Rural Lifestyle Options Australia
Community Service Provider
Welcome to Optimistic October! ✨
At the beginning of each month, our People and Culture Division share with staff the Action for Happiness Calendar through our monthly People and Culture Insights Update.
As an organisation, we are committed to re-sharing these Calendars, to remind everyone to look after themselves and each other, as we face this global crisis together. 📅
‘Optimistic October 2020’ is a good reminder to "choose to be optimistic. It feels better".
A letter to staff from Carole Caswell, Chair on behalf of the Board of Directors. Dear Valued RLOA Employees,
Earlier this year in late April, our Board wrote a letter of appreciation to all staff of RLOA, thanking everyone for their dedicated service under what was unprecedented times for the whole community. Since then we have all had to try and learn to live with COVID-19 and go about our lives as normally as possible - though with restrictions.
For many organisations, employees have been able to work predominantly from home, but that is not the case for our support workers at RLOA, who provide care to vulnerable people mostly in their homes or in the community, where working remotely is not possible. Without your loyal and dedicated service, RLOA could not continue to provide essential services to our participants - many of whom rely on us to a very high degree.
For our loyal staff who also work tirelessly across our three office locations, your efforts have also not gone unnoticed. It is because of you all that we can continue to effectively run our organisation in all aspects through these trying times.
Michelle and her senior staff are keeping us well informed about how our organisation and our participants are faring under the COVID-19 restrictions.
The Board are very appreciative of the good work that has been done by all staff these past few months. In particular we would like to highlight that this has been achieved through your hard work, following our COVID safe plan, practising social distancing, wearing PPE where appropriate and following good hand hygiene practices including assisting those in your care to take precautions.
Hopefully before the end of the year, border restrictions with NSW will have been considerably eased, once again allowing travel across the regions serviced by RLOA. We do thank you for your patience and willingness to continue to provide great care under trying circumstances.
My wish for you all is to continue to be safe and keep well. Again, many thanks from the Board for your consistent great efforts.
We are all grateful for the commitment of each and every one of you. Kindest regards,
Carole Caswell Chair
Board of Directors
Updated: Oct 9, 2020
This month we sat down with John Hollingworth, who provided a glimpse into his life and his role at Rural Lifestyle Options Australia as a Lifestyle Support Worker.
What are you responsible for? I'm responsible for supporting the participants in their lives. Whatever they decide to do, and however they want to do it, it is my role to support them to make it happen. My role is to empower participants to experience things they didn't realise they could do. In a respectful manner, my role is to remove any feelings of limitations to what the participant thinks they can do. What do you consider to be your strengths? My strengths are to connect with the participants to listen and to give them space to grow. I don't go in with any pre-conceived notions. I don't try and change who they are. I just support them to be the best versions of themselves. What is an unknown fact about you? I enjoy camping and fishing and I'm currently getting into kayaking. I like getting out into nature. I guess that isn't necessarily an unknown fact about me but it is definitely something I enjoy. What drives you nuts? When people overlook the simplicity of life. You need to enjoy the small things. What are your interests? My interests are around how people tick; how people interact with life; and how they react to circumstances. I'm currently studying a course on Indigenous Studies which is exploring the impact of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures in today's society. It fascinates me how much of the history is lost; and how it has influenced and is continuing to influence today's society. This is what I'm interested in at the moment.
What is your favourite food?
My favourite food is Indian. My favourite restaurant at the moment is a place at High Gate Hill. They do fantastic Indian and it is very cheap. It's beautiful. I enjoy all the hot foods there but if I had to pick a dish, my favourite would be the Chicken Biryani.
What was the last song you listened to?
'The Wall' by Pink Floyd. It is reminiscence of my childhood and I recently bought the CD.
What was the last TV show you binge watched?
The last TV show I binge watched was The Marvellous Mrs Maisel. It is set in the late 1950s and is about a female comedian who is struggling against society's norm about what a comedian should be.
What is your favourite work tip? My favourite work tip is the 'Three M's' - the meals, the meds and the money. Get all three right and the rest of your shift will be fine. How do you like to receive feedback? I like it given straight and direct. Don't try and sugar coat it.
