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MercyCare gathers staff and volunteers for Excellence Awards and appreciation day
Freya Lucas
Oct 23, 2023
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Staff and volunteers from across the MercyCare network recently came together at Perth’s Optus Stadium for a bi-annual event which brought together more than 400 staff and volunteers to hear from keynote presenters, participate in service focused fun and activities, and network with other staff and volunteers within the organisation.
Taking centre stage during Mercy Week, the event was an opportunity for the MercyCare community to reflect on the year that was, and look ahead to the future.
A special part of the event was the MercyCare Excellence Awards which recognise staff and volunteers who go above and beyond in their roles, live by the MercyCare values, and contribute significantly to the community.
Inspiring speakers
Attendees were privileged to hear from highly regarded presenters Brooke Blurton and Dr. Chadden Hunter, who both shared personal stories of growth and transformation from their own remarkable journeys.
For Ms Blurton, the MercyCare Staff and Volunteer Day felt like a ‘full circle moment', having worked with MercyCare clients many years ago as a Youth Worker.
Julian Pace from Happiness Co brought his trademark energy and wisdom to the event, captivating the audience with his own raw, heartfelt story and imploring those in the room to turn their pain into purpose and their sadness into strength.
World-renowned documentary videographer Dr Chadden Hunter concluded the day, sharing insightful, quirky humour and stunning footage of his documentary experiences.
Volunteers Kerry and Lynne from Kelmscott Residential Aged Care, who joined Volunteer Lead Tania, and Multicultural Services Manager Jacqui, took part in a special volunteering panel discussion. The discussion gave the audience a 360° view of volunteering at MercyCare, with a focus on how volunteers help the business achieve its goals, and on the flipside, how volunteering can be the first step on the pathway to employment for our multicultural clients.
A chance to explore
A dedicated Transformation Space allowed attendees to immerse themselves in all things MercyCare, learning about projects, committees and services, and enabling them to gain a more holistic view of the organisation. The Transformation Space, one delegate said, “was buzzing all day, and a great place to re-charge and connect.”
Another highlight of the day was the unveiling of a customised Values Artwork – a new series of artworks that represent the organisation’s six core values: Courage, Integrity, Justice, Compassion, Respect, and Excellence.
The MercyCare values artwork, which was created by Noongar artist Peter Farmer, was presented on stage by Vicky Gonzalez Burrows, Executive Director of Mission & Ethos along with Pam Thorley, Manager of Aboriginal Pathway Strategies.
Record nominations for Awards
In 2023, there were a record number of nominations from staff, volunteers and clients who wanted to acknowledge the hard working individuals and teams. From 145 nominations, the judges had the difficult task of selecting nine award winners.
Seville Grove Early Learning Centre (pictured) received a Service Excellence Award, a distinction given to an individual or a team that delivers excellent services at the highest standard and makes a positive impact in the workplace/community.
MercyCare thanked sponsors CBA, Catholic Super, Access Pay, Mercer, Lockton Companies Australia, and OP Properties for their generous support of the event.
To learn more about MercyCare please see here.
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