Contributed by Gabriela Torres
The Believe, Engage and Inspire awards are like the Oscars of posAbilities. They are a formal recognition program that reward team members who go above and beyond in their jobs to make a positive difference. The winners of the 2016 awards have contributed behaviours and actions that assist in realizing our strategic objectives. Their dedication, continuous hard work and positivity have helped make posAbilities the organization it is today. We would like to take this opportunity to recognize and appreciate our wonderful award winners, Sarah Peacock, Gina Rowan and Kavita Singh for their efforts!
Sarah Peacock, an Art Facilitator at Alternative Creations Studio, received the Inspire Award this year. She has demonstrated dedication in the areas of inclusion, engagement and innovation while going above and beyond her job description. Sarah showed initiative by applying for a large number of grants on behalf of Alternative Creations Studio and through Magpie’s Nest, a non-profit art based organization. Doing so, she has worked towards the development of Alternatives and has created a vibrant environment that fosters community involvement. Not only did this help make art something welcoming and engaging but has assisted in creating the natural inclusion of persons served within the arts community. At the studio, barriers and stigmas are removed and artists are seen as nothing other than artists! But wait…there’s more! Sarah has also taken on a leadership role by facilitating weekly weaving drop-ins on Thursdays. She has made this open to all community members so if you like being artsy, visit Alternative Creations Studio to check it out!
Gina Rowan was a recipient of the Believe Award. She has worked extremely hard to develop our ShareVision website. By consulting with all users and analyzing the needs of employees she has developed a Data Management System that has revolutionized the way posAbilities governs and utilizes input. As we all know and probably have experienced firsthand, technology can be a bit pesky sometimes. However, thanks to Gina, technology is no match for the employees at our organization! All staff members are now empowered to use technology that monitors and enhances the delivery of service. They are able to run reports, retrieve, track and share information efficiently and effectively!
Kavita has also received the Believe Award for the extreme dedication and commitment she has shown to her job. She has demonstrated passion and professionalism in all that she does and is extremely flexible when it comes to the needs of our organization. Kavita has taken initiative by acquiring extra duties. She is a member of the OSH committee, has taken on the criminal records renewal project and has helped develop a paperless administration orientation initiative. Kavita is an individual who never hesitates to go above and beyond when it comes to helping others. She truly exemplified this when assisting prospective candidates obtain pre-employment requirements. When a deaf candidate who was successful in his interview was unable to proceed in the hiring process due to financial reasons, Kavita begun seeking multiple resources to find financial aid for him. Though she often found herself with no results, she did not give up until she was able to secure proper funding. Kavita, your persistence is an inspiration to us all!
A huge virtual round of applause to these lovely ladies who work exceptionally hard every day! Your effort and dedication to our organization is appreciated and does not go unnoticed. Congratulations!
