Anglicare Australia Awards 2008

In 2008, the ninth year of the awards, nomination were received for the four categories of Innovation, Excellence, Partnership and Individual Achievement.  As always, the standard of achievement was a high as entries were diverse.

The 2008 Anglicare Australia Awards were presented at Government House in Sydney on Tuesday 2 September.

The ceremony was hosted by Canon Dr Ray Cleary AM, CEO, Anglicare Victoria and presented by The Hon. Kevin Greene, MP, NSW Minister for Community Services. 

Anglicare Australia again acknowledges the sponsorship of Ansvar Insurance for the presentation ceremony and prizes.  We also express our sincere thanks for the time and effort of the judges:

• Mr John Peberdy, Chief Executive Officer, Ansvar Insurance;
• Colleen Geyer, Director of Mission, Blue Care &
• Sam Page, Executive Director, Family Relationship Services Program.

Innovation

Winner: 

'My Place' Anglicare Tasmania Inc.

‘My Place’ is an action research project that was delivered by Anglicare Tasmania  in the North and North West of Tasmania.  The target group for this project are people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness as a result of their mental illness. 

This project targeted people moving through acute mental health services in the Burnie and Launceston areas. 

The project provided an early intervention service to people accessing acute mental health services who were homeless or at risk, prior to their admission and/or discharge from hospital.  The intervention offered a client centered case management approach that established protective factors against future accommodation crisis thus reducing the incidence of homelessness resulting from periods of acute mental illness.

The Judges were particularly impressed with this programme and the way it addressed people’s dual vulnerabilities of homelessness and mental illness:

(For further information please e-mail Belinda Jones, Anglicare Tasmania Inc., b.jones@anglicare.tas.org.au)

Highly Commended: 

'Multicultural Women's Friendship Group' Plenty Valley Family Services - Lalor, Anglicare Victoria.

Anglicare Victoria’s Plenty Valley Family Services team based at Lalor established a Multicultural Women’s Friendship Group in 2007 after they identified an overwhelming community need in the Whittlesa locality for a program that addressed issues of migration and social isolation, particularly for women from diverse and minority cultural groups.  The Group is activities-based and is run by a facilitator.

The Judges  found that was an excellent example of where a program reaching out dealing with complex issues in cultures.

(For further information please e-mail Dennis Sherwell, Anglicare Victoria., dennis.sherwell@anglicarevic.org.au)

Excellence

Winner:

Cranbourne Secondary College 'Connected Families, Strong Communities' Program - Anglicare Victoria.

This programme works with a local secondary school to

• help the parents of the College’s new Year 7 students acquired new parenting, relationship and other skills when their children are making the transition from Primary School; and
• build a stronger, more sustainable and better connected community in the Cranbourne region through developing stronger networks between the College, parents, community and organisations.

 The support for the project by the community has been outstanding, exceeding expectations and enabling a wide range of initiatives to be developed. 

The judges were impressed with the Strong link to an important community asset, its use of community development principles and the embeddedness with the school.

(For further information please e-mail Dennis Sherwell, Anglicare Victoria., dennis.sherwell@anglicarevic.org.au)

 Highly Commended:

Research"  Caught in the Safety Net:  The costs of Centrelink debt recovery and prosecution - Anglicare Tasmania.

Caught in the Safety Net: the costs of Centrelink debt recovery and prosecution examines Centrelink debt recovery practices and the impact these have on Centrelink clients. 

The research found that Centrelink is a complex and difficult system with innocent people at risk of being treated harshly and unjustly with consequences for them, their families and their communities. The research highlighted the over-emphasis by Centrelink on compliance and the inflexibility of its debt repayment strategies and the consequences for Centrelink customers caught in these processes. 

The report has been widely reported in the media.  It has been received positively by Centrelink, both at a local level and at senior executive level, and a willingness to discuss the recommendations and a commitment to engage with Anglicare around these has been expressed. 

The Judges were impressed with the academic rigour that had been applied and the potential effects this could have for those living on benefits.

For further information please call Jo Flanagan, Anglicare Tasmania., PH: 03 6213 3564

Partnership

Winner:

‘Drought Relief Partnership with the local community’ Anglicare Victoria Hume Region Office – Anglicare Victoria

Anglicare Victoria has worked in partnership with the Anglican Diocese of Wangaratta since October 2003 to identify needs in regional, rural and remote Victorian communities in the Hume Region and to develop responses to those needs.

The Community Development Manager has built a wonderful support base of several hundred volunteers, mostly from Anglican parishioners, in this vast geographical area which stretches from Seymour to Jinderra (southern NSW) and from Bright/Tallangatta to Shepparton.  As part of this core partnership many small, parish-based projects have been developed to meet local needs including homework clubs, drop-in centres, parenting services, counselling services, indigenous development programs, community kitchens and an emergency food aid.

The drought relief work focuses on families and individuals struggling with the significant trauma and poverty resulting from the drought and bushfires.  Many of the worst affected are so traumatised they can’t see the seriousness of their plight or any solutions.  Many feel isolated and find it hard to ask for help.  The project has uncovered levels of poverty in the Region that would shock many in 21st century Australia.

The judges praised this programme for its engagement throughout the community in difficult times and the real partnership with the Diocese.

(For further information please e-mail Dennis Sherwell, Anglicare Victoria., dennis.sherwell@anglicarevic.org.au)

The judges couldn’t separate two nominations at the highly commended level and therefore there are two equal recipients of the highly commended award:

Highly Commended:

'Partnership with Exceptional Needs Unit' - Anglicare SA, Ian George Court

Ian George Court, as the only facility of its kind in SA has forged ahead in providing a home for and delivering residential aged care to forty older residents marginalised by social and financial disadvantage, mental health issues, alcohol and substance abuse and homelessness.

The service provides for many, the first secure home they have even known.  The residents are not just burdened by age but also suffer from psychiatric and/or intellectual disability, lack of support and social networks and have often been victims of an uncaring society. 

The unit is run in conjunction with the South Australian State Government’s Psychiatric Disability Services/Exceptional Needs Unit (ENU) which accepts a small number of referrals to address cases at the extreme end of the placement continuum.  Additional funding is provided through this unit to enhance and provide a range of additional service supports in recognition of the complex needs and extra care requirements of the client group.

The partnership has allowed the provision of additional pastoral care resources and lifestyle programs which in turn has aided in the successful management, rehabilitation and placement of those clients that no one else will accept.

The judges were impressed with the programme and its high level of professionalism and the holistic programme for residents.

For further information please calll Judy Oates ph: 08 8305 9271

Highly Commended:

‘Parish Partnerships’ – Anglicare Sydney

Anglicare Sydney is strengthening its two-way partnerships with parishes in which:

We provide expertise and resources in skilling parishioners, and supporting local church caring ministries that reach in to the wider community; and

Encouraging parishes to continue to provide us with support through prayer, and in practical and material ways.

In order to do this well Anglicare Diocese of Sydney spent 12 months visiting the clergy of Sydney Diocese to ascertain their thoughts on how they currently see parish partnerships working with Anglicare and how they envisage working together to reach the wider community.  In response to the findings of the two part report

The judges were delighted to see Anglicare working so closely with the church and unlocking the capacity in the parishes.

Individual Achievement

Winner:

Mr Robert Simkus - Anglicare North Coast

Mr Simkus is a Board member of Anglicare North Coast as well as the Financial Administrator (Volunteer).  He is a retired Accountant, aged over eighty years, who devotes enormous amounts of time t the organisation.  It is extremely difficult to quantify the contribution Mr Simkus has made to Anglicare North Coast, but he has certainly saved many thousands of dollars in the performance of his voluntary duties as Financial Administrator.  He is a tremendous asset to the organisation and a valued member of the team.

Mr Simkus purchased a sample pack of MYOB Financial Management System and after playing with the software for just one evening, Mr Simkus contacted the Chair of the Board early the next morning and in his words said “We can do this ourselves”.

So began the journey of Robert Simkus having educated himself in the use of the software, transferred the records from the Diocesan office, which used an alternate financial management system, and establishing the accounts with MYOB software.  Within 6 months of the system being established, the organisation received an unqualified audit.

Article in Coastal Views - Bob Simkus

His efficiency and dedication are greatly appreciated by the entire Anglicare North Coast team.

The judges thought this an exceptional nomination and were impressed with the way in which Bob embraced change and used new technology to enable Anglicare North Coast to their full potential.

Highly Commended:

Amie Edwards, c/- Canterbury Close Nursing Home, Anglicare SA

Amie meets with every new high care resident and or their family or friends to gather detailed information about the resident’s life prior to moving to their new home.  Through this information Amie is able to ascertain any experiences they regret not achieving as well as those they did achieve which she uses to develop an individualised plan to assist residents’ achieve these experiences even if they need to be modified.

Amie’s passion ensures that all residents are assisted to make choices to take risks in being as independent as possible in any leisure interests and activities they wish to participate in.

Aged Care is often considered the end of the line as far as life goes but Amie sees every person as an opportunity to feel great about being alive and achieving even if they are only small achievements.

As this project is an expensive program to operate, Amie fundraises to pay the costs involved with this program rather than disappoint those residents who have become fanatical about these sessions and live for them week to week.

Amie has a passion for aged care and her residents is unequalled and she continues to strive to instil this passion in others in an attempt to improve the daily lives of residents.

The judges commented upon Amie’s commitment beyond the realms of her paid work, her passion and compassion for everyone in her care

• Thank you to all the great dedicated nominees & judges time and commitment in accessing the nominees this year.