Canberra, 2/12/2024 – PowerHousing Australia is proud to share the names of the winners, runners up and highly commended recipients of the PowerHousing Academy 2024 National Scholarships and Awards ceremony, held on the 19 November 2024. This prestigious event celebrates the outstanding level of excellence, dedication and innovation in the community housing sector, and recognises the overall contributions our CHP members, their staff, and their partnerships make to the lives of their tenants, and to the wider community.
The awards ceremony, held at the National Arboretum, brought together over 420 delegates to share in the celebration. Federal Minister of Housing and Homelessness, Clare O’Neill, attended and expressed her respect for the work of the community housing sector, acknowledging the hard work of all the nominees.
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The PowerHousing Academy Scholarship & Award recipients for 2024 were:
Category 1 – Outstanding Achievement Award
Winner – Hoon Quah (BaptistCare NSW & ACT, NSW)
This award recipient demonstrates innovation and excellence in practice; works inclusively within the organisation; develops positive relations with tenants; works successfully with business and community partners. This award recipient makes a real difference over a sustained period to housing outcomes for tenants; they add value to the nominating organisation and their community; and make a positive contribution to the community housing sector.
The runner-up nominee was Charoah Evans from Mission Australia Housing (NSW), and the highly commended nominee was Sonia Sheppard from Junction (SA).
Category 2 – Rising Star Award
Winner – Ellen Al-Ali (Link Wentworth, NSW)
This award recognises an up-and-coming staff member who is not currently part of the Executive or Management team, but who has demonstrated potential through their work to be a leader in the organisation or sector. The award winner demonstrates the following characteristics, they are proactive and demonstrate initiative; work inclusively; and develop positive relations in the workplace and has leadership potential. They have a proven ability to enhance housing outcomes for tenants; add value to the nominating organisation and make a positive contribution to the community housing sector.
The runner-up nominee was Kirsty Marcantelli from Housing Plus (NSW), and the highly commended nominee was Madeleine Walsh from Home in Place (NSW).
Category 3 – Excellence in Customer Services & Business Support Award
Winner – Liz Breden (Link Wentworth, NSW)
This award recognises an individual whose contribution to their organisation has resulted in real benefits to the organisation in a business support role. The winner demonstrates innovation and excellence in practice and processes; works inclusively within the organisation; develops positive relations with stakeholders; works successfully with business partners.
The runner-up nominee was Louise Daniel from Uniting Vic.Tas (VIC), and the highly commended nominee was Francina Cummins from Hume Community Housing (NSW).
Category 4 – Tenant Engagement and Social Inclusion Award
Winner – Bushland Estate Action Team (Home in Place, NSW)
This Award is given to a team or organisation who demonstrates outstanding programs contributing to tenant enrichment, encompassing social inclusion within the local community, and resulting in community development. Award recipients have demonstrated innovation in practice, have provided sustainable social, economic and housing outcomes for tenants, and has driven community development and social inclusion, all the while making a positive contribution to the community housing sector.
The runner-up nominee was Midtown MacPark Tenant Engagement Team from Mission Australia Housing (NSW), and the highly commended nominee was Homes Team from Bridge Housing (NSW).
Category 5 – Team Leadership and Culture Award
Winner – Housing Operations Leadership Team (Mission Australia Housing, NSW)
This Award is given to a team or organisation who demonstrates outstanding programs contributing to tenant enrichment, encompassing social inclusion within the local community, and resulting in community development. Award recipients have demonstrated innovation in practice, have provided sustainable social, economic and hosing outcomes for tenants, and has driven community development and social inclusion, all the while making a positive contribution to the community housing sector.
The runner-up nominee was Specialist Disability Accommodation Team from Home in Place (NSW), and the highly commended nominee was Healthy Workplace Team from Pacific Link Housing (NSW).
Category 6 – Government Program Collaboration Award
Winner – The Tarakan Project (Uniting Vic.Tas, VIC)
This Award recognises a project or a program that demonstrates industry leadership and/or genuine innovation in partnership with a State or Commonwealth Government. The award recipients have demonstrated outstanding leadership within the organisation and with the partners, innovation and through the partnership have enhanced outcomes for their tenants and communities.
The runner-up nominee was The Philip St, Pilot Project from Hume Community Housing (NSW), and the highly commended nominee was 2024 Northern Territory, Social Housing Transfer from Mission Australia Housing (NSW).
Category 7 – Modernisation of a Built Form Development Award
Winners – Midtown MacPark (Mission Australia Housing, NSW)
This Award recognises a project or a program, including a new build or revitalisation, that demonstrates industry leadership and genuine innovation. The project demonstrates functional built form that has features of environmental sustainability, universal design and enhanced well-being.
The runner-up nominee was Preston Social Housing Renewal from HousingFirst (VIC), and the highly commended nominee was Lidcombe Rise with Billbergia Group from Evolve Housing (NSW).
Category 8 – Business Partner Award
Winner – Hume Community Housing with Port Stephens Council (NSW)
This Award recognises a corporate partner, commercial partner or industry consultant working with a PowerHousing member to develop projects, construction developments or services that result in measurable improvements for the nominating organisation and positively contribute to the housing sector.
The runner-up nominee was Evolve Housing with ServiceNow (NSW), and the highly commended nominee was UnitingSA with City Collective (SA).
Category 9 – Lifetime Achievement Leadership
Winners – Steve Bevington (Community Housing Limited)
This Award recognises and celebrates individuals who have made significant, lasting contributions to the community housing sector over the course of their career. From the PowerHousing Board of Directors, this prestigious honour recognises a lifetime of dedication, innovation, and excellence, celebrating the recipient’s enduring impact and legacy.
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PowerHousing Australia would like to thank all of our CHP members who nominated this year. We would also like to offer our sincerest gratitude and appreciation to the award sponsors who made our awards possible; JLL, ANZ, EveryOne Homes (a Division of Metricon), Karndean DesignFlooring, Bunnings Trade, Lighthouse Infrastructure, Stockland, & Beaumont People. In addition to sponsoring our awards, our Award Sponsors have also facilitated the winners, runners-up, and highly commended scholarships that are presented to award recipients in the individual categories.
The National Scholarships and Awards are a testament to PowerHousing Australia’s ongoing commitment to fostering leadership and innovation in the housing sector. We congratulate all the winners, runners-up, and highly commended recipients for their outstanding contributions.
For more information about the awards and the winners, please visit our LinkedIn.
Contact: Administration Team
PowerHousing Australia
admin@powerhousing.com.au