Winners of the 2007 Leadership Achievement Award for Women
The Winner of the 2007 CLW Achievement Award for Women isEmma KirkwoodFounder, The Stillbirth Foundation
The Finalist of the 2007 CLW Achievement Award for Women isJessica BrownFounder & CEO, Life Changing Experiences Foundation
The Short-listed Applicants For the 2007 CLW Achievement Award for Women ared Indu Balachandrand Gainore Atkinsd Celia Bray |
Winner of CLW's 2007 Leadership Achievement Award for Women
Founder, The Stillbirth Foundation
Emma Kirkwood is recognized for her tremendous effort in raising awareness and funds for the silent issue of Stillbirth, not likely to easily gain prominence in the community. Following the stillbirth of her daughter Olivia, in 2002, Emma Kirkwood promised her that she would establish a charity dedicated to stillbirth to raise awareness of stillbirth and to encourage research through fund raising. As she shared her story with those women who had given birth to a baby who had died, Emma felt they shared her dream and it gave them an opportunity to do something positive amidst their grief and pain.
"I had no previous experience in fundraising, so had embarked on a very steep learning curve. Armed with my passion and belief in the need for a stillbirth charity, I formed a group of mothers as the Stillbirth Foundation committee. We started with nothing. Through regular monthly meetings over coffee, with children running at our feet, we planned the Stillbirth Foundation. Finally, in Sydney in October 2005, the Stillbirth Foundation was launched over a fabulous lunch to a group of 120 bereaved families, friends and medical professional. Various Obstetricians, Neonatologists, Midwives and Social Workers were asked for their input and advice. The Stillbirth Foundation's income was the major indicator of success. The Foundation has now become the organisation to which the press refer for stillbirth matters. The Foundation is still a voluntary organisation with all funds raised going to our cause." (Emma Kirkwood)
The
statistics show that
1 in every
100 babies born in
There
is still much work to be done, but through the Stillbirth Foundation under Emma
Kirkwood's leadership, stillbirth families are able to work, in memory and in
honour of their own baby, to increase public awareness of stillbirth and raise
funds for research so that ultimately other families will not have to live the
tragedy that is stillbirth.
As the
application points out, the project is providing support and comfort not only to
women who have suffered the child’s death recently, but ‘up to 50 years
ago!’
This project enables those
involved to positively engage in grieving enabling them to go on, and to develop
and grow rather than being caught in a negative cycle. The Stillbirth Foundation
is the only fundraising organization in
Finalist of CLW's 2007 Leadership Achievement Award for Women
Jessica Brown
Founder/Chief Executive Officer
Life
Changing Experiences Foundation
Jessica
Brown as The Finalist of the Award is recognized for her vision and outstanding
achievements to break the cycle of abuse and suffering in Australian teenage
girls by giving them a positive role model and having them attend a twelve month
personal success program called the SISTER 2 sister Project. She founded a
charity called of Life Changing Experiences Foundation with the purpose of
funding and implementing this program. Since its inception in 2003, the
Foundation has changed the lives of almost one hundred at risk teenage girls and
their communities. The Project aims ultimately to encourage leadership and
capacity for mentoring in the young women who are at risk and hence become
involved in the Project. The encouragement of the young women to continue at
school rather than dropping out is essential for enabling the young women to
develop and grow positively. Jessica has an extensive waiting list of volunteers
wishing to be big sister. This Project shows great initiative on the part of
Jessica Brown, along with a capacity for leadership and persuasiveness in her
ability to gain funding for the Project and support from government. The
involvement of a large number of volunteers shows a high level of ability for
leadership.
My vision was to break the cycle of abuse and suffering in Australian teenage girls by giving them a role model and having them attend a twelve month personal success program called The Sister 2 Sister Project. With the support of the wider community, I founded a charity called Life Changing Experiences Foundation with the purpose of funding and implementing this program. Since its inception, Life Changing Experiences Foundation has changed the lives of almost one hundred at risk teenage girls and their communities and by 2011 the program will reach over ten times this amount across four Australian states. Witnessing the girls achieve goals and seeing their mindset shift from "I can't" to "I can" is priceless - the best achievement we could ask for."
As The Finalist of the Leadership Achievement Award Jessica Brown receives: a CLW Leadership Achievement Award Certificate, a complimentary CLW Membership for 2 years; and a prize of A$500.
Short-listed Applicants for the 2007 Award are:
Indu Balachandran
developed for Youth Challenge
Australia,
a Program that provides exchange and development opportunities for young
people in
Australia
and
India.
Indu Balachandran wanted "to establish concrete links between Australia an India has been on the forefront of my mind for a number of years. I have sought to do this through personal advocacy, my interest in Indian classical music, and more recently my professional involvement in community development. It is my privilege to contribute to a joint volunteer program that bridges tow countries and provides opportunities for young people to engage in meanigful exchange and development." (Indu Balachandran)
Liz
Everard
for the Body Esteem Project in
Western Australia
for women affected by eating disorders such as Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa
and body image problems.
Liz Everard immigrated to Australia from the Netherlands in 2001. "It was my vision to start self help groups for women suffering from an eating disorder. I myself had suffered from an eating disorder and had benefited greatly from a self help group in the Netherlands. I wanted to implement the same model in Perth so that other women could experience the benefits of sharing with other women who had gone through a similar experience." (Liz Everard)
Gainore
Atkins
for developing the Hobsons Bay Women’s Referral Service in
Victoria
for women experiencing domestic violence or other abuse situations.
Gainore Atkins identified an urgent need for a local referral service which would primarily offer support and referral to women and families suffering from domestic abuse (either physical or verbal) in a rapidly growing area of the Hobsons Bay Municipality. Ms Atkins promoted her vision through a range of key networks that she developed within the local community over a period of time and through advertising in the local newspapers inviting people from the community to be a part of her vision. From this committee of management was founded which included women looking to assist those women and children in domestic violence situations in the local community. The service has been fully operational since 2006.
Celia
Bray
for the
Festival of Dreams Project in Tasmania for helping young people
realize their potential and move beyond obstacles posed by lack of jobs,
lack of support and services.
Celia Bray wanted to transform the perception in the community of Tasmania as a place of little opportunity where many young people feel the need to leave. She wanted to empower young people to believe in their own vision and ability to make things happen in their communities and their lives. By traveling around Tasmania consulting with youth workers and young people to find out what they thought about the project idea and what they wanted, her vision developed into a shared vision. The initial Project was a 2 day state wide youth forum and subsequent mentoring program. Since the initial Project 3 other forums have been run, a youth leadership program was developed, and a partnership is being explored with a youth peace organisation in Canada. The project is now an annual event and is considered a valuable asset in the youth sector by the Minister for Education, Office of Youth Affairs, local government and community members. 3 young people have won youth awards including the 2006 Young Tasmanian of the year Award for their leadership skills and contribution to their communities from their participation in the Project and the opportunities they have created in their lives since the project.
The four Short‐listed Applicants receive: a CLW Leadership Achievement Award Certificate, a complimentary CLW Membership for a year and a prize of A$125.
Applications were judged by Diann Rodgers-Healey, Founder of CLW and a Panel of independent judges including Avril Henry, Director of AH Revelations; Dr Jocelynne Scutt, Barrister & Human Rights Lawyer & Executive Producer, Former Anti-Discrimination Commissioner of Tasmania; Dr Shirley Randell AM United Nations Project Implementation Specialist for the Capacity Building for Gender Mainstreaming Project in Bangladesh; Dr Lynette Dumble, Founder and Director of Global Sisterhood Network; Carmelita Steinke, Director 2VoxFM, Radio & Media Specialist; Cheryl O'Connor, CEO, Australian College of Educators.
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