Speech - National Conference 2007 - The Award For Excellence in Service - Presented by Jeff Giltinan

EXCELLENCE IN SERVICE ORGANISATIONAL (MEMBERS)

COFFS HARBOUR
TUESDAY 1 SEPTEMBER 2007

JEFF GILTINAN, STATE MANAGER NSW, CATHOLIC CHURCH INSURANCES

**Check against delivery

THE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN SERVICE ORGANISATIONAL (MEMBERS)

WINNER
Northern Respite Service - Auricht House
Centacare Catholic Family Services, Disability Services (Adelaide Diocese)

It gives me great pleasure this evening to announce the winner of the Award for Excellence in Service for a member organisation.

This award is presented to the program which has most successfully met or is meeting the needs of a local community.

Tonight's winner is:
Northern Respite Service operated by Centacare in Adelaide

The service operates from Auricht House, which was purpose built by Centacare with proceeds from fundraising and with the aid of a government grant.

It provides respite to individuals and their families who live in the north and north eastern suburbs of Adelaide and is available to families whose son or daughter is aged between 13 and 30 years of age and has an intellectual disability.

The service currently operates from Friday afternoon to late Sunday afternoon for up to 12 people at a time and overnight respite can be offered for up to four of those people.

Respite services are available for a couple of hours or an entire weekend, depending on individual and family need.

NRS has been recognised by peer and other community organisations, including funding bodies, as a leader in the field of providing services to people with an intellectual disability and was recently awarded a ‘leading practice' commendation after a Quality Management Services audit.

NRS excels as a service under the guidance and governance of Centacare, clearly and intentionally encompassing and promoting the Principles of Catholic Social Teaching.

Their approach and their results are testament to the hard work of committed staff, their strong and respectful relationships with clients and a continuous program of quality improvement to ensure the very best standards of service to all who seek support.

The Service has applied for additional Federal government funds which would allow them to provide Monday to Friday respite for older parents who have an adult child living with them in the family home. It would also help to provide services to a wider geographical area where unmet need is extreme.

And I wish them luck with that venture.

Here this evening to accept the award is Dale West, Director of Centacare Adelaide.

CONTACT Judith Tokley 0408 824 306 / 02 6285 1366