Fortnightly Facts

Multicultural Communities Council Gold Coast Ltd. - Fortnightly Facts

IMPORTANT CONTACTS

Rosters Text only (for rostering purposes only) - 0408 082 147

After Hours (for emergency after hours phone calls)* - 0404 830 867 - Please DO NOT TEXT the after hours phone, the message will not be received.

Office – (07) 5527 8011

Senior Management Team

Marie Kavale (Clinical Care Manager) - 0418 462 870
Jessica McAdam (Community Programs Manager) - 0412 174 700
Corinne Butt (Support at Home Manager - South) - 0406 657 593
Susan Gordon (Systems Administration Manager) - 07 5527 8011

Wellbeing Health Advisor

Tommo Sakai - 0477 183 022

Care Advisors

Bozena Zdybell (Gold Coast) - 0404 895 528
Yoshiko Moore -RN (Gold Coast) - 0439 874 429
Sun Hee Park (Gold Coast) - 0439 936 990
Amila Kaludewa (Gold Coast) - 0487 174 175
Fiona Small (Gold Coast South) - 0438 295 010 (Tues-Fri)
Jennie Burton (Gold Coast) - 0447 030 073
Lupe Chadwick (Gold Coast) - 0439 349 162
Zarina Montenegro (Gold Coast) - 0438 285 024
Karin Andres (Gold Coast) - 0487 103 451
Sue Bloomfield (Gold Coast) - 0459 947 763

Community Programs

Thilinika Wijesinghe (Community Development Officer) - 0409 322 645
Koren Hannah (Settlement Case Worker) - 0436 317 994
Jessica Ward (SETS Support Worker) - 0436 450 207
Maria Nagy (Community Pathway Connector) - 0422 497 414
Kyzzy Romano (Work Towards Coordinator) - 0484 361 811
Camila Solorza (Work Towards Support Worker) - 0400 724 436
Brendan Marks (NDIS Support Coordinator) - 0438 203 197
Laura Bernal (NDIS Support Coordinator) - 0438 866 413

Executive Team

Shane Klintworth (Chief Executive Officer) - 0438 347 202
Troy Nicholls (Chief Operations Officer) - 0459 958 172
Goran Avramovic (Chief Financial Officer) - 0439 459 225
Vanessa Whitiora (People and Culture Officer)– 0428 684 721
Tory Ishigaki (Marketing & Communications Officer) - 0431 250 701

We've had some exciting changes happen in 2023...and its only the middle of February!

Welcome to the team...

To ensure we are well prepared for the transition into Alayacare, we have Julie Jones returning to the office to support 3 days a week. Julie will be aiding both staff and clients in the move to the Alayacare system.

We are so happy to have you back with us Julie!

Diana has amazing experience working in communications and marketing across the multicultural space in Australia, and over ten years’ experience as a scientific journalist working for government and communications departments in Colombia and Australia.

She will be helping us with all our design needs, social media, newsletters and more!

We are very excited to have her join the team!

Suheir is from Palestine and has lived in Germany and Malta before coming to Australia. Throughout her time in Australia, she has been working in community with migrants, refugees, and disadvantaged people.

In addition to her studies in Public Management, Diplomacy and Translation; Suheir is an artist and has facilitated many cultural activities.

We are sure Suheir will bring great knowledge and experience to our team.

Welcome Suheir!

Tommo has started as our Wellbeing Health Advisor working across the MCCGC and CURA offices supporting both clients and staff.

Tommo is from Japan and moved to Australia 24 years ago. She is a qualified Counsellor who has been working in the space for 10 years. Tommo has worked at Wesley Kids and Centacare - specializing in holding space and supporting youth children and their families who were victims of Domestic and Family Violence. Tommo also supported people who live with various mental health concerns and people who have been going through grief and loss.

If you see Tommo around the office make sure to say G'day!

If you are wanting to talk to Tommo about any client or personal issues her email is tomokos@curacares.com and her number is 0477 183 022.

What is happening in Turkey and Syria?

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake followed by a magnitude 7.5 tremor killed thousands of people in southeastern Turkey and northwestern Syria, injuring thousands of others and causing widespread destruction.

The quakes and aftershocks toppled buildings and sent rescuers scrambling through the rubble to find survivors.

The death toll was expected to rise with experts warning that aftershocks could continue for days or weeks. The Danish geological institute said the tremors were felt as far away as Greenland.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Twitter that “search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched” to the areas hit by the quake.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Civil Defence, a rescue group operating in the opposition-held portions of northern Syria, declared a state of emergency and appealed for “the international community to support the rescue of civilians in Syria”.

To read more about the unfolding events, click below.

We look forward to coming together for our first staff meeting for 2023!

When: Tuesday, 21st February 2023 4pm-5pm

Where: Ashmore & Online Teams meeting

We invite all Gold Coast and Tweed regional staff to our February 2023 Staff Meeting which will be held in the Ashmore Wellness Centre.

Our Northern Regional team can join the meeting online via teams. Please see link below

We look forward to seeing you..

If you cannot locate the email, please contact HR or use the TEAMS login below:

Click here to join the meeting

Meeting ID: 461 093 218 066
Passcode: xX5qVC

Download Teams | Join on the web

Did you know as staff you can become a member of MCCGC?

Support us in continuing to make our community more inclusive! Join our membership program to receive a range of benefits and stay up to date with multicultural events, news, programs and attend our quarterly Members Nights!

Become a member

We are currently working to put in place a new Customer Information System to replace Procura. AlayaCare will be much easier to use for everyone and simplify many processes. We plan to have AlayaCare ready to go in June, and the team is working hard in the background to make the transition smooth. Below is a timeline to show you the steps that we are taking over the next several months to make sure that we are gettting the most out of AlayaCare.

Digital Updates for MCCGC & CURA

from Stuart McFarlane

Hello everyone,

Well, I have been amongst our ranks for a couple of months now. Starting to get a good handle on bits of the business, and even starting to get to all 3 sites.

One of the first things I thought I’d respond to is:

What does an ICT Advisor do?
How does Project Co-ordination fit with what we are doing?

Here we go.

‘ICT’ stands for Information & Communications Technology. The ICT Advisor role can best be paralleled to that of Care Advisor/NDIS Support Coordinator. Both advise people on the optimal approach they may take for the journey that they are on. As MCCGC/CURA are building our digital infrastructure, I have been brought in to work with people to advise on the optimal approach to technology – Digital.

Specifically, the purpose of the ICT Advisor role is to:

Provide a range of strategic and tactical ICT support to MCCGC/CURA.
Coordinate the implementation of various ICT projects.
Review and recommend improvements to MCCGC/CURA ICT architecture / systems / processes / integration.
Collaborate with MCCGC/CURA clients and staff to improve ICT user experience.
Manage ICT vendors to ensure MCCGC/CURA best interests are maintained.
Make a positive contribution to the culture, leadership, and strategic direction of MCCGC/CURA

In terms of Project Coordination, I am providing assistance with leading our team through the discovery sessions with the AlayaCare and ELMO, and managing these partners to see that our people have the best opportunity to bring business benefits through ease of use systems.

Much of the above is still a mouthful. Please feel free to stop me and ask me the questions which spring to mind.

For now, thanks for reading.

Stuart

Thanks Stuart! Keep an eye out for more digital updates from Stuart in the future.

Queensland's COVID-19 traffic light system has been downgraded to GREEN.

We are seeing lower rates of community transmission and Queensland is nearing the end of the 4th wave.

This means Home Care Workers can now wear surgical masks instead of the P2 masks when working with CURA customers.

If you are working in the office, you no longer need to wear a mask but please continue to social distance and practice proper hygiene.

If you test positive for COVID, please let us know asap and follow the steps BELOW

WELLNESS CHECKS - UPDATED

It is MANDATORY that you carry out COVID-19 Wellness Checks prior to conducting services and meetings with clients. Please make sure you are calling clients before any visits and asking the questions below.

If clients DO NOT answer your Wellness Check call at the start of the day, you still need to go to the scheduled client visit at the scheduled time. If the client answers their door, you must step back and do your wellness check before proceeding to go into the client’s home or they get into your car.

Wellness checks MUST be completed on the day of the visit/service NOT the day before.

Wellness Check Script:

Hello, how are you today?

I am going to ask you a few questions before I visit you today...

1. How are you feeling? Do you have any of the following symptoms?

Fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, runny nose, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell, diarrhea, vomiting or nausea.

2. Do you have any family, friends or visitors staying with you that have any symptoms?

If a client answers yes to any of the above questions, please let them know that you are not able to provide the service today and that the office will contact them to discuss further. Then contact the office for further instruction.

Car Transfer Handy Bar's are now in all of our vehicles

The Car Transfer Handy Bar is suitable for people with physical challenges, people recovering from surgery or injuries and people with back or leg problem. Provides a safe and supportive handhold for transfers in and out of a car.

Before using the Handy Bar, please watch Regan Brown explain how to use it in the video above.

February is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

Each year in Australia around 1,720 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, with almost 20% of those cases being diagnosed in Queensland.*

The signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer might seem vague or similar to other conditions, making it difficult to detect as there is currently no simple, effective screening test.

It's important to pay attention to your body, and if you've noticed symptoms that are unusual for your body or don’t go away, speak to your doctor. For the video, press and hold to read the symptoms.

Read more about ovarian cancer signs and risk below.

Experience the diversity of the Gold Coast through this unique photo exhibition by local photographer Andro and MCCGC. Diverse GC will showcase beautiful faces of Gold Coasters from around the world to celebrate multiculturalism in the lead up to Harmony Week and you may recognise some familiar faces in the portraits!

Dates: 8^th – 21st March 2023

Location: Robina Community Centre Art Gallery, 196 Robina Town Centre Dr

Check out the event

Are you wanting to upskill in 2023?

We are now taking enrolments for our CERT III in Individual Support with TAFE Queensland

The course will commence in March

Email us on opportunities@mccgc.com.au to find out more!

Marking the 15th anniversary of the historic apology to the Stolen Generations, the federal government will release the second Closing the Gap Implementation Plan, which will focus on practicable ways to improve quality of life for First Nations peoples.

The funding boost is on top of the $1.2 billion set aside in the October budget for tangible solutions.

This year's implementation plan incudes $150 million over four years to provide safe and reliable water for remote communities.

Almost $22 million has been set aside for trauma-aware, culturally appropriate programs to support families dealing with domestic violence.

Family violence and prevention legal service providers supporting women and children experiencing family and sexual violence will receive $68.6 million over two years.

The plan also commits $38.4 million over four years for on-country education for remote students, and $11.8 million over two years to make nutritious food more accessible for communities.

Get $250 for every successful referral

Did you know if you refer a friend to work with us, you'll get $250 when they pass probation?

If you know anyone who you think would like to work with us, please send them our way! We are looking for more people to join our CÜRA & MCCGC team.

*Please note referral bonuses are added to your regular pay and taxed at the usual rate

We are hiring:

CÜRA

Support At Home Manager (Northern Regions) - Full Time >> Apply Now
In Home Domestic Workers Gold Coast - Casual >> Apply Now
Home Care Workers Gold Coast – Casual >> Apply Now
Home Care Workers Tweed Shire – Casual >> Apply Now
Home Care Workers Sunshine Coast – Casual >> Apply Now
Home Care Workers Moreton – Casual >> Apply Now

MCCGC

Financial Accountant - Full Time >> Apply Now
Company Secretary - Volunteer >> Apply Now
Team Leader - Care Finder Program - Full Time >> Apply Now
Navigators - Care Finder Program - Full Time >> Apply Now

English Classes

In 2023 we are again offering FREE English classes to community through both our CAMS and Work Towards Programs!

Our CAMS program offers English Language & Australian Culture classes every Tuesday in Palm Beach. These classes are casual, open to all levels and include group activities.

Email cams@mccgc.com.au to book.

Our Work Towards program is offering beginner, intermediate and IELTS classes at our Southport location on Tuesdays aimed at improving English levels for employment. These classes run as a 12-week course beginning 31st January. Email WorkTowards@mccgc.com.au to book.

'Free' KMS - Just a reminder that as of the 1st Nov, for CHSP clients the 'Free' KMS have been reduced to 10kms. No longer 15 KMS. Please remind all your CHSP clients that if they travel further than 10 KMS they will be charged for all excess KMS. Any issues, please talk to your Care Advisor directly.
CND Blocking -There are ways to stop your number being displayed. This is known as CND blocking. To block CND on all calls from your phone, contact your telco. To block caller ID for an individual call, dial 1831 (or #31# from a mobile) then the number you are calling.
Logbooks - Please remember to hand to reception the last logbook white page of the COMPANY CAR at the end of Friday.
Red folders - Please remember to advise your Care Advisors if the red folder is not in the client's home.
Medication Support - Can only be provided if you have completed the requisite training and yearly competencies AND a current medication support plan and medication record sheet must be in the folder. Please note these have all been recently revised and some minor changes have been made. The medication support plan will be updated every 3 months by our Registered Nurse, so if you notice one is overdue, please advise your Care Advisor or our Registered Nurse.
GP appointments - Staff are not to attend in-room GP appointments with customers. Staff may accompany customers to medical appointment if requested and wait in the waiting room whilst the GP appointment takes place.
Email & Staff Portal - Please let your line manager know if you do not have access to your work emails or your staff portal.
Work Schedules - Please be aware that you cannot arrange your work schedule with a customer. All verbal customer requests for services must go through to the Care Advisor which will then be directed to the Rostering Team.

First Aid and CPR: First Aid and CPR can be organized with Australia Wide OR if you go with your preferred you will be reimbursed Fist Aid $100 or CPR $50
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): If you have placed an order please remember to collect it at Reception or contact the office on 07 5527 8011 to advise the team.
Receipt Books: Please ensure to use your receipt books when collecting cash from customers. If you do not have a receipt book, please contact your supervisor or the office immediately.
Annual Leave: As per our process we require 4 weeks’ notice when applying for leave. Casual employees are required to complete a leave form for scheduling purposes it allows your supervisor/manager and our operations team time to find a replacement and discuss options with our customers. If you are unsure and need further advice, please contact your supervisor/manager. Thank you for understanding.
Vehicles:
- Please remember to return the work vehicle you've been using with at lease 1/2 a tank of petrol.
- Please remember the tyre pressure for our Kia Soul cars should be at 36 PSI.
- Please make sure you are remembering to alert reception when more masks and wipes are needed in the cars/vans.
- Ashmore:
  - No parking at the cricket club on Fridays
  - Ensure that you return work cars to the office car park. Do not park on the fake grass beside the garage or on the road.
  - The BP at Cotlew Street does not accept motor charge cards.
Compliance - needs to be always current. Enter expiry dates into your phone calendar to remind you of renewals.
Adverse Events & Incidents - Please make sure to report back to the office any adverse events and staff incidents

Watch Professor Alison McMillan, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer for the Australian Government Department of Health, explains how to don and doff personal protective equipment in residential aged care.

PLEASE CHECK YOUR COMPLIANCE TODAY. IT IS MANDATORY THAT ALL REQUIREMENTS ARE UP TO DATE. Failure to provide current compliance may result in being suspended. If you're unsure, please contact your supervisor, operations or Vanessa.

All employees are responsible for ensuring these are current and updated. You can email copies of these to hr@mccgc.com.au

Police Check –This is due every 3 years from issue date
Driver’s License –This is required every year from issue date.
Car Registration – This is due on or by expiration date.
Car Insurance – Please check the expiry date on your policy.
First Aid – This is due every 3 years from issue date
CPR – This is due every year from issue date.

Is compliance crucial to your employment? YES

Is it your responsibility to ensure all compliance is current? YES

Is it your responsibility to email all documents to HR? YES

POLICE CHECK

Corporate Code: GVMCCGC
You can apply for your police check through Clear to work https://check.cleartowork.com.au/

HR UPDATE

Human Resources

ProCura Mobility- All users MUST ensure to click START and STOP times to ensure your kilometres are being recorded correctly.
Client Services - Changes to client services and times MUST be discussed and approved by Care Advisors. Please ensure that you are advising any changes by contacting the Care Advisors or the office.
Staff Portal - Gentle reminder that all forms are now online
Staff ID cards - As essential workers, it's imperative you wear your Staff ID cards at all times.

Workplace Health and Safety

Flu Vaccinations - Please ensure to complete your reimbursements and attached receipts for up to $12.00 via the staff portal.
PPE: -* Gold Coast text reception and Northern regions contact your manager for replenishments. Do not reuse disposable PPE.
Employee Assistance Program – If you are needing someone to talk to or needing that extra bit of support please contact your local EAP provider today. All details of our program are in the Staff Portal. Self care and wellness are important!
Uniforms - Please wear your correct uniforms as a matter of safety. Use your uniform allowance and purchase new uniforms for 2023

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands on which we operate, the Kombumerri People of the Yugambeh Language Region, the Gubbi Gubbi people, the Jinibara people, the Turrbal people, the Quandamooka people and the Bundjalung people. We pay our respect to Elders past, present and emerging and extend our respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and acknowledge their ongoing connection to land, sea, culture and community.