The Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak Ltd. (QATSICPP) was pleased to host the 2019 Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Child Protection Awards, on 13 September at the Queensland Cricketers’ Club in Brisbane.
Natalie Lewis, QATSICPP CEO said “These awards recognise outstanding achievement within our Sector in cultural leadership, practice excellence, youth advocacy and innovation”
“It is critical that we showcase the positive contributions our members make to the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families”.
“QATSICPP members are at the forefront of implementing reforms designed to stop the flow of our kids into the child protection system. It is our distinct privilege as the sectors Peak Body, to observe and then bring attention to the innovation, emerging best practice and exemplary leadership within our sector”.
“Importantly, the event also provided an opportunity to acknowledge families for growing up safe, strong and connected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people” Ms Lewis said.
“I congratulate all of the winners and nominees on such well-deserved recognition of your commitment and contribution to the safety and wellbeing of our children, families and communities”.
Ms Lewis said she would like to thank the Queensland Government and Queensland University of Technology for their support of the night.
Cultural Leadership Award
The Cultural Leadership Award recognises an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community controlled child protection worker who has demonstrated outstanding cultural leadership and mentoring within their workplace and/or the wider community.
The 2019 Nominees in this category have all taken on leadership in relation to the safety and wellbeing of our children, and through mentorship, ensure that those around them are aiming for this goal as well. Nominees highlighted the importance of forging collaborative working relationships both within and external to their organisations.
The winner of the 2019 Cultural Leadership Award is:
Mr Kevin Maund
Program Manager, Community Programs,
Kurbingui Youth & Family Development
Kevin’s cultural leadership is front and centre in the work he does within his community. Kevin has worked tirelessly and has advocated for better outcomes for his community to ensure the voices of children, young people and families are heard and listened to. Kevin does this by supporting them to achieve great outcomes and encourages them to explore their own individual uniqueness within their connections to family, culture and community. His goal is to support children, young people and families to improve their quality of life through their own cultural connections. Kevin is genuine, committed and dedicated to his community and is a well deserved winner of this year’s Cultural Leadership Award.
Practice Excellence Award
The Practice Excellence Award recognises an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Child Protection practitioner who has demonstrated best practice within their direct service delivery to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people and/or families.
Nominees within this category showcased the importance of building strong relationships with children and their families to work towards establishing a new storyline. Furthermore, all of the nominees showed a strong commitment to supporting families to identify their own solutions and ways to achieve these.
The winner of the 2019 Practice Excellence Award is:
Ms Jasmine Kennedy
Family Wellbeing Officer
Mulungu Aboriginal Corporation Primary Health Care Service
Jasmine is known for working within a strong cultural practice framework and has worked with a number of families towards reunification. Jasmine is a passionate advocate for Family Led Decision Making and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principles when working with families and other stakeholders to ensure the needs of children and families are met.
Jasmine’s nomination stood out in a field of excellent peers because she recognised an unmet need regarding the developmental milestones of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children not being met amongst her
clients. In response Jasmine developed a toddler play-group which she named “Little Feet Big Dreams” and partnered with Playgroup Queensland to secure funding to offer this to families in her community. “Little Feet Big Dreams” is a place for children to meet their developmental milestones before entering prep, and a place for mums to come together to support each other.
Jasmine is a leader, a mentor and an agent for change. Jasmine is an inspiration and a worthy winner of this years Practice Excellence Award.
Innovation within the Sector Award
The Innovation within the Sector Award recognises an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community controlled child protection worker who has demonstrated innovation to achieve best outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.
This year’s nominees showcased that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are diverse and therefore we can’t have a one-size fits all approach for the work that we do. We need to think outside the box and work in ways that are responsive and engage our people.
The winner of the 2019 Innovation within the Sector Award is:
Yamani Meta House
Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Service
All nominees were of a high calibre for this category. Yamani Meta house is a wonderful innovative initiative that is a culturally safe child centred space/hub incorporating a diverse number of supports for families and the community across the entire child protection continuum. Yamani Meta house is utilised by the TAIHS Family Wellbeing Team, which has strengthened its practice and ability to provide integrated, holistic and culturally safe supports to improve all facets of health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their pride in culture and identity.
Youth Advocacy Award
The Youth Advocacy Award recognises an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community controlled child protection worker who has demonstrated best outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people through strong advocacy skills.
The nominations for this category highlighted the importance of advocating, on a daily basis, that being raised by family and having a strong connection to culture and community is at the heart of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child’s perception of permanence, belonging and identity.
The winner of the 2019 Youth Advocacy Award is:
Mr Tom Gower
REFOCUS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation
Tom is a deadly strong, compassionate Aboriginal man who is committed to walking the walk with youth. Tom is innovative, creative, passionate and dedicated to reducing the stigma attached to shame by encouraging youth within his community to be proud of their identity and their mob. Tom has built a strong rapport with the young people in his community..…. they reckon “Tom rocks!!!” and so do we.
Family Award
QATSICPP would like to acknowledge the following four families for promoting and advocating for the rights, safety and wellbeing of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.
Ms Kylie Wyatt
nominated by Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Service (TAIHS)
Phillip and Lorna Pitt
nominated by Wuchopperen Health Service
Ms Belinda Wilson
nominated by Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Service (TAIHS)
Ms Cassandra Priestley
nominated by Central Queensland Indigenous Development (CQID)
For further information about the awards night, please contact Lenny Dahlen at lennydahlen@qatsicpp.com.au
