BURWOOD HOSPITAL

Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope is a programmed based at the Burwood and Auckland Spinal Rehabilitation Units set up by the NZ Spinal Trust to look at ways of improving the employment rate for people with a serious spinal cord impairment (SCI). For example the unemployment rate for New Zealanders with SCI is historically around 70%.

From its inception Kaleidoscope has been committed to providing a high quality vocational rehabilitation service operating in four main ways:

Early intervention to set a positive expectation of a future return to work
Detailed career planning, talent and motivation identification
Provide all required job search support and work placement support
A supportive local Business Leadership Network

Individual consultations with a client are facilitated to cover the following areas as required for each Client:

Skills, talent & motivation identification
Identification of any barriers to return to work
Pre-work checklist
Job research support
Job search support
Post employment monitoring

Why?

Many different research studies have shown that being employed or in paid work makes people healthier. Things like:

fewer pressure areas and fewer returns to hospital
better overall physical health
a wider social circle and better mental health
longer life expectancy

The other obvious benefit of being in work is the potential increase in income.

How do I find out more?

Contact Arron Perriam (arronp@burwood.org.nz) at the Allan Bean Centre on 03 383 9491 or extension 99491

Who is doing the work?

	Arron Perriam is the Programme Manager for Kaleidoscope and also assists with the early intervention vocational rehab process talking to patients and their families. Arron has responsibility for management of Kaleidoscope's national vocational rehabilitation contracts with the ACC and Ministry of Social Development. He had spent 11 years working for The Salvation Army with a background in community youth work and management roles within Private Training Establishments and employment programmes.
	Andrew Hall, who originally set up Kaleidoscope, is now the Chief Executive of the New Zealand Spinal Trust but still works one day a week for Kaleidoscope. Andrew came through the Burwood Spinal Unit in 1983 after a swimming accident in Queenstown. He has a C6 incomplete fracture and over the last 20 years has worked as a farmer in Central Otago and in the IT industry here and in Australia.
	Rob Macdonald spends the first half of the week working on the Kaleidoscope Programme as a vocational consultant and the second half of the week he works as a school counsellor at local High School. He is an incomplete tetraplegic (C5/6) after he had an accident instructing rock climbing in the Port Hills of Christchurch in 2000. He has previously owned a number of small businesses and has 18 years secondary school teaching and counselling experience.
	Valmai Tito joined the Kaleidoscope team in May 2006 to manage Kaleidoscope in the Auckland Spinal Rehabilitation Unit and Auckland region. Val previously worked for 5 years as a Case Manager and then Team Leader for specialist employment initiatives with the MSD in Auckland.

Links

www.kaleidoscope.org.nz