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ACT Chief Minister’s Inclusion Awards – 2019 Winners

The Chief Ministers Inclusion Awards (CMIAs) provide acknowledgement of the outstanding achievements of businesses, organisations and individuals who have demonstrated their commitment to encourage, welcome and support people with disability in their workplace, business and community.

The Awards align with International Day for People with Disability on 3 December and acknowledge inclusive leaders across four categories:
• Recognising people with disability who are leaders in inclusion
• Excellence and innovation in community access and inclusion
• Achieving inclusion through supporting the independence and wellbeing of people with disability
• Championing rights protection and justice
An overarching Award for Excellence is then selected from award recipients.

The 2019 awards were announced at a gala night at the Great Hall, Parliament House on Thursday 5 December 2019.

The record breaking 102 finalists across four award categories showed that so many Canberrans are demonstrating their commitment to welcome, encourage and support people with disability in our community.

The 2019 winners were:

2019 Chief Minister’s Award for Excellence

Seeing Machines

Emerging Young Leader

James O’Hehir

Achievement in Inclusion

Yenn Purkis

Excellence in Making Inclusion Happen

Sharon Ding

Inclusion in Private Sector Employment

Seeing Machines

Joint Winners – Inclusion in Public Sector Employment:

ACT State Emergency Service – Tuggeranong Unit

Questaconthe National Science and Technology Centre

Inclusion in Education and Training

Jake Naylor

Inclusion in Business

ThinkPlace

Joint winners – Excellence in Innovation, Design and Access:

ACT Parks and Conservation Service

Technology for Ageing and Disability ACT (TADACT)

With a Commendation awarded to The Future is Inclusive podcast

Excellence in Inclusive Services and Disability Support

Belconnen Community Service

With joint Commendations awarded to:

Inclusive Volunteering Program, Volunteering ACT

ACT Down Syndrome Association

Excellence in Volunteer Support

John Brookes

Joint winners – Excellence in Support Work 

Anton Saadeh

Luke Ferguson

Joint winners – Lifetime Achievement in Supporting People with Disability:

Bob Sawyer

Jamelle Boettcher

Excellence in Championing Human Rights and Equality

Canberra Community Law

With joint Commendations awarded to:

Women With Disabilities ACT

Disability Justice Reference Group

The categories were:

Category 1 – Recognising people with disability who are leaders in inclusion

Select this category if the nominee:
• is a person with disability who is a leader in their community
• has made a difference in the community
• is a role model for their community
• demonstrates excellence and leadership
• engages community to promote inclusion of people with disability.

The awards for this category are:

1.1 Emerging Young Leader

Recognises a person aged 16-35 years with disability who is an outstanding leader in their community.

1.2 Achievement in Inclusion

Recognises a person with disability who has over a long period of time (more than 10 years) made a significant personal contribution to creating an inclusive ACT community.

1.3 Excellence in Making Inclusion Happen

Recognises a person with disability who works to celebrate and enable people with disability to participate in the community and reach their full potential as equal and valued citizens.

Category 2 – Excellence and innovation in inclusion and access

Select this category if the nominee:
• improves and promotes accessibility for people with disability
• creates an environment that includes and values people with disability
• demonstrates excellence in inclusion and promotes the benefits of inclusion to the whole community
• demonstrates a commitment to embed inclusivity in everyday practice.

The awards for this category are:

2.1 Inclusion in Private Sector Employment

Recognises a business, organisation or individual within the private sector that has provided inclusive and innovative employment practices.

2.2 Inclusion in Public Sector Employment

Recognises an organisation, team or individual within the public sector that has provided inclusive and innovative employment practices.

2.3 Inclusion in Education and Training

Recognises an educational and training organisation or individual either within the private sector or government funded that has provided exceptional or innovative educational or training opportunities for people with disability.

2.4 Inclusion in Business

Recognises a business that has delivered exceptional or innovative services and facilities that empower and include people with disability and celebrate their contribution to the community.

2.5 Excellence in Innovation, Design and Access

Recognises an organisation, team or individual who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to accessibility or innovation in design* to create greater inclusion for people with disability.
(*Design encompasses inclusive design in the areas of art, building, architecture, landscape architecture, information technology, equipment and craft, or designing system or processes).

Category 3 – Achieving inclusion through supporting the independence and wellbeing of people with disability

Select this category if the nominee:
• demonstrates excellence in supporting people with disability, above and beyond the national standards
• engages community to promote inclusion of people with disability
• expands opportunities for people with disability
• enables and empowers people with disability to achieve their full potential as equal citizens.

The awards for this category are:

3.1 Excellence in Inclusive Services and Disability Support

Recognises an organisation who has demonstrated excellence in providing services that promote inclusion, and respond to the needs and aspirations of people with disability.

3.2 Excellence in Volunteer Support

Recognises an individual volunteer who supports people with disability who has shown outstanding dedication to empowering people with disability to increase their independence, enhance belonging in community and achieve goals.

3.3 Excellence in Support Work

Recognises an individual support worker who has shown outstanding dedication to empowering people with disability to increase their independence, enhance belonging in community and achieve goals.

3.4 Life Time Achievement in Supporting People With Disability

Recognises a person that has over a long period of time (more than 10 years) shown innovation and leadership in supporting people with disability to increase their independence, enhance belonging in community and achieve goals.

Category 4 – Rights Protection and Justice

Select this category if the nominee:
• increases access to justice for people with disability
• promotes awareness of disability rights
• demonstrates excellence and innovation in the achievement of just outcomes for people with disability.

The award for this category is:

4.1 Excellence in Championing Human Rights and Equality

Recognises an individual, organisation or service who demonstrates excellence in the promotion and fulfilment of human rights