On 11 June 2020 we celebrated our annual CTC Day – not quite in the format we had anticipated but nonetheless a special day to celebrate our hard work and achievements and the individuals who have been chosen by their peers as worthy of particular recognition.  The Team Award selection criteria are:

• Demonstrates excellent team work
• Supports colleagues across CTC teams
• Regularly does that little bit extra for the community
• Is a good ambassador for CTC

As always there were many nominations, reflecting the quality and commitment of so many colleagues. It was really good to see that almost everyone voted so that the results really are a true reflection of the esteem the winners are held in.  The voting was often close but invariably the winner was clear. 

Congratulations to all winners – you truly deserve the honour!

Team Award	Recipient
Gumnut Place	Lizz Geppert
Partners in Foster Care	Debra Richardson
Youth & Family Services Kingaroy	Jacqui Grosskopf
Connections Youth & Family Services	Clinton Missi
Disability Services	Emma Zoldak
Residential Services	Sarah Herbohn
HQ	Jack McDowell

 

Howard Leisemann STAR Award

Brenda Brown

The Howard Leisemann STAR Award is named after CTC’s former Chairman who led us for over 25 years and continues to serve as Treasurer with great skill and commitment to our vision, mission and values.  STAR stands for: Skill, Teamwork, Attitude and Reliability and the Award is given to someone who has consistently demonstrated such qualities over a longer period (or the entire time of their employment by CTC).   The award is not automatically given every year but this year’s winner certainly deserves the honour.  Brenda Brown has worked in the Partners team in a number of roles as a Support Worker, Team Leader and lately as Acting Manager during the upheaval of COVID.  She has earned the respect of her own and the management team, the foster carers and also of the Department of Child Safety staff through her calm, considered approach (while pedalling furiously under the table).  Congratulations Brenda!

 

John Quatermass Award

Ben Nicholson

The JQ Award is named after one of our founding members, Chairman and later Patron, the late John Quatermass.  It has only been awarded a few times over the years and is meant to recognize deeds or achievements that are not necessarily performed as part of a work role but make us all proud.  Despite his youth and with only a couple of years of experience as a Youth Worker, Ben Nicholson has demonstrated outstanding initiative and persistence to achieve good outcomes for young people and create more positive perceptions of them in the wider community.  He has also acted quite heroically and very effectively during a fire at a different organisation – without there being any obligation on him.  His preparedness to put his own life on hold to keep others safe is commendable.  Congratulations Ben!

20 Years of Service
Esther Ross	Finance
Kirsten Firman	Youth & Family Services
10 Years of Service
Jane Badior	Disability Services
Sarah Herbohn	Residential Services
5 Years of Service
Luella Watson	Youth & Family Services
Edward Eagles	Disability Services
Hayden Mashford	Residential Services
Harry Sterling	Youth & Family Services
Ian Munday	Gumnut Place
Bill Davison	Disability Services
Julie Blundell	Youth & Family Services
Lee-Anne Reinbott	Youth & Family Services
Gemma Sanford	Youth & Family Services
Courtney Varidel	Gumnut Place
Andrew Wesener	Gumnut Place

None of our awards carry any kind of material rewards with them – other than a box of chocolate to share with the team.  I do hope though, that the honour and recognition bestowed on the recipients by their peers goes some way towards the job satisfaction and sense of being in the right job that is such an important contributor to mental and physical health and happiness.  Congratulations and thank you to all recipients.

~ Nina Temperton, CEO