Anglicare Australia Awards 2007

The 2007 Anglicare Australia Awards were presented at the Northern Territory Government House in Darwin on Monday 3 September.  The ceremony was hosted by His Hon Mr Ted Egan AO, Administrator of the Northern Territory.   Mr John Peberdy, CEO of Ansvar Insurance and Canon Dr Ray Cleary, Chair of Anglicare Australia announced the awards.

Service Excellence

WINNER: Aboriginal Services, Anglicare WA

Anglicare WA's Aboriginal Services program is a strategy that Anglicare WA has employed to provide effective delivery of culturally inclusive services with a commitment to providing quality services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders throughout Western Australia. The role of the Manager of Aboriginal Services is to facilitate two functions; direct service delivery and provide corporate consultation within the agency.

Anglicare WA's Aboriginal Services vision is to interface all programs with Aboriginal Terms of Reference (Aboriginal Ways) showing respect of the traditional owners, customs and practices guiding the organisation and individual programs to develop policies and practices that are culturally sensitive, inclusive and safe.

Photo: Anglicare WA staff

For more details contact: Josey Hasen josey.hasen@anglicarewa.org.au

Highly Commended

Juvenile Justice Group Conferencing, Anglicare Victoria

Youth Justice Group Conferencing was pioneered in Gippsland by Anglicare Victoria in the late 1990s. The program aims to address the offending behaviour of young people aged 10 to 18 who have not committed a serious crime. The success of the program led to Anglicare Victoria being funded to provide a second pilot program in the Melbourne suburb of Yarraville and receiving renewed funding to continue to run the program in Gippsland.

For more details contact: Dennis Sherwell dennis.sherwell@anglicarevic.org.au

 

Service Innovation

WINNER: Boys Mentoring Program - 'Boys will be Men' and 'Peaceful Warriors', Anglicare Victoria

‘‘Boys will be Men’ and ‘Peaceful Warriors’ are the two arms of a mentoring program supporting disadvantaged boys aged 9 to 12 exhibiting signs of potentially violent or other inappropriate behaviour. It is a unique program delivered in Melbourne’s Eastern Metropolitan Region in an area of highest need and a chronic lack of services.

‘Peaceful Warriors’ supports boys living in out-of-home care, referred by local schools, or referred by their families – usually single mothers. There is one Warrior’s program for around 10 boys each year.

‘Boys will be Men’ is the same program with minor variations to fit the needs of two partner schools. Each year one program is run for up to 12 boys from each of the schools.

Boys who are the target audience for the program are usually isolated from positive male role models through severely disrupted family situations that may have included experience of separation, violence, drug/alcohol abuse, mental health issues and the like. This can mean distant, disconnected or non-existent relationships with fathers and sometimes negative and frightening experiences of men who have come and gone in their lives. Research and experience show these boys are at far more risk than those who have a positive male role model. They generally are unable to form trusting relationships with family and peers, have difficulties at school, and display anti-social behaviours. The program provides a structure and environment of trust for the boys.

A ‘Peaceful Warriors’ theme has been defined, being “the inner capacity to stand up for one self assertively, but not aggressively”. This requires the boys to develop the courage and strength to be aware of feelings but to have the restraint to act wisely.

Mentors for the boys are sourced among suitable males currently in the boys’ life, especially in the school-based program, or by identifying a volunteer not previously know to them.

Photo: John Blewonski receives the 2007 Award for Service Innovation from His Honour Ted Egan AO, Administrator of the Northern Territory, at the awards ceremony held at Government House, Darwin,
3 September 2007

For more details contact: Dennis Sherwell dennis.sherwell@anglicarevic.org.au

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Broadmeadows Family Services 'Creative Arts Therapy Program', Anglicare Victoria

The ‘Creative Arts Therapy Program’ uses creative arts to support women who have experienced considerable trauma in their lives. They are generally suffering depression and anxiety and are often unable to focus on the well-being of themselves and consequently their children.

For more details contact: Dennis Sherwell dennis.sherwell@anglicarevic.org.au

 

Partnership

WINNER: Samaritans Disaster Recovery Teams, Samaritans Foundation

Samaritans Disaster Recovery teams have evidenced the epitome of partnership during the recent flood disaster in the Hunter and Central Coast regions. The parish-based volunteer teams worked professionally with numerous partners to provide compassionate and appropriate care to the thousands of people affected by the floods over the June 2007 long weekend.

As the acute needs have abated, members of Samaritans Disaster Recovery Teams continue to work in the partnership developed between Samaritans, St Vincent de Paul and The Salvation Army to distribute funds from the Regional Relief Fund.

Partners in this magnificent effort included: Anglicare Sydney, NSW Department of Community Services and Centrelink, Samaritans paid staff, Parishes and parishioners, Emergency Relief Volunteers, St Vincent de Paul, The Salvation Army, ADRA, Australian Red Cross, Newcastle Permanent and local media groups.

Photo: Volunteers from Samaritans Disaster Recovery Team prepare for another day in the Disaster Recovery Centre

For more details contact: Viv Hayles vhayles@samaritans.org.au

 

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Frankston Integrated Family Services Innovations Project, Anglicare Victoria

The Frankston Integrated Family Services project is an enhancement of the existing family support/family services programs within the community. While collaboration between family service providers within the Frankston catchment had previously occurred in an informal way, the introduction of the Innovations project provided a structure and formal partnership.

For more details contact: Dennis Sherwell dennis.sherwell@anglicarevic.org.au

 

Individual Achievement

WINNER: Bruce Garnham, Anglicare SA

Bruce is an experienced horticulturist who has been employed at Anglicare SA's 'Dutton Court Hostel' as site maintenance officer and gardener. His inspirational work, which is clearly well beyond the expectations of his role, has been recognised by the Anglicare SA Council who have granted substantial finance in February 2006 to support the first of Bruce’s major projects – Magnolia Gardens. The project has also received continuing support from the Alzheimer’s Association who were represented at the official opening ceremony. Accompanying photos give some indication of the impact Bruce’s work has made to the facility.

Bruce’s latest venture is a courtyard boasting an ‘all region garden’ – this time in response to the wishes and ideas from residents of the Hostel and independent living units.

Bruce also paints large murals to supplement his garden designs and for decoration in outdoor and indoor areas. These are done on a voluntary basis and have been totally designed and implemented by Bruce himself.

For more details contact: Judy Oates joates@anglicare-sa.org.au

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Rosemarie Angove, Benetas
As Advisory and Placement Officer for Benetas, Rosemarie is both responsible for managing and providing advice for the organisation’s free telephone advisory service and for organising residential or support services for those needing assistance. Although she has worked for Benetas since 1993, Rosemarie has flourished in this new role highlighting her commitment to ensuring that all older people, their families and carers have access to the best aged care services and advice available.

For more details contact: Sharon McGowan bd@benetas.com.au

 

 

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Jeanette Herrett, Benetas
Jeanette’s effectiveness and commitment as a Direct Care Worker is worthy of acknowledgement. She is very much in demand by Care Managers who know of her qualities and dedication. If a Care Manager has a client who is resistant to services due to pride, perception of loss of independence and dignity,. or other reasons, he or she often requests Jeanette’s services knowing that Jeanette will be more than likely to elicit a positive response 27/6/07from the client. Jeanette elicits a trust in clients which goes beyond the boundaries of cognitive awareness. She somehow knows, for each individual, which triggers to pull and buttons to push, and what will reach through.

For more details contact: Sharon McGowan bd@benetas.com.au

 

... further nominations ...

This year there were 19 nominations and the judges were impressed with the high quality overall. Although not every entry could win, the inspiring ideas behind each one of them can be shared. Contact details are provided so you can find out more about a project that might be of interest to your agency.

Service Excellence

Zero Tolerance - Recognising and addressing the abuse of older people, Anglicare SA
Zero Tolerance is a training program that Anglicare SA has developed to provide comprehensive management and operational direction for management to train staff to recognise and address abuse of older people in their care.

For more details contact: Larraine Mumford lmumford@anglicare-sa.org.au

HR Network, Anglicare Australia
In 2006 Anglicare SA was successful in obtaining a grant which enabled them to establish a national network of Anglicare HR managers to share initiatives in HR best practice and work together on common HR issues; in particular, to work toward standardising systems and procedures.

For more details contact: Larraine Mumford lmumford@anglicare-sa.org.au

'The Cost of Volunteering' Research Project , Anglicare Sydney
Anglicare Sydney was commissioned by Emergency Management Australia to design a national survey to estimate the direct financial costs and in-kind contributions of volunteers in the emergency management sector. Such costs are those borne personally by volunteers after any reimbursement and exclude the cost of items fully provided by volunteer organisations.

For more details contact: Sue King sking@anglicare.org.au

AGEnDAS, Anglicare Victoria
AGEnDAS (Anglicare Greater Eastern Drug and Alcohol Service) is a counselling service that aims to minimise negative impacts of addiction and help people to find pathways towards a more stable lifestyle.

For more details contact: Dennis Sherwell dennis.sherwell@anglicarevic.org.au

 

Service Innovation

Innovation in Recruitment and Retention Strategies, Anglicare SA
Anglicare SA’s HR team developed a project to research and develop strategies to assist the organisation to attract new staff and retain current staff to ensure maintenance of staffing levels and quality service delivery to clients, particularly in the current climate of skills shortages, low unemployment and an ageing population.

For more details contact: Ian Barton ibarton@angllicare-sa.org.au

'Butt Out' Project, Ian George Court, Anglicare SA
Ian George Court has introduced a program to establish the smoking record of residents, to encourage cessation of smoking and to track progress.

For more details contact: Judy Oates joates@anglicare-sa.org.au

'The Garage', Werribee Youth Counselling Service, Anglicare Victoria
‘The Garage’ is a drop-in centre which forms an integral component of Anglicare Victoria’s Youth Counselling program in the City of Wyndham. It is designed to provide a flexible and responsive approach to the needs of young people aged 12 to 20+ and their families.

For more details contact: Dennis Sherwell dennis.sherwell@anglicarevic.org.au

'Strengthening Family Relationships', Joondalup Family Relationship Centre, Anglicare WA
Joondalup Family Relationship Centre provides innovative service delivery to strengthen family relationships and bring about social change in relation to effective workable agreements for separated parents. The service puts a focus on children and ensures that families in the community have access to relevant and accessible services to improve and strengthen the family relationship.

For more details contact: Jennifer Hannan jennie.hannan@anglicarewa.org.au

 

Partnership

'Beach to the Bush' / Bush to the Beach', Anglicare Central Queensland
Anglicare CQ has worked in partnership with Rotary and McDonalds to deliver the Beach to Bush program. The Rotary Club of Surfers Paradise Central, with financial support from McDonalds, hosts children from outback Queensland’s most drought affected areas to enjoy a week long break in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast. A reciprocal trip has been undertaken by 100 city kids who spent a week in Longreach learning all about water conservation and just how tough life on the land could be.

For more details contact: Gillian Mason-Johnson gmjohnson@anglicarecq.org.au

Junction Youth Health Service, Anglicare Canberra & Goulburn
Anglicare Canberra & Goulburn has been delivering the Junction Youth Health Service, a highly successful health centre for young people in the ACT, for almost ten years. The health service is a collaborative model involving government, non government and the private sector.

For more details contact: David Hekimian david.hekimian@anglicarecg.org.au

 

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