How Is ConneXu Starting Their 2022 Off?

January 2022

We hope you have had an enjoyable festive period and have managed to enjoy some of the fabulous New Zealand sun.

As we commence a New Year, we have reflected on 2021, a year that presented many highs and lows for us as a country, a sector, and an organisation. While 2021 was incredibly difficult in many ways with the continuation of the Covid-19 Pandemic which has impacted significantly on the Health and Disability sector with the largest staffing shortages seen in decades and incredible uncertainty as we moved up and down levels, at ConneXu we have been able to recall with fondness and pride some highlights:

A Christmas like no other! The Amazing Race - ConneXu style. With COVID-19 restrictions and possible level changes we made the hard decision to not hold our annual family/Whanau Christmas and instead hold regional Amazing Race’s. The reactions from the people we work for and staff – “Fun, fun, fun and better than any Christmas party we’ve ever put on”.

  • We opened 11 new homes throughout the Waikato and Bay of Plenty region.

  • We recruited for and formed our Project Team made up of people we work for and staff at all levels who will be leading our journey to prepare for System Transformation.

  • Survived yet another lockdown together (two for the Waikato/King Country), making the most of every day – once again displaying our talents for baking, gardening, exercise, and our competitive natures.

  • After months of fundraising and disappointment due to lockdowns, a group of people we work for finally got to experience ‘A Wish for A Fish’ an amazing fishing trip experience that catered for people with all levels of ability.

  • Once again in support of Pink Tee-Shirt Day, we held our awesome Fashion Shows in both the Bay of Plenty and Te Awamutu.

As we reflect on 2021, we are looking toward both the challenges and celebrations 2022 will present us with. Already Omicron has had us start the year with the challenge of working and living within the Red Level. The Covid-19 Emergency Planning Team has worked hard to develop an Omicron Action Plan.

This year we are excited, to implement our System Transformation Plan. As part of ConneXu's collaborative approach to System Transformation at the beginning of the year we hosted regional Visualisation Workshops, facilitated by our partners at Interactionz. (Pictured below). The workshops were a fantastic opportunity for the people we work for and their family/whanau to articulate what they believe a good life is and what they want to purchase and want more or less of.

LIFE AT RED
To slow down the spread of Omicron, community facilitators are to keep to their 'staffing bubble' wherever possible. The office-based teams are working in blue and red teams, therefore, are alternating on the days they are working in the office. Therefore if you wish to meet with an office-based employee, call ahead first.
Visitors to the homes are welcome, following the Ministry of Health guidelines and signing into visitor logs and QR codes.
Masks
As advised by the Ministry of Health ALL STAFF must wear surgical masks at ALL TIMES while at work; fabric masks are no longer acceptable.

Progress within the project team for the System Transformation has been satisfactory, as noted above we have hosted two successful visualisation workshops, which along with the EGL Self-Assessments will be used as the focal points for our partnership approach moving forward. The Project Team would like to congratulate and welcome our two newest members Ellie Ngatai (Community Mentor) and Brooklyn Kennedy (Community Facilitator), we are excited about the knowledge and experience these two ladies bring to the team.
The recruitment stream within the project has been busy surveying the people we work for and staff on what they believe are the most important skills, attributes, knowledge, and experience that a Community Facilitator should embody.
The education stream has been putting together content resources to further educate the people we work for, family/whanau and staff on the principles of Enabling Good Lives.
The team also has confirmed dates around our Te Ra Manaaki Whiriwhiri workshop days, which will be an opportunity to collaborate around the education of what enabling good lives in and the journey that ConneXu has been on, and where we are going. Be sure to keep an eye out on your emails to stay updated on what day you are invited to!

Cris Armstrong