars program is a way of saying thank you to the amazing individuals and teams who live Activ s values. You ll see some photos from the Stars Awards on page 4. I was also proud to read about our first graduates in the Certificate I in English as an Additional Language course. The skills gained in this course will help our customers in both their work and personal life. I hope you enjoy the stories and photos in this edition of Activ News as much as I did. Have a safe and happy holiday season. Danielle Newport Activ CEO Vinnies Success Activ Stars Awards Volunteers VOLUME 45 SUMMER ISSN We believe in you

2 2 ACTIV NEWS Our stories Wade & Kirk on a cruise Activ staff enjoy going the extra mile to meet the needs of their customers. When Customer Operations Manager Great Southern, Melynnda Jelley, saw an advertisement for a country music cruise, she immediately thought of customers Wade and Kirk, who share a love of country music. After expressing their interest in taking their first cruise, Support Worker John Wilkinson liaised with their families, organised passports and booked the cruise. Wade, Kirk and John flew to Sydney to board the Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas cruise liner, then embarked on a seven-night round trip cruise to New Caledonia. Our microenterprise stars Customers Mercedes and Michelle sold their wares at the International Day of People with Disability event at the Crown this month. Both ladies run their own microenterprises. Mercedes produces an array of beeswax products, and Michelle creates a range of candles. Albany customers Wade and Kirk during their cruise to New Caledonia.

3 We believe in you 3 Successful collaboration with Vinnie s Activ Business Services customer Peter enjoyed his recent work sorting stock at St Vincent de Paul Society second-hand clothing shops. The contract involved sorting and hanging donated clothing, and changing winter stock for summer stock. Activ Supervisor Michaela Rae said the customers involved had worked hard and were a credit to Activ with their respectful and polite behaviour when dealing with each other and with other Vinnie volunteers. One of the Activ property maintenance crews delivering gardening services to WesTrac. On a roll with WesTrac Activ Business Services is on a roll with construction equipment company, WesTrac. WesTrac has signed a three-year contract for Activ to do gardening work at its sites in the Perth metropolitan area and Bunbury in the South-West. Michelle Bilson, Activ s Executive Manager - Operations North, said we ve provided WesTrac with gardening services for about a decade, but this formal contract, in recognition of the high standard of our work, is great news. Kyrralee s journey to the stage Customer Kyrralee is a true Activ success story. Not only has Kyrralee accessed a wide range of our services, but more importantly she has grown in confidence each step of the way. Very shy and withdrawn when she joined Activ, Kyrralee is now a valued member of the Beaconsfield PS&C Performing Arts program, and loves to sing and dance.

4 4 ACTIV NEWS Our stories Stars Awards Activ held its second annual Stars Awards in November, to celebrate individuals and teams who demonstrate Activ s values. Congratulations to the Rockingham Business Services textiles team, which won the Galaxy team award for demonstrating strong teamwork and producing consistently good work. The Beaconsfield PS&C performing arts group provided the high energy dance entertainment at the awards, and its art group designed the table decorations. In addition to the Galaxy Awards, individual Activ staff were honoured in the Shining Star Awards category. Support Worker Samara Campbell won the overall Shining Star award, and Support Worker Sherralea McMahon and Finance Manager Tara O Neill were honoured as runners-up. Part of the award winning Rockingham Textiles team, customer Kayli New, with Employee Coordinator, Chantelle New. Julius was a member of the high energy Beaconsfield PS&C performing arts team. Bunbury Support Worker Samara Campbell (centre) won Activ s 2018 Shining Star Award, pictured with Activ Board Chair Neil Guard and CEO Danielle Newport.

5 We believe in you 5 Making inroads across the South West Activ customers recently made serious inroads on the Forrest Highway in the South West! That s litter collection inroads to be more precise, and Main Roads said they did an exceptional job. In fact, our Rockingham and Bunbury Property Services teams collected 20 tonnes of litter from a combined 180km stretch of the Forrest Highway over a six week period. This equated to 300kg of rubbish being removed each day per crew. Main Roads Routine Maintenance Works Manager for the South West and Great Southern, Dave Cormack, said that Activ, including Simon Thorpe, supervisors and our teams of customers had all exceeded expectations on this mammoth clean-up task. Improving life skills Activ s Certificate I in English as an Additional Language is empowering customers with valuable life skills. Our first round of customers graduated with the accredited qualification in November. Program Coordinator - Activ Pathways, Danielle Glazier, said the aim of the accredited course was to increase the language, literacy and numeracy skills of our customers. *Activ has a Registered Training Organisation (RTO 51960) which provides training opportunities for staff and customers. Oliver from BHP and Brett from Business Services packing airline headsets. BHP diversity training Staff from BHP s supply chain planning iron ore division thoroughly enjoyed Activ Training Pathway s recent diversity training. Thirty-five BHP staff participated in the training, which included formal learning, as well as the chance to volunteer at Business Services alongside our customers.

6 6 ACTIV NEWS Warren Peters - our disco man! Our stories The heart and soul of our disco Volunteer Warren Peters is the mover and shaker behind Activ s disco at the Community Centre. According to Activ Accommodation and Community Service Team Leader, Tony Chorley, the fortnightly disco is successful largely because of Warren s passion, commitment and empathy. Warren started volunteering with Activ as a basketball coach and then progressed to the disco, Tony said. When Activ took over the disco about three years ago, attendance was as low as 25 people. Now it s as high as 90, and customers come from across the metropolitan area to attend. Warren said it made him feel good to see the happy faces of customers enjoying themselves. He said managing the disco involved getting to the venue early to cool down the drinks and set up the tables and chairs, and the canteen. Every quarter he even dresses up as a character to entertain the crowd. As for what motivates the ex-serviceman to give back to the community, Warren said he was the eldest of six children and he never had the opportunity to participate in a lot of activities. He wants to ensure that Activ customers don t miss out on opportunities. He said one of the highlights of his volunteering was holding the annual ball for 150 customers at the Woodvale Tavern in October. We re always in need of volunteers, so I d encourage others to give it a go, said Warren. Happy house-warming Meet James, Anthony and Jacinda. Together, they recently moved into their newly opened accommodation home and thought it would be great to celebrate this milestone with Activ CEO, Danielle Newport, and staff members Paula and Sarah. For more information about our accommodation services, visit accommodation

7 We believe in you 7 Milly s story Andrew the all-rounder Andrew Spaven is something of a Jack of all trades at Bunbury Business Services. Not only is he a valuable member of the timber production team, he has also worked in the property care team and earlier this year he started his own car wash service. It has been a big year for the 24 year-old because he transitioned to independent living, which he loves. He enjoys cooking, walking, going to the pub with friends on a Friday night, and is a deft hand on the golf driving range. Support worker John Newton-Webb said Andrew had flourished since moving into his own place. Andrew enjoys being responsible for his own meals and planning activities, and he is also learning valuable life lessons such as the consequences of poor decisions, said John. Meet Milly, who is both an Activ customer and volunteer. With the help of her support worker, Michele Jackson, Milly has been able to work towards her personal goal of gaining employment, by volunteering with Activ every Tuesday. Milly s Mum Melanie said after her first experience at volunteering, Milly was jumping for joy because she was able to make a difference to others, and because she felt valued. It is always fantastic when a special person (Michele) arrives in your life and is really passionate about their work and making a difference to the dreams of both the client and the client s family, said Melanie. Activ has someone pretty special in Michele and I would love to see her initiative recognised. Michele the dream maker.

8 learning and resources 8 ACTIV NEWS Supported Employee Milestones Oct - Dec Years 10 Years Raymond De Jongh Maria Fazio Pellacchio Timothy McCarthy Nolene Griffin Rodney James Tracy McArley 30 Years Jerome Van Loenhout Adam Zappacosta Kenneth Chatelain Caroline Socorro 25 Years Peter Koutsoukis Anthony Coker APC Ashby Josephine Ballucci Pamela Rowe Kristina Vuckovic Christopher Holt Peter Randle Daniel Socorro Bronwyn Sutton Bradley Crofts Norazizi Normanshor 20 Years Kristin Julien Albany Antonio Barranca Sean Wilson Hillview Property Care 15 Years Leeanne Ptolomey Ryan Lucas Peter Mitchell Curtis Wild Ben Roney-Riley Milan Hau Albany WA Disability Support Awards nominate a staff member If you know an Activ support staff member who has made a big difference to the life of someone with a disability, please nominate them for the upcoming WA Disability Support Awards. 5 Years Lee Taurima Luke Diamond Huan Li Jack Thow Harry Kent Rebecca Wilkinson Leoni Hartanto Michael Adams Taylor Van Der Laan Iain Hopkins Benjamin Hooper Robert Millar Iain Hopkins Katrina Knott Kalgoorlie Bunbury Bunbury Hillview Property Care This awards program celebrate the individuals and teams who provide services to support people with disability to achieve their goals. Visit to download the nomination form and guidelines. 327 Cambridge Street, Wembley WA 6014 PO Box 446, Wembley WA 6913 Tel: (08)