here - Department for Correctional Services

APRIL EDITION 2009
CORRECTIONAL SERVICES INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM CITATIONS
Individual Commendations
Ms Anna Kemp
Anna is a Community Corrections Officer with an outstanding commitment and
dedication to her work in bettering the lives of women whilst in the Adelaide
Women’s Prison and in increasing their opportunities to succeed in the community
once released. She has invested an enormous amount of time, effort and support in
achieving successful results for the programs she has delivered.
Examples include the soap making program from production to promotion of the
completed product to charity organisations. The skills attained through the entire
soap making process has enabled the women to make a cost effective product
themselves when released.
Anna has developed grant submissions which has enabled the prison to receive a
yearly grant of $3,000 to provide a toiletries pack for women being newly admitted
until such time the women are able to purchase their own through the prison buy
system.
Anna’s generosity is also shown through her supplying greeting cards and stamps to
each woman to enable them to communicate with families and friends as well as
through donating exercise equipment for the women to improve their health and
wellbeing. Furthermore, through her contacts and networks she has been successful
in securing in excess of $20,000 from Adelaide Brighton Cement to sponsor the
supply, electrical and construction works of the new Exercise Shed and training for
the women in the correct use of the exercise equipment.
Anna has demonstrated strong leadership qualities, engendering wide cooperation
and collaboration. Her passion, dedication and commitment are exceptional.
Mr Bernie Gelston
Bernie is a Manager at Mobilong Prison who has demonstrated outstanding
leadership and organisational skills throughout his career in the Department. His
current leadership, support and commitment to the operations of the Mobilong Prison
has brought to fruition and success many initiatives to the benefit of staff and
prisoners.
Examples include the establishment of the Asset Management Program for the
recording, measurement and maintenance of all equipment and assets serviced,
repaired and replaced at Mobilong Prison. He has demonstrated exceptional
organisational skills in developing and implementing new operational procedures for
all institutional activities.
This also includes planning, developing and implementing complex security
operations for both covert and overt activities to prevent, intercept and capture illegal
activities within Mobilong Prison. Bernie actively participates in the mentoring,
training and assessment of Trainee Correctional Officers within Mobilong and is also
an instructor on the training schools.
Bernie applies himself to all that he does with passion, enthusiasm, commitment and
dedication. He exemplifies the standards required to be an inspirational leader, a
benchmark to be achieved for all those aspiring to be in leadership positions.
Mr Neil Gillies
Neil is a Supervisor at the Adelaide Remand Centre with over 20 years experience in
both Community Corrections and Custodial Services. His extensive experience,
commitment and dedication have enabled him to occupy a key position on the
Standard Operating Procedures Working Party.
This working party aims to provide a mechanism for consultation in the development,
review and implementation of the Department’s Policies and Standard Operating
Procedures. Neil has been instrumental in ensuring issues relating to organisational
procedures are addressed through appropriate consultative processes and being an
extremely effective liaison between the Department and the Public Service
Association.
He has assisted in progressing key organisational policies and procedures and
streamlining the consultative processes in procedural development without
compromising the consultative principles. The time commitment required in ensuring
highly productive outcomes for all parties concerned is all voluntary by Neil, which he
performs with enthusiasm, passion and vigour. Neil has been extremely adept in
balancing the sometimes competing agendas of the employees he represents and of
the department’s organisational requirements.
This award recognises Neil’s high standard of work, leadership, initiative,
determination and dedication in achieving positive and effective outcomes for all
parties concerned.
Mr Chris Johnson
Chris is the Manager, Executive Services and in that role has provided outstanding
service to the Department and Ministers of Government and their offices over many
years. His provision of high quality advice to the Government of the day has been
vital in ensuring DCS presents itself with a professional image to key stakeholders at
all times. He has outstanding leadership and knowledge in all areas of government
protocols, processes, practices, and regularly assists with legislative changes.
Staff from within government will seek his advice, but also staff from other
jurisdictions facing similar challenges in their corrections systems. Chris’
commitment, dedication in supporting others, readily sharing his in-depth knowledge,
and providing policy advice has been outstanding.
He is an exceptional example of commitment to high levels of excellence in quality
service provision.
Team Excellence
Port Adelaide Community Correctional Centre
The team at the Port Adelaide Community Correctional Centre has been extremely
committed and dedicated in the implementation of the Offender Risk Needs
Inventory – Revised (ORNI-R) assessment in Community Corrections.
This is evidenced through the increasing volume of completed ORNI-R assessments
undertaken by the staff at Port Adelaide, despite the growing number of offenders
and demands on case managers’ skills.
The staff have demonstrated exceptional leadership and vision by embracing change
and role modelling to allow for a smooth transition in the introduction of ORNI-R.
This best practice assessment tool is accepted as an essential part of case
management of offenders in the community. This award recognises the team’s high
standard of work, initiative, determination and dedication in ensuring the success of
the Department’s new ORNI-R assessment tool.
Adelaide Remand Centre Education Group
The Adelaide Remand Centre Education Group has worked tirelessly in consistently
producing outstanding results in offender education. The team, comprising MaryAnne Duigan, Education Coordinator and Alison Grant, Hourly Paid Instructor, has
far exceeded expectations of all performance targets. For example, enrolment
targets during the 2007-2008 financial year have been exceeded by 229% with an
average completion rate of 56.2%.
The target completion rate was 9.2%. Participation rates in education and training
were set at 121, but actual numbers of prisoners participating was 279. Both Mary
and Alison have also provided ongoing assistance external to the work place to
discharged prisoners who have been encouraged to continue with their studies.
Their innovative approach, hard work and dedication to offender education has
enabled the prisoners to achieve exceptional results in an extremely difficult
environment, particularly with 3 prisoners, including an Aboriginal offender,
completing the Certificate 1 in Vocational Education.
Their work has encouraged other Aboriginal offenders to enrol in literacy and
numeracy programs and the Certificate 1 in Vocational Education. This award
recognises both Mary and Alison for their outstanding commitment, selfless and
exceptional service and standards in offender education.
MOWCamp
The MOWCamp Unit at the Port Augusta Prison has been in operation for 12 years
and undertakes several projects a year in the various national parks for the
Department of Environment and Heritage.
The ongoing working relationship has been cemented into a memorandum of
understanding between the 2 departments. The work undertaken by prisoners
rotating through various camps, ranges from environmental improvements,
maintenance work to restore assets to original working order, construction of walking
trails and restoration of heritage buildings. It has brought significant benefits for both
departments, the prisoners and the community.
This has been achieved by the highly dedicated team comprising Damian Prentis,
Des Bowshire, Greg Clark, Bradley Kirkham, Scott Harris and Robert Burt who are
all extremely committed to this successful program.
This award recognises the outstanding leadership, commitment and dedication of the
MOWCamp team, very much appreciated and held in high regard by the
communities connected to the national park locations.
Adelaide Women’s Prison Trainee Correctional Officer Performance Review
and Assessment Teams
The Adelaide Women’s Prison Trainee Correctional Officer Performance Review and
Assessment Teams have been highly successful and committed to the performance
review and assessment of Trainee Correctional Officers placed at the prison.
The team based approach is growing to be a best practice model, for other
institutions, providing holistic input from a broad range of members by ensuring
Trainee Correctional Officers are given every opportunity to skill themselves. The
assessment teams are represented by key staff who are proficiently skilled in case
management, security, procedures and safety aspects of the Correctional Officer’s
role.
Furthermore, these teams have been well received by the Trainee Correctional
Officers as being a respectful, fairer and unbiased process to reward and recognise
their abilities and commitment to progress to the OPS2 classification level. The team
comprises John Ellis, Simon Richards, Steve Smith, Mick Asker, Eddie Poole, Steve
Baines, Glenn Marrin, Helen McBride and Tanya Thorpe. This award recognises the
Review and Assessment Teams’ highly committed and innovative team based
approach to performance review and assessment.
Leadership, Management and Culture Team – Organisational Development
Branch – Supervision in Prison Program
The Leadership Management and Culture Team within the Organisational
Development Branch has worked tirelessly over the last 2 years in developing and
delivering a highly professional and innovative development and learning program
for all staff who are, and aspire to be, Operational Supervisors in the prisons. The
program is commonly known as the Supervision in Prisons (SIP) program which is a
2 week intensive full time learning program.
Participants are awarded on successful completion, the Certificate IV in Correctional
Practice. The SIP program with its comprehensive suite of learning resources and
materials has become highly regarded in other jurisdictions, which as a matter of fact
is being showcased in interstate Correctional Services departments.
The program has also achieved a highly commended award in the South Australian
State Training Awards ceremony. Results to date show that 83 staff have
successfully completed the program. The team must be commended for their
outstanding efforts in supporting the Department’s goals through developing such a
program to enhance, develop and extend the leadership and management
knowledge and capabilities of our Supervisors, who will be our managers of the
future.
Although there are many staff across the Department that also contributed to the
success of this program, the team responsible for the careful planning, development
and coordination of the SIP program, comprises Carol Saville, Sue Morley, Tim
Buxton, Michelle Ellis, Kirsty Bow and Sel Procter from Custodial Services.
This award recognises the innovative and qualitative approach to program design
and delivery and achievement of outstanding results by a highly dedicated and
motivated team.
Berri Community Correctional Centre
The team at the Berri Community Correctional Centre has developed a high
standard of professional expertise and has forged strong and enduring relationships
and partnerships with stakeholders in the justice and community service sectors in
the Riverland and the Southern Country Region of Community Corrections.
The team has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the development of
collaborative initiatives and projects to the benefit of the community, justice and
community service sectors and of the department through gaining a positive
reputation and standing within the community.
This is evidenced through the exceptional and innovative work undertaken in such
collaborative initiatives with external stakeholders to eliminate family violence in
Aboriginal communities, to eliminate and reduce the impact of domestic violence in
the Riverland, to provide community service programs to working people as an
alternative to paying fines, and to promote DCS services through the Riverland Law
Week committee and annual Law Week celebrations.
This award recognises the team’s high standard of work, leadership, initiative and
dedication in ensuring the success of its projects and initiatives.
John Peake - Australia Day Medal
John Peake joined the South Australian public service in 1986, working in SA Water.
In 2000, John commenced in the Department for Correctional Services as the Supply
Officer in the Finance & Asset Services Division.
Recognising the importance of his role and consistent with reforms in the SA Public
Sector in the supply area, John’s position was recently reviewed and his role is now
Senior Procurement Officer. During his time in DCS, John has been involved in
some significant agency wide initiatives including the implementation of
decentralised Masterpiece purchasing and inventory control systems across the
Department.
John is well known to many staff across the Department. He is well respected by
staff, peers and senior management for his sound knowledge and experience in the
procurement function. John is known to staff within DCS for his immense patience in
assisting and coaching procurement staff in understanding the procurement and
inventory systems in the Department. John also displays a “can do” attitude which is
refreshing in what can sometimes be a rules bound and stifled environment. John is
also a happy, funny, and popular member of the Finance and Asset Services
Division.
John is well known throughout the South Australian public service as an expert in the
use of the Masterpiece inventory control system.
David Thompson - Australia Day Medal
David joined the Department after a career in the Royal Air Force. He trained at the
South Australian Institute of Technology and qualified as a social worker in 1980,
spending his early years working for the Department for Community Welfare and
spent a short time in the UK as a local authority social worker before joining DCS as
a probation and parole officer in 1985. Initially located at Adelaide district Office he
moved to the North East and the Norwood offices.
Early work references note his commitment and enthusiasm, and David has
maintained these characteristics throughout his career. It was also noted he
accepted direction from senior staff and was reliable. In 1989 he was re-assigned to
Ceduna and later transferred to Port Augusta. He is currently the Regional Manager
for the Northern Country Region.
David is noted for his compassion and his common sense. He has led initiatives in
the Northern Country Region in regard to Aboriginal issues and is currently leading
work in the remote area family violence program and the cross border legislation
project. His staff have a high regard for him for his attention to their needs and his
calm approach. Those who have travelled to Northern Country Region will be aware
of David’s helpful brochures which give a complete picture of his region and his
briefings at budget review time are legendary amongst the finance staff.
In conclusion David demonstrates the finest virtues of hard work, commitment,
loyalty, and continues to transmit an enthusiasm for the job which has not paled or
faded over the years.
Kevin Baohm – Australia Day Medal
Kevin Baohm joined the Department for Correctional Services in 1982 as a
Correctional Officer at Yatala Labour Prison. He quickly progressed to the rank of
Senior Correctional Officer in 1985 before winning the position of Unit Manager of
the Cottages in 1992. In 1995 Kevin was appointed as General Manager of the
Adelaide Pre- Release Centre a position he still holds today.
Kevin has played the lead role in establishing, promoting and maintaining the
Adelaide Pre-Release Centre as a best practice model for the delivery of prerelease offender services.
The program provides a normalised independent living environment for longer
serving male prisoners. Kevin has developed and led a multi-disciplinary team that
has sustained a commitment to the Operating Philosophy for the Centre and have
delivered a suite of services including the Resocialisation Leave Program,
Preparation for release programs, Employment services, the Release to Work
Program and Community Services Program.
The placement of prisoners in a low security community based setting presents a
number of challenges and risks. Kevin has demonstrated a keen commitment to risk
management, ensuring that the Pre-Release Program operates in a way that
upholds the government’s commitment to Public Safety and Crime Prevention. The
program also plays a critical role in the provision of rehabilitation opportunities for
prisoners and in supporting principals of Throughcare.
During his extensive and distinguished career Kevin has also fulfilled other critical
leadership roles for the department including a period as General Manager of
Mobilong Prison, General Manager Custodial Services and General Manager for
Adelaide Women’s Prison.
Kevin’s commitment to the excellent correctional program that is the Adelaide PreRelease Centre is a credit to him. He is to be commended for his leadership, vision
and dedication.
Lange Powell - Meritorious Service Medal
The Meritorious Service Medal is presented to employees for outstanding
service above and beyond what is required in their paid employment and in
leadership and management; initiative through enhancing and developing
significant work practices, procedures and service delivery; distinguishing
service; and outstanding contribution to the corporate goals and mission of
the department and stakeholders.
Lange has been an outstanding State Public Servant for 28 years. Throughout his
career he made significant contributions to human service delivery in South Australia
through his many roles and responsibilities. Lange worked in both country and
metropolitan areas and has a rich and diverse background across many areas,
including social welfare, dealing with ageing citizens, housing, social justice,
aboriginal people and for the past 10 years in Correctional Services.
Lange was the Director Community Corrections for nine years. During this time he
initiated and implemented many important reforms and service improvements. For
12 months prior to commencing a period of long service leave leading into
retirement, Lange was the Director, Custodial Services.
Lange’s outstanding leadership qualities are firmly based on a sound set of human
service principles, always seeking new and innovative solutions to improve outcomes
for disadvantaged people in our community. Lange is known for his impressive
ability to link services and his capacity to think outside the square.
Lange also tirelessly contributes to organisations and services outside his workplace.
He is honoured for his vision, leadership, dedication, commitment and achievements
during his career, in particular with the Department for Correctional Services.