News and Articles

Access is committed to keeping you informed with what's happening in our organisation and in the industry as a whole.

From time to time, we will publish news items here that we feel will be of interest to the communities and the people who we serve.

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Our Earthquake Response

 

As everyone undoubtedly knows, the effects of the recent Canterbury earthquake were devastating. Many buildings were damaged beyond repair, with our Byron Street office being one of them. Our biggest concern in the quake's aftermath, however, was not the loss of our office, but the safety and peace of mind of our people.

Many people rely on us for support, no matter what happens. And while we can prepare for an earthquake, we can't predict its outcome. The important thing, we believe, is to stay calm and work out the best plan for the given situation.

That's why, our first response was to divert Christchurch phones to Palmerston North. This ensured that all calls could still be answered and that the disruption to our service was minimised.

Our next step, on the day of the earthquake, was to get in touch with our higher-needs clients. Starting with those who were deemed most at-risk and working our way through to those with more supports in place, we systematically contacted the people who are most dependent on us for their care. As well as checking on their well-being, we reassured them that we would continue to support them as usual. We also contacted our support workers to make sure that they were unharmed and to determine whether they were in a position to attend to their clients.

Thirdly, for the week following the quake, we enlisted the help of other offices in both the North and South Islands until we'd set up a new base in Christchurch. Our information systems, including telephones and data storage, make access to information and the performing of tasks possible anywhere we have an office (or even remotely on a secured laptop) allowing us to carry on working even when the worst happens.

The earthquake has been a harrowing experience for everyone involved, but it did have one positive outcome - it brought people closer together. This team spirit was evident throughout the city, and was something we noticed among our support workers, with many going to extraordinary lengths to ensure the safety and comfort of our clients.

We've opened a new office on Carlyle Street, Sydenham and, for us, it's now business as usual. Our thoughts are with everyone who suffered damage to their homes and we hope that life quickly returns to normal.