NEWS
Indigenous health scholarships up for grabs Applications are being sought for the Puggy Hunter Memorial Scholarship Scheme (PHMSS), a federal government initiative designed to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander undergraduate students in healthrelated disciplines to complete their studies and join the health workforce.
HESTA AGED CARE AWARD WINNERS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, JAN HORSNELL FROM SOUTHERN CROSS CARE (VIC), PAUL BROPHY FROM BROTHERHOOD OF ST LAURENCE AND, KRISTEN GRAINGER FROM CHARLES O’NEILL HOSTEL.
HESTA Aged Care Awards announced The achievements of unsung individuals and organisations working in aged care across the country have been recognised at the 2015 HESTA Aged Care Awards in Canberra. ‘A Safe Place to Call Home’ program team, which provides care to older Australians experiencing mental illness. The team, which includes a registered nurse, provides specialist care for people with mental health disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. Victorian Paul Brophy, a Brotherhood of St Laurence’s Sambell Lodge employee, received the Individual Distinction Award for staging music events for more than 6,000 residents across 20 different homes. Many residents who attend the events come from disadvantaged backgrounds with little family contact. Winners shared in a $30,000 prize pool, with the Outstanding Organisation and Team Innovation Award recipients receiving a $10,000 development grant, while the Individual Distinction winner netted $5,000 towards further education.
To apply, visit: www.acn.edu.au/phmss
THE PROGRAM INCLUDES ALMOST 20 INITIATIVES INCLUDING FORMAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES IN AGED CARE, LEADERSHIP, COMPUTER LITERACY, AND A MONEY-MINDED PROGRAM TO INCREASE FINANCIAL LITERACY AMONG STAFF.
anmf.org.au
October 2015 Volume 23, No. 4 7
ACHIEVEMENT BY INDIGENOUS ARTIST MARK HUDDLESTON
The annual awards, which celebrate the contribution people working in the sector make to improve the quality of life of older Australians, comprise three categories: Outstanding Organisation, Team Innovation, and Individual Distinction. Victorian aged care organisation Southern Cross Care (Vic) took out the Outstanding Organisation Award for its Employee Development and Empowerment Program that is geared towards improving the skills, health, and lives of its predominantly female and culturally and linguistically diverse workforce. The program includes almost 20 initiatives including formal education opportunities in aged care, leadership, computer literacy, and a MoneyMinded Program to increase financial literacy among staff. In the Team Innovation Award, the Newcastle-based Charles O’Neill Hostel was honoured for its unique
The scholarships are open to people who are studying nursing and midwifery, health work, allied health, dentistry/oral health, and medicine. Funding is provided for the duration of the course, with a fulltime scholarship awardee receiving up to $15,000 per year and part-time recipients getting up to $7,500. The prestigious scholarships are awarded on the recommendation of an independent selection committee who assess applicants on their influences and motivations for wanting to become a health professional, their involvement in community activities promoting the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and what they hope to accomplish as a health professional in the next 5-10 years. The scholarship scheme was established in recognition of Dr Arnold ‘Puggy’ Hunter’s significant contribution to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health through his role as Chair of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation. Funding for the scholarships is provided by the Department of Health and administered by the Australian College of Nursing. Applications close on 12 October with winners announced in early December.