Corumbene Staff Rewards and Recognition

Eleven staff members and four teams were formally recognised and rewarded for outstanding work at the recent Corumbene awards ceremony. The categories reflect Corumbene’s key values – teamwork, respect, encouragement, honesty and stewardship.

Corumbene HR Officers Karinda Green and Dr. Vanmathi Anbanandan had the pleasure of announcing the recipients and handing out certificates and chocolates. “We have received the most nominations ever, including whole teams. This is testimony to the dedication and team spirit of our staff,” Karinda said.

Chief Operating Officer and Acting Chief Executive Officer, Julie Purves spoke about the Corumbene Value, Encouragement. “We have so many staff to acknowledge and thank for all the wonderful things they do. This includes our HR team for organising and leading our Rewards and Recognition celebrations which we will now have quarterly rather than annually,” Julie said.

Congratulations to the following recipients. Here are some of the comments from their nomination forms.

Individual Awards:

‘Teamwork’ –

Leesa Berry, Finance Officer & Customer Relations Officer. “Leesa is always polite with a positive attitude and always willing to assist with tasks to ensure everything runs smoothly at Corumbene.”

Jade Burdon, Assistant Accountant. “Jade is ready to help everyone.”

Sally Medhurst, Hospitality Services. “Sally demonstrated exceptional teamwork during challenging COVID-19 outbreak periods”.

Indiarna Honey, Extended Care Assistant (ECA). “Indi is always happy to help.” She has also been recognised for five years of service.

‘Respect’ –

Karinda Green, HR Officer. “Karinda is kind, reliable, positive, honest and respectful to everyone”.

Deb Salter, Community Carer. “Deb demonstrates passion and dedication. She truly puts 100% into her day and is a real asset to our organisation.”

‘Respect and Teamwork’ –

Michelle Garland, Rural Primary Health Program Physiotherapist. “Everything Michelle does helps lead to greater consumer self-management”.

Samantha Bond, ECA. “Sammy is very caring and supporting with all of our residents.” She has also been recognised for 10 years of service.

‘Respect and Encouragement’ –

Donna Burton, Community Carer. “Donna is very caring, responsive and respectful with everyone she works with.”

‘Encouragement’ –

Danielle Walker, Wellbeing & Lifestyle Assistant and Volunteer Coordinator. “Danielle has been very supportive of the Wellbeing & Lifestyle team and facilitated great improvement.”

‘Stewardship, Honesty, Teamwork, and noted for her Leadership’ –

Tameka Hendricks, ECA. “Tameka’s collaborative work practices optimise quality person-centred care, ensuring care needs are met.” Her recognition covers three of Corumbene’s values as well as acknowledgement of her leadership skills.

Team Awards:

‘Teamwork, Stewardship, Encouragement and Respect’ –

The Catering team led by Barbara Lovell, Catering Manager. “All of the catering assistants and relief cooks have taken great care and worked effectively regarding changes to the delivery of meals during the recent COVID-19 outbreak.”

‘Respect’ –

The Rural Primary Health team led by Ellie O`Brien, Rural Primary Health Program Manager. “This team has recently achieved a 5-year milestone in providing consumer-centred services. The entire team demonstrates their respect for one another, the communities and the consumers they serve. They celebrate diversity and help people to achieve goals that serve them well into the future.”

‘Respect and Encouragement’ –

The Cleaning and Laundry team led by Darren Carew, Hospitality Services Supervisor. “This team demonstrates their commitment as they continue to be supportive and flexible during challenging times, adjusting to changing conditions and duties.”

‘Encouragement’ –

The Community Services team led by Donna Minehan, Community Services Manager. “Over the past six months, this team has proactively shared and implemented ideas that are innovative whilst embracing change and growth.”

In addition, Cheryl Clark, ECA, was recognised for 15 years of service, and 14 new staff were welcomed at the ceremony.

Director of Community Services, Dr. Diana Purcell, spoke about the Corumbene Value, Honesty. “Honesty begins with being honest to oneself. To be honest with oneself takes strength, but it also generates great strength. Honest people present themselves in a genuine and sincere way, without pretence. They take responsibility for their feelings and actions. They act in a consistent manner.”

Diana shared the following affirmation which she encouraged everyone to say to themselves:

“I am honest to myself and to others; I try to present myself and my reactions accurately to others and I take responsibility for my actions.”

Business Development Advisor and Acting Director of Business Excellence, Peter Woodhouse, embraced the Corumbene Value, Teamwork with an analogy to the tireless work of those within the aged care sector to that of our sporting heroes and heroines. “We often see the accolades given to sporting greats. Could a ‘hero’ walk a mile in a carer’s shoes? It is humbling to see what our staff do, day in and day out. I, and others around me, see the commitment of our staff, our team, as way more extraordinary and special than any sports star. A champion team can defeat a team of champions. At Corumbene, we are lucky enough to have both. Well done to all those who have received recognition. Keep up the good work and continue to inspire your colleagues”, Peter said.

Written by Lisa Davis, Senior Communications Officer.

The group photo depicts recipients of our Staff Rewards and Recognition, with new staff, in front of the Corumbene Tree of Life.