Jymbilung House Community Care named Champion Employer 2011

A small community aged care organisation in Beaudesert, Queensland, has taken out top gong at Australia’s leading employment awards in Brisbane last night.

Having been nominated by Mission Australia, Jymbilung House Community Care was named Champion Employer of the Year at the National Employment Services Association’s awards, in recognition of their outstanding contribution to providing positive employment opportunities for disadvantaged job seekers.

Mission Australia Employment Solutions Business Manager Robert Kennard said this was great recognition of the important partnership between Mission Australia and Jymbilung, which had led to the placement of more than 40 job seekers over the past 11 years.

“Jymbilung has been one of our most valued partners, and that is why we nominated them for this prestigious national award,” Mr Kennard said.

“Here at Mission Australia, we are delighted to see one of our best local employers being recognised on the national stage for their significant efforts to provide job opportunities for people struggling with unemployment.

“In area where the unemployment rate is higher than the national average, at 6.5 per cent, the efforts of Jymbilung to provide employment opportunities for local job seekers are particularly important. They are helping to make a real difference in the local community.

“In particular, Jymbilung has made a significant contribution to addressing Indigenous unemployment, with the majority of the placements we have achieved at this organisation having been for Indigenous job seekers.

“Jymbilung have always shown remarkable perseverance and patience in working with our job seekers to overcome barriers to employment, and provide training opportunities that will allow employees to gain accredited qualifications in Aged Care, First Aid and Occupational Health and Safety.

“This is a huge coup for a local organisation and for our staff at Mission Australia who have worked so closely with Jymbilung for over a decade.

“Aged care is a challenging industry, but Jymbilung provides its staff with excellent support, ongoing training and great working conditions. That’s why we are always so pleased when we are able to link a job seeker with a position in this organisation.”

Established in 1994, Jymbilung House is a home and community care initiative, set up to assist frail aged, younger people with disabilities and their carers to stay in their own homes longer and enjoy a better quality of life.

Proudly sponsored by Mununjali Housing, Jymbilung originally was funded for the Indigenous population of Beaudesert Shire, however the program services now both Indigenous and mainstream clients.

The winners were announced at the NESA’s gala awards dinner at The Sofitel Hotel in Brisbane last night.

Pictured (from left): Mission Australia Service Manager Anne Humphreys; Mission Australia Employment Solutions Queensland General Manager Phil Shultz; Jymbilung Centre Manager Matthew Moore; Jymbilung Operations Manager Paula Jakavicius, and Employment Solutions Beaudesert Sales Representative Shelly Currie.

Missionbeat nurse wins Nurse of the Year Award

Paul Esplin, a nurse who plays a vital role in our Missionbeat team, was honoured last Thursday at the Hesta Australian Nursing Awards.

Paul, who joined the team in 2008, won the Nurse of the Year Award at a gala dinner in Melbourne.

The Hesta Nursing Awards, now in their fifth year, acknowledge outstanding nurses, midwives, personal care attendants and assistants in nursing. As a finalist, Paul was judged on his exceptional contribution to improving care and outcomes for patients.

Paul is co-employed by St Vincent's Hospital and Mission Australia to provide frontline medical care for the many men and women who sleep rough in the city's streets.

He works alongside Missionbeat's Community Service Workers to help meet the medical, social, mental health and housing needs of homeless people - some who have been living on the streets for decades.

For Missionbeat Manager Daniel Petsalis, having Paul on the team has provided the perfect opportunity to engage with the city's rough sleepers.

"Paul has had a huge affect on the health and wellbeing of Sydney's rough sleepers," Daniel said. "The fact that he can address their health needs on the spot - whether it's by dressing a wound or organising a vitamin B or flu shot - has made such a difference."

Congratulations Paul on this fantastic award!

Above photo (L to R): Paul Esplin and Daniel Petsalis

Mission Australia wins PwC Transparency Award

Mission Australia’s high standard of reporting and public accountability was recognised with a prestigious PwC Transparency Award (in the greater than $20m revenue category) at an event in Sydney last night.

It is the first time Mission Australia has won the award for the quality and transparency of reporting in the not-for-profit (NFP) sector.

CEO Toby Hall, said the award was welcome recognition for the organisation’s long-term efforts in this area.

“Over the last few years there’s been a debate in Australia – and rightfully so – about the need for the NFP sector to increase its levels of transparency and accountability,” Mr Hall said. “Mission Australia has been fully committed to that process, across the organisation but in particular through its reporting. This award is very welcome recognition of that commitment.

“There’s no question that the public is increasingly cynical about charities and the NFP sector’s use of grants and donations. To combat that it’s our responsibility to provide evidence we are prudent and responsible managers of the funds we receive from governments, corporate partners and the donating public,” he added.

“The NFP sector contributes $43 billion to the country’s GDP, it’s only right and proper that across the board we lift our efforts. Without greater transparency it’s the NFP sector itself – and ultimately the causes and issues it represents – that will ultimately be the losers. If the public doubts the accountability of charities, they’ll donate less.”

This year the awards were expanded to encourage participation by a wider breadth of organisations. Camp Quality won the PwC Transparency Award in the category for organisations with between a $5m to $20m revenue category.

Spokesperson for the Jury, Rupert Myer, who is Chairman of The Myer Family Company Ltd said Mission Australia‘s very comprehensive annual report embodies a high regard for transparency and full disclosure on programs and activities.

“The usefulness of information presented, especially considering the difficulty of explaining such a complex organisation to a wide range of stakeholders, made them the worthy winner of this year‘s PwC Transparency Award in the category for organisations with greater than $20m revenue,” he said.

After receiving the award from Graham Meyer, CEO for the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Mr Hall encouraged other NFPs to create Reconciliation Action Plans to help increase opportunities for Aboriginal Australians.

The Jury was presented with a shortlist containing three worthy and diverse finalists in each category – and the final decisions were very close.

Oxfam and Opportunity International were the runners-up in their respective categories, while Plan International won the Most Improved Award.

Now in their fourth year, the PwC Transparency Awards are undertaken in collaboration with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (the Institute) and the Centre for Social Impact (CSI)

Last night the CSI’s Peter Shergold said the need for strong disclosure was becoming increasingly important:

“As NFPs focus increasingly on measuring the social impact of their activities, and as new forms of social enterprise develop, the need for a strong disclosure regime becomes more vital,” he said.

“Government funders, philanthropists and social investors now expect that the financial performance, governance arrangements and risk management strategy of NFPs will be reported in a transparent manner.”

Above photo (L to R):  Mr Shergold, Mr Meyer, Mr Hall, Tim Morris-Smith (CFO for MA), Rick Millen (PwC Foundation) and Mr Myer

Find out more about the awards here.

You can view Mission Australia’s Annual Report 2010 here.

Visit Mission Australia's Aboriginal & Torres Strait Island resources page for our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), the latest indigenous news, current affairs and policy updates.

MA's Charles Chambers Court wins ACS excellence award

Mission Australia's Charles Chambers Court aged care facility was last night honoured at the 2011 Aged and Community Services Association of NSW and ACT State Awards for Excellence.

The innovative inner-city Sydney service received the Organisational Excellence Award at the state awards.

Charles Chambers Court provides modern, stable and secure accommodation and personal care for elderly or frail people who have been living on the street or are moving through crisis accommodation.

One of seven organisations in the ACS category, Charles Chambers Court was judged on its leadership, innovation and excellence in service delivery, specifically with regards to people management, training, technology, customer service, the environment and stakeholder communications.

“I’m extremely proud of the staff at Charles Chambers Court, the way in which they deliver high-quality care to the residents and the respect and dignity they show towards them,” said Jill Bicknell, Mission Australia Operations Manager - Aged Care.

“The Australian Bureau of Statistics (2001-2006) showed an increase in the number of homeless people aged 55 years and over by 33 percent in NSW. For this reason Charles Chambers Court is a much-needed aged care facility servicing the needs of the aged homeless.

"This permanent accommodation for our residents is in many cases the first real home they have had for many years.”

The ACS awards promote and recognise excellence in a range of areas that contribute to the quality of life of older people, people with disabilities and their carers. They also acknowledge efforts to increase public confidence and community involvement in aged and community care services.

As an ACS State Award winner, Mission Australia's Charles Chambers Court will now progress to the national ACSA Awards in September.

Well done to all the dedicated people who help to make Charles Chambers Court the welcoming and caring place it is.

Above image: Jill Bicknell, Charles Chambers Court and Jason Taylor, Business Development Manager, Programmed Property Services (award sponsor).

Triple Care Farm wins top international award

Senator Moore and Gabriella Holmes

Congratulations to the dedicated team at Mission Australia’s Triple Care Farm on winning silver last week at The Mental Health Services Conference 2010 Achievement Awards.

Triple Care Farm won the award for excellence in Infant, Child and Adolescent Services. It was given in recognition of a comprehensive residential treatment program that uses a positive whole-of-life approach for young people with drug and alcohol and mental health issues.

The award was announced on 15 September at the Annual Conference in Sydney. It was presented to Gabriella Holmes, Service Manager of Triple Care Farm, by Senator Claire Moore, who is Senator for Queensland and Chair of the Senate Community Affairs Committee.

Established in 1989, Triple Care Farm (TCF) is a unique and successful residential rehabilitation and treatment program for young people experiencing a problem with alcohol or other drug use. The young people assisted by Triple Care Farm are often homeless, have a mental illness, have family problems, and problems with education and getting work.

The facility covers 45 hectares of farmland in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales and offers young people the chance to develop emotionally, socially and vocationally in a safe and secure environment.

The Achievement Awards are presented every year by the Mental Health Services Conference of Australia and New Zealand to recognise and encourage best practice, excellence and innovation in mental health service delivery. The awards have been presented annually since 1992.

The Mental Health Services Conference is the largest mental health and addiction services conference in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. The conference aims to promote positive attitudes about mental health and mental illness, and to stimulate debate that challenges the boundaries of knowledge and ideas about mental health care.

Know an inspirational NSW volunteer? Annual award nominations now open!

The NSW Volunteer of the Year Award recognises the outstanding efforts of the 2.4 million volunteers in NSW and promotes the importance of volunteering to the community, and this year the Award is proudly supported by Westpac.

Nominations are now open for the:

• 2010 NSW Volunteer of the Year (with special Awards for Youth and Senior of the Year)
• 2010 NSW Volunteer Team of the Year
• 2010 NSW Employee Volunteer of the Year

Nominate online or download a nomination form from www.nswvolunteerawards.com before midnight Thursday, 30 September!

Read more Mission Australia Volunteering news here.

Mission Australia client looks outside-the-square to build a path to success

After relocating to Adelaide from Melbourne three years ago, Madee River found that, after a few months of unemployment, he would need to think outside-the-square if he was going to be able to support himself.

He came across Mission Australia's New Enterprise Incentive Scheme and soon had the small business training, mentoring and relevant qualifications to help him develop a business plan that set him on the path to success.

The New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS) is a self-employment program funded by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). NEIS has helped over 100,000 unemployed people since the early 1990s by helping them develop the skills and knowledge needed to start and manage their own business.

At the recent National NEIS Association Awards for Performance, Mr River achieved national recognition in the 'best growth business' category for his company Designer Muzik.

Mr River and his team now help businesses such as Novotel hotel group, Cibo and BMW build their branding through tailored music, advertising and promotional events

"My background is in the music industry and I certainly spent many months researching and planning my business proposition," said Mr River to the Adelaide Advertiser.

"But I am sure I would not be here now without Mission Australia NEIS support," said Mr River.

DesignerMuzik is set for further success, with plans for the business to expand into Sydney and international markets.

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To read more about NEIS, or apply see the links below...

• About the program
• Application information  

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Seven's Sunrise covers recent UTurn graduation

In a recent post we reported on the latest graduation ceremony at the U-Turn service in Tasmania - a highly successful youth program.

U-Turn aims to break the cycle of motor vehicle theft by engaging participants in 'hands on' mechanical training while addressing life-skills and personal development issues. Please visit the U-Turn website for more information.

Seven's Sunrise program also provided coverage of the event - the clip can be viewed here:

U-Turn graduates donate restored car to victims of car theft

A Moonah family, who’ve had three cars stolen in the past four years, were today handed the keys to a rebuilt `95 Hyundai Excel by six young Tasmanians graduating from Mission Australia’s U-Turn automotive training course.

U-Turn is a ‘best practice’ diversionary program for young people who have been involved in, or who are at risk of becoming involved in, motor vehicle theft. The core component of the program is a structured ten-week automotive training course in car maintenance and body work, delivered in a workshop environment.

Mission Australia’s Community Services Operations Manager Lucy O’Flaherty said the victim, who received the car on behalf of her family, said the car had gone some way in restoring her faith in young people and the community.

“During the 10-week course, the U-Turn participants repaired numerous dents on the RACT donated car, completed an engine service, undertook a full service, a test run and finished off with a complete re-spray,” Ms O’Flaherty said.

“The opportunity for participants to repair a vehicle for presentation to a victim of vehicle theft is one of the most important components of the U-Turn program.”

Graduates were presented with certificates by the Minister for Infrastructure Mr Graeme Sturges MHA and Tasmania Police Commander Steve Bond.

Achievement Awards were also presented at the graduation including the Hazell Bros Most Outstanding Graduate, the RACT Safety Awareness Award, the Encouragement Award for Effort and the Most Improved for Attitude and Enthusiasm.

The U-Turn workshop is located in Moonah with a supported accommodation service available to enable young people from other parts of the State to participate in the program. The program is delivered by Mission Australia, under contract to Tasmania Police, and is funded by the State Government.


In last year’s budget, the State Government announced additional funding for the appointment of two part-time youth workers as dedicated post course support workers. The State Government has also committed ongoing funding for the program until June 2010.

Mission Australia has almost 280 services across every state and territory in Australia and has five offices in Tasmania, located in Burnie, Launceston, Hobart, Moonah and Devonport.



For more information about this event: Lucinda Bray, Font Public Relations, 0438 280 486

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What is U-Turn?

U-Turn aims to break the cycle of motor vehicle theft by engaging participants in 'hands on' mechanical training while addressing life-skills and personal development issues.

Download the UTurn brochure - or visit the UTurn website for more service information.

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Who inspires you? Nominations now open for the 2009 NSW Volunteer of the Year Award

The NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards provide a unique opportunity to recognise and publicly acknowledge the work done by the hundreds of volunteers that support and contribute to Mission Australia - an exceptional band of people who impact the community in a myriad of ways everyday.

The Awards showcase active volunteers who have shown dedication and initiative in their work and have positively contributed to the not-for-profit organisation they volunteer for.

This year, a new Team category has been added to recognise volunteer groups. The category for corporate volunteers has been extended to include pro-bono work by professional organisations, such as lawyers, accountants and medical personnel. Awards will also be given to stand out youth and senior volunteers at the regional and State level.

The Centre for Volunteering will accept nominations until 30 September 2009. Online nominations can be entered at their website - click here to enter

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Interested in Volunteering?  Have your say!

Volunteering Australia has released their 2009 National Survey of Volunteering Issues and welcomes your input.

The National Survey of Volunteering Issues helps Volunteering Australia understand what issues are emerging in the sector and what factors help or hinder effective volunteering. Volunteering Australia uses this information to formulate policy positions to put to government, and also to target where our research and consultation efforts should be directed.

The survey takes around 15 minutes to complete and is open until 30 October - click here to complete.