Awards for excellence
Disability services organisations were among the nine organisations honoured in a new Queensland awards program.
The inaugural Minister's Awards for Excellence in Workforce Development presented recently in Brisbane showcased some of the innovative and practical ways community and disability organisations are developing their staff and continuously improving services.
The awards, conducted as part of the Queensland Government's Strengthening Non-Government Organisations strategy, saw nine organisations from regions throughout Queensland receive awards in four categories: Effective Board of Management; Innovation in Workforce Development; Creating a Learning Culture; and Culturally Inclusive Practice.
Minister Pitt and Natalie Reid (left), representing awards sponsor The Bremer Institute of TAFE, presented Cootharinga's Training and Development Officer Julie Mahoney (right) with the regional award for Creating a Learning Culture.
"The awards were an excellent opportunity to highlight the importance of workforce capacity building in the community and disability services sectors," Minister for Disability Services Warren Pitt said.
"These awards are an ideal way for members of the sectors to share best practice in this field, celebrate their achievements and gain inspiration from each other."
Townsville-based Cootharinga provides individual support to people with a disability in North Queensland and was a regional winner of the Creating a Learning Culture award and a finalist in the Innovation and Workforce Development category.
"I hope our award will show that we're out there in the sector and can help other organisations as well as ourselves. We're happy to open our doors, offer training and share what we've learnt," Cootharinga's Human Resources Executive Officer Steve Cairns said. "It's not about recognition - it's about working together and supporting each other."
For information: phone 1300 794 611 or visit www.communities.qld.gov.au
Last updated November 2007