Action Awards

The Disability Action Awards are designed to recognise individuals, groups and organisations in the Mackay, Whitsunday and Isaac regions that have contributed to improving the quality of life of people with a disability.

This is a great way for you and our community to say thank you to the people who support themselves and others to have a quality life. A total of 10 Disability Action Week Awards will be presented in 2010.

A panel of independent judges with experience in the disability and community sectors will judge the nominations.

The awards will be presented at the Disability Action Week Dinner,
Harrup Park Country Club, on Friday 10 September 2010

Award nominees will be notified prior to the dinner and their names will be listed on disabilityactionweek.blogspot.com and in the dinner event program. The winner’s details will be provided to the media.

Nominations for the ACTION AWARDS close on Thursday 12 August 2010.
Click here to submit your nomination online.

ACTION AWARD categories

• ABC Tropical North - Outstanding Community Based Organisation
This category recognises community based organisations that have assisted people with a disability to access their community in a meaningful way.

• ABC Tropical North - Most inspiring (user managed) disability support group.
This category recognises support groups who are run by people with a disability, their family, friends or other community members.

• ABC Tropical North - Outstanding recreational activity
This category recognises organisations or individuals who have assisted people with a disability to access quality recreational activities.

• STEPS Disability QLD - Outstanding new initiative
This category recognises new initiatives that support people with a disability to access the community in a meaningful way. Initiatives mush have commenced between the September 2009 and August 2010.

• IDEAL Placements - Outstanding educational program
This category recognises programs that provide quality learning opportunities for people with a disability or educates Australians on how to respect and include people with a disability in the general community life.

• Intersect - Outstanding employment initiative
This category recognises employers, employment organisations or other community members who have
assisted people with a disability to engage in meaningful paid or volunteer employment.

• Tri Q - Outstanding Business
This category recognises businesses that have supported people with a disability to access their business and or their community in a meaningful way.

• Pioneer Community Connect - Volunteer of the year
This category recognises individual volunteers who display a commitment to assisting people with a disability to accessing the community and living a quality life.

• Commonwealth Respite & Carelink Centre - Support worker of the year
This category recognises individual paid support workers who display a commitment to assisting people with a disability to accessing the community and living a quality life.

• Life Without Barriers - Most inspiring person with a disability
This category recognises people with a disability who are getting on with their lives despite or because of their disability. People who have not let their disability stop them from living a fulfilled life.

Click here to submit your nomination online.

Eligibility criteria
• The nominee’s achievements must be consistent with the policy of inclusion of people with a disability in community life as defined under the Disability Services Act 2006.
• The nominee’s achievements must uphold the dignity of people with a disability.
• The nominee’s achievements may be the result of a special work project or duties carried out at work. However, award winners will have demonstrated exceptional service or commitment to a particular project.
• Activities associated with the nominee’s work and achievements must have taken place in the Mackay, Whitsunday or Isaac Regions.

Selection guidelines
Judges will use the following criteria to assess nominations:
1. Improved quality of life for people with a disability
How the nominee’s achievements have benefited people with a disability.
2. Developing solutions
How the nominee has included people with a disability in the development and decision making associated with the initiative.
3. Longer-term benefits
How the nominee’s achievements have enhanced the lives of people with a disability in a sustainable manner.
4. Commitment to equal access
How the nominee has promoted and gained improved access for people with a disability in a general sense (this may be physical access, access to community activities or access to opportunities and may include things such as improved attitudes towards people with a disability).

For further information please contact: Sharon on 0438 279 795 or Karen on 4953 2292
daw@pesmackay.com.au   http://www.disabilityactionweek.blogspot.com/