ppoa newsletter · • can help retain people (o’donovan, 2013); • doesn’t cost anything but...
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PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter
November 2018
Probation and Parole Officers’ Association NSW IncProbation and Parole Officers’ Association NSW IncProbation and Parole Officers’ Association NSW IncProbation and Parole Officers’ Association NSW Inc....
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE:
President’s Message continued 2
Logo competition winner – About the Design 2 Recognition – 3, 4 What, Why & How Testimonial Brett Cousley 5 Testimonial Mallory Siemsen 6 Development Day Wrap up Sydney 7 Wagga Wagga 8 Tamworth 9 Save the Date 10 PPOA Awards night Call for 11 Nominations Notice of AGM 12 Nomination for Executive Form 13
President’s Message
Time certainly flies when an organisation is introducing and embedding legislative reforms that impact
upon our operational practice; and it has been wonderful to see the commitment of staff in embracing
those changes with a genuine desire to do the best job they can. Professional development has abounded,
with ongoing Practice Manager workshops, multiple e-learning modules, Community Corrections
Refresher Workshops I and II, Managers Workshops to name a few, and of course the 3 PPOANSW
Development Days in Sydney, Tamworth and Wagga Wagga; all testament to that commitment at all
levels.
I particularly would like to note the success of the PPOANSW Development Days with in excess of 75
Community Corrections staff from both metropolitan and regional locations attending. I refer you to the
feedback from each of those days contained in this newsletter, and acknowledge the efforts of the
PPOANSW Executive volunteers who coordinated each event in consideration to the expressed requests of
our members. Self-care, coaching/mentoring, and support in managing our high risk cohort is particularly
pertinent in our current environment.
Likewise, it is at these times especially, that the importance and value of recognising the good work and
efforts of Community Corrections staff cannot be over-stated, hence the theme of our November
newsletter being The Importance and Relevance of Staff Recognition. Our headline article ‘Recognition
– What, Why and How’ reminds us of how easy it is to embed recognition of our staff into everyday
practice, and I encourage you to read and reflect upon the messages within. There is no need for
trumpets and fanfare (although there are times when that, as well, have a place), however for me,
acknowledgement/recognition of my work, has resonated most when reflected genuinely during
incidental conversations. That resultant flush of personal pride is very powerful and I believe needs to be
facilitated at every opportunity.
Our newsletter also show-cases thoughts from PPOANSW members who have had more formal
recognition of the wonderful work they do. I refer you to comments from the Brian Norman First Year
Officer Award recipient Mallory Siemsen, as well as the self-described “missive” from the Alan Brush
Award for Excellence and PACCOA Tony Hill Award recipient Brett Cousley. Both highlight the value and
importance of staff recognition in its many forms. That said, it would be remiss of me not to remind our
members of the current call for nominations for the PPOA Brian Norman First Year Officer Award, and the
PPOA Alan Brush Award for Excellence to formally acknowledge Community Corrections staff from the
2018 calendar year. Full details on how to nominate are contained in this newsletter, with nominations
closing on 31 December 2018.
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page 2
“I like to think
the double
triangles also
represent city
and country
PPO work”
President’s message continued
In the spirit of recognition, I would also like to refer you to the
launch of our new logo!!!!
In May this year, the Executive determined the PPOANSW logo needed a re-fresh, and opened the design up to our members. I am
extremely excited to announce that the winning design was developed by Dubbo SCCO Nicola Kidston who managed to capture
the contemporary look we were seeking, while clearly identifying our Association and acknowledging our roots. Her deep and
meaningful design considerations are contained within this newsletter, and certainly demonstrate why this design was selected to
represent our Association going forward.
Finally, as the PPOANSW Executive year comes to a close, I would like to acknowledge the hard work and commitment of the
Executive Members who volunteer their time to advance the interests and development of Community Corrections staff. In a time
of change, 12 months absolutely flies by, however much has been achieved this year, inclusive of: comprehensive support for our
members in attending the national conference, coordination of the PPOA Awards Night, delivery of development days for both
regional and metropolitan locations, a new logo, and by the end of this month I am excited to announce we will be in a position to
launch our new website (now this IS an occasion for trumpets and fanfare….lol).
It is a privilege to work with this wonderful team, and while there is a lot of hard work, it does bring immense satisfaction. I
encourage all members to consider if they are in a position to contribute in an Executive capacity for your Association. Our
Executive consists of 14 members, and we are always seeking members who are committed to the ongoing development of
Community Corrections staff. Many of our existing members certainly fit that bill, and I encourage you to nominate for the
Executive in time for our upcoming AGM on 29 November 2018 (please find the nomination form in this newsletter). On the
same day, PPOANSW Executive Members will be meeting with our Commissioner Peter Severin and Assistant Commissioner
Community Corrections Rosemary Caruana for our regular check-in. If there are any issues members would like the Executive to
raise on your behalf, please email [email protected] at your earliest.
Congratulations all on a wonderful, productive year, where the development of Community Corrections staff has continued to be
the priority. As the holiday season is around the corner, I wish all a happy and safe Chrissy and New Year, and hope you all get the
opportunity to spend some quality time with your loved ones.
Cathy Bland
President and Executive Member
In this design the current PPOA
logo is referenced by way of the
double triangles with smaller
triangles inside. This represents
acknowledgement of the past logo
and the history of PPOA. The
organisations title has been
incorporated into the logo to
make it more identifiable; the past
logo was obscure in terms of
identification of the organisation,
although members could probably
see the reference to ‘P&P’ in the
Logo Competition winner
Nicola Kidston, SCCO, Dubbo Community Corrections
About the design
triangular shapes, this was not
enough of a visual clue as to the
organisations meaning to an
outsider. The double triangle also
represents duality; of our ‘dual
roles’ in managing offenders and
also in terms of the two sides of
our work, Probation work and
Parole work. For me, as a SCCO
working for 20 years, primarily in
regional NSW offices, I like to
think the double triangles also
represent city and country PPO
work. The triangles represent that
some aspects are unique to each
area but fundamentally the same
(different coloured triangles in
different shapes). Blue is
incorporated into this logo in
reference to CSNSW colour
scheme. Only the letters PPO are
coloured blue to focus on the
centrality of those words to the
organisation and its purpose,
highlighting who we are.
PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter ---- November 2018November 2018November 2018November 2018
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Let’s start with the basics – what is recognition. Recognition:
• reinforces actions and behaviours that an organisation wants to see in their employees
(Schell, 2007);
• makes those you work beside feel valued and appreciated for their work;
• makes others feel important by recognising them and creating an environment that is
supportive towards others’ accomplishments;
• is an effective leadership tool to encourage and motivate others to strive for superior
performance (Leader Tips: Recognition).
There are many benefits to recognition, it:
• is considered the second most popular employee benefit after a pay rise;
• can help retain people (O’Donovan, 2013);
• doesn’t cost anything but can result in greater productivity and loyalty (Wiley &
Kowske, 2012).
Probably the main reason for recognition, however, is that it makes people feel good. It is a very
human quality to want to be recognised and thanked for what they do. “Compensation is a
right: recognition is a gift.” (Wiley & Kowske, 2012)
Being able to recognise others effectively isn’t innate; it is a learned behaviour (Hart, 2012). It
needs to be practiced. In order to be performed and received well, recognition needs to be:
• Timely - Whilst the big award nights can be fun, saying “great job” just after it happens
can sometimes be more effective;
• Specific - Make your comments person and focused on what was done well;
• Frequent - Do it often and regularly;
• Fair, accurate and authentic;
• Helpful - (Wiley & Kowske, 2012).
Recognition doesn’t have to be formal or cost a lot. It can be worked into everyday life; it can
be as simple as:
• a pat on the back;
• acknowledging good work, not just providing feedback when things go wrong;
• recognising work that is done under tight deadlines and the sacrifices that are made in
other aspects of people’s lives during busy times (Wiley & Kowske, 2012).
A helpful resource is the Human Resources home page on the Department’s Intranet page –
under the tab “Recognition and Awards”. It provides useful information about how to recognise
your peers or team members, tips and tools to successfully recognise others, as well as the
formal awards that are available. There are some fun postcards that you can give out!
RECOGNITION–WHAT,WHYandHOW
“Doesn’t cost
anything but
can result in
greater
productivity and loyalty”
page 3 PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter –––– November 2018November 2018November 2018November 2018
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PPOA Newsletter – November 2018
In relation to formal Departmental awards I recall getting a number of emails in August and
September calling for nominations for a variety of Staff Excellence Awards. A nomination could
see yourself and the person invited to the annual award ceremony. Specifically there were awards
for teams or individuals regarding:
• Strong commitment to Community
• Business Improvement and Innovation
• Improving Diversity and Accessibility Services
• Services to External Clients
• Services to Internal Clients.
Your association – PPOA - and the national association – PACCOA – also have awards that are given
out at their conferences or awards nights. PACCOA issues the:
• Tony Hill Award for individuals
• John Augustus Award for organisations.
PPOA awards the:
• Allan Brush Award to an outstanding Community Corrections Officer
• Brian Norman Award to an excellent first year officer.
Further details about the awards origins and past winners can be seen on the websites PACCOA:
paccoainc.com and PPOA ppoansw.com.au. It might be an idea to keep in mind, if you are
submitting a nomination for the award with one association, it may be appropriate to submit it for
both!
Recognition can be incorporated into every workplace:
• have a staff award that is presented each month during a staff meeting or at a specific
meeting of its own
• dedicate an agenda item in staff meetings for “have a brag”
• use some of the options in the Recognition and Awards tab.
Remember, people like to be acknowledged. Make a point of saying “thank you” or “good job” on
a regular basis.
Hart, P, 2012. Benefits of employee recognition in the workplace: Reduced risk & raised revenues.
New Equipment Digest, January 2012, 37-38.
O'Donovan, D, 2013. Employee recognition more important than ever. Employee Benefits, Oct 3, 1
Schell, S., “Employee recognition: why incentives work”, Your Workplace, November/December
2007, pp. 18 & 23, viewed 18 September 2018,
page 4
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PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter –––– November 2018November 2018November 2018November 2018 page 5
Brett Cousley – Alan Brush Award for Excellence Award recipient 2017
I have been asked to put a few thoughts down in respect to recognition in the workplace.
I have been a CCO for more than half my life now and I have witnessed the rolling changes in culture in relation to this
issue, both at the local level as well as the corporate. In my view, the corporate Excellence Awards have gained
momentum since their inception in the early 2000’s and are viewed as the ‘hard copy’ for that recognition. The NSW
PPO and PACCOA awards are highly regarded and highly revered for the recipients, notably as they emanate from
their peers.
However, it appears to me that the most formative recognition is within the workspace that we share during the work
week, whatever configuration that may be. Since ceasing operational duties, I have had cause to reflect upon the
above described awards and have settled upon the truth (well my truth at least) that we should all share in the
opportunity to acknowledge good work that is undertaken in our business units. Some managers have introduced
recognition as part of their staff meetings, but I believe that incidental feedback from report vetting/case plan
reviews etc holds the most effective and honest manner of appraisal and praise It is human nature to feel great when
we are praised for good work, sound case managements etc and it is my contention that this ‘feeling’ holds the
reservoir of ongoing improvement in us being effective practitioners in the diverse, difficult and challenging roles that
are part of our business.
I have always held the words of poet Maya Angelou in the forefront of my mind when working with both staff and
offenders. The words, whom some accredited to her are these – “At the end of the day, people won't remember what
you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel”. I acknowledge that this has not always led to ‘feel
good’ moments, but at the end of the day, humans are complex and certainly not perfect beings. So, where has this
reflection led? Formal recognition in its many guises is wonderful to receive and is truly an honour. The downside is
that it is usually an annual event and is generally limited in the number of people being acknowledged. We know that
recognition of positive actions leads to a change in behaviour, as we practice that every day with the people on our
caseloads. Surely the provision of recognition to each other in the workplace should be front of mind during
interactions, even if only extended to one person per day. However, that person will hold a better view of the
workplace, their skills and that fact that their work has been favourably noticed and has invited comment. To me, this
‘feeling’ speaks a thousand words.
Recognitionintheworkplace
Testimonialsfrom2017AlanBrushAwardforExcellence
Award&BrianNormanFirstYearOfficerAwardrecipients
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PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter –––– November 2018November 2018November 2018November 2018 page 6
Mallory Siemsen – Brian Norman First Year Officer Award recipient
For me personally, receiving the Brian Norman Award in 2017 was an honour. To receive formal recognition
from my peers about my operational techniques gave me a sense of validation that I am working on the
“right track”. The first year of your career within Community Corrections can be equal parts challenging,
overwhelming, rewarding and exciting.
Receiving the Brian Norman Award in 2017 has highlighted to me the importance of recognising and
acknowledging the strengths and achievements of other staff. In the busy workplace environment that we
operate within, I think that we often forget to take a moment to highlight the positive attributes in our
colleagues and to take the time to acknowledge the hard work that they are doing. I believe that by having
the award displayed in the office it has offered a continued reminder to me about the importance of positive
re-enforcement as a part of building a strong and positive workplace culture.
If I could offer one take away from this experience it would be to offer your colleagues both formal and
informal recognition for all their hard work as it helps to foster healthy working relationships with the
workplace.
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PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter –––– November 2018November 2018November 2018November 2018 page 7
The Sydney PPOA Professional Development Day was hosted at the Henry Deane Building on 19 October
2018. PPOA members and their esteemed guests enjoyed an opening Welcome to Country delivered by the
notorious Uncle Charles Madden (aka “Chicka”), followed by an invigorating series of presentations delivered
by Ellen McCarroll, A/Director Sydney West, Joanna Murray, Principal Solicitor Terrorism & High Risk Offender
Division, Office of General Counsel, NSW Justice and Kim McBurnie, Leadership Development, NSW Justice.
Topics centred on those as identified as interest subjects by PPOA members and staff completing the Survey
Monkey.
• Key presentations included: Working with high risk, violent and sex offenders, terrorist offender
supervision by Community Corrections on post-sentence orders,
• Extended Supervision Orders
• Quality Coaching and Supportive Mentoring presentation involving interactive team work and
discussion.
A sensational morning tea and lunch was provided on the Henry Deane Building first floor balcony and an
opportunity to mingle and network with fellow colleagues ensued. Presenters were thanked for their invaluable contribution with bouquet of flowers. Feedback from participants
was extremely favourable with formal feedback and invitations for future topics to be identified with a closing
Survey Monkey to be forwarded to attendees.
PPOADevelopmentDays2018Wrap-up
Sydney
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PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter –––– November 2018November 2018November 2018November 2018 page 8
WaggaWagga
It was a great day at the Wagga Wagga Development, held on 27th
September, the first of a trilogy of
development days held in NSW by PPOANSW. Members and non-members attended from all over the
Riverina, Southern District held at the Carriage House Quality Inn Function Centre provided for a day of
complete focus and intimate learning were treated with an intimate presentation by our own Robert
VanderWall on Providing and Receiving Quality Coaching and Mentoring and Queensland Corrective
Services’ own Alicia Bennett, who delivered a creative presentation on the Pillars of Resilience and
“Flourish” – a concept of self-evaluation in building resilience, also touching on self-assessment and
identifying your personality profile, building to discussions on managing compassion fatigue. The day
finished all too quickly for all participants involved.
The day also encompassed the launch of the PPOANSW new Logo, a professional banner flying at the helm
of the function room, specially designed and developed by the creative nous of one of our clever PPOANSW
members, Nicola Kidston, Dubbo Community Corrections. This set the tone for a renewed and refreshed
approach to professional development business by PPOANSW.
The PPOANSW Development Day Team put together a very professional soiree, and it is hoped we will be
able to hold such an event again soon.
Let’s do it again!! ☺
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PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter PPOA Newsletter –––– November 2018November 2018November 2018November 2018 Page 9
Tamworth
Friday 26 October 2018 was a fantastic day for a development day in Tamworth for PPOANSW. We had
thirteen members located far and wide who took time and effort to travel from locations such as Gunnadah,
Armidale, Grafton, Inverell , Kempsey and Tamworth. This included the two executive members who travelled
from Sydney and Nowra.
Alicia Bennett, from Vericomm Education and Training based in Queensland, gave a very informative
presentation on self-care including positive self-talk and resilience in the morning and effective communication
with colleagues in the afternoon. The presentations were well received by all members and all feedback was
positive. Alicia as usual was amazing and PPOA NSW was grateful to have her attend and would welcome her
back for future development days.
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PPOA Newsletter – November 2018 Page 10
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page 11 PPOA Newsletter – November 2018
A Call for Nominations! The PPOA Brian Norman First Year Officer Award and Alan Brush Award for Excellence provide the opportunity to recognise the good work done by a fellow officer in contributing to make our community a safer place.
Below is an outline of the two annual awards that PPOA NSW presents. Please take the time to read the below information and contemplate who you could nominate for such an award.
Nominations close 31 December 2018.
Send nominations to [email protected]
Brian Norman First Year Officer Award Brian Norman First Year Officer Award for dedication, excellence and enthusiasm was established at the 2006 Annual General Meeting of the Probation and Parole Officers' Association.
It is designed to provide an avenue for acknowledgment of the excellent efforts of First Year Officers as they strive to meet their competencies whilst making a major contribution to their Office’s best practice in community supervision or parole unit standards.
The Award is open to financial members to nominate a First Year Officer. However, the nominated First Year Officer is not required to be a financial member of the Association. The First Year Officer must have successfully completed their 10 months assessment in 2018.
Nomination for the Award should be made by at least two financial members and take the form of separate written testimonials, explaining how and why the First Year Officer is considered to be deserving of the Award.
Nominations are assessed by a panel of members of the Executive who may seek the advice of others independent of the process. As a matter of course the panel consults with senior management of Community Corrections and the Brush Farm Academy in regards to the Award.
Alan Brush Award for Excellence The Alan Brush Memorial Award for Excellence was established at the 1996 Annual General Meeting of the Probation and Parole Officers' Association in memory of Alan's contributions over many years within the Probation and Parole Service. It is designed to provide an avenue for peer acknowledgment of the excellent efforts of workers in our field of endeavour. The Award is open to financial members to nominate and to be nominated. The criteria for the Award are not prescriptive. The Association's Principles of Practice may be useful as a general guide.
Nomination of a member for the Award should be made by at least two financial members and take the form of separate written testimonials, explaining how and why the member's work is considered to be deserving of the Award.
Nominations will be assessed by a panel of members of the Executive who may seek the advice of others independent of the process. As a matter of course the panel consults with senior management of Community Corrections in regard to the Award.
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Probation and Parole Officers’ Association of NSW I nc.
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meet ing of the above Association will be
held at Meeting Room 3, Henry Dean Building, 20 Lee Street, Sydney, on 29 November 2018 at 12 noon
The business of the Annual General Meeting will be:
a) To confirm the minutes of the last preceding annual general meeting;
b) To receive from the Executive reports upon the activities of the Association during the last preceding financial year;
c) To elect ordinary members of the Executive to the Association;
d) To receive and consider the financial statement of the Association;
e) To consider any notices on motion and, time permitting, any motions from the floor;
f) To transact such other business as the meeting may determine.
****NOTICES OF MOTION**** Please send motions to [email protected] by close of business on Friday 23 November 2018 ****NOMINATION FOR ELECTION TO THE EXECUTIVE**** Financial Members are invited to nominate for election to the Executive for the 2018-2019 Executive year. Nominations, made on the attached form, should be forwarded to Fiona Kibble, Griffith Community Corrections Office or via [email protected] by close of business on Friday 23 November 2019 Cathy Bland President, PPOA NSW 25 October 2018
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Probation and Parole Officers’ Association of NSW I nc
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Nomination for Election to Executive of the Association
I, ________________________________________________, a financial member of the above-named
Incorporated Association,
Hereby nominate ______________________________ to be a member of the Executive for the
forthcoming year.
Signed ______________________________ Date / /
I, ________________________________________________, a financial member of the above-named
Incorporated Association, hereby second the above nomination.
Signed _______________________________ Date / /
I, ________________________________________________, a financial member of the above-named
Incorporated Association, hereby accept the above nomination
Signed ________________________________ Date / /