Call for nominations to the 2010 Disability Enterprise Excellence Awards

Call for nominations to the 2010 Disability Enterprise Excellence Awards

Nominations are sought for this year’s Australian Disability Enterprise (ADE) Excellence Awards.

The awards aim to recognise outstanding disability enterprises for the work they do in providing meaningful work for people with disability who are unable to work in open employment.

ADEs are businesses which are funded by the Australian Government to provide supported employment to people with disability who require substantial on-the-job assistance.

There are more than 200 disability enterprises across Australia, employing about 19,000 people with disability.

The Minister for Community Services, Jenny Macklin, says the ADE Excellence Awards, now in their third year, are an important recognition of the outstanding contribution of ADEs.

This year’s awards will consist of three awards categories, with the winners sharing in $10,000 prize money, donated by Rio Tinto. The awards categories are:

• Training and Innovation Awards
• Business Innovation Award
• Achievement Award

Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children’s Services, Bill Shorten, says ADE’s play a crucial role in providing the chance of a job to a group of vulnerable Australians who would otherwise miss out.

Shorten says a job is the key to social inclusion and acceptance for people with disability. As well as financial independence, he says it gives a sense of participation in the community, a chance to learn new skills, and to enjoy the camaraderie of the workplace.

This year’s Training Innovation Award will acknowledge organisations that are providing best practice training methods or have researched and developed new training products to enhance the skills and knowledge of their workers.

The Business Innovation Award will recognise ADEs that are focused on building career paths for their supported employees and providing sustainable work through new and profitable business opportunities, as well as developing strong relationships with government and corporate purchasers, and providing good customer service.

The Achievement Award will acknowledge organisations providing, for example, good wage outcomes, safe working conditions, and training opportunities for their employees.

Nominations for this year’s ADE Excellence Awards close on July 30.

The winners will be announced on September 6.

For more information, visit www.fahcsia.gov.au, or phone 1800 108 196.