Nomination Guidelines
2015 AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY HOUSING Nomination Guidelines + Form CONTENTS Introduction 3 Award Objectives – Recognising Excellence 3 Award categories for 2015 3 Award Recognition 4 Organisations eligible to apply 4 How to apply 4 About the Judging Panel 5 Award Categories 6 Overall Excellence in Community Housing 6 Excellence in Services to Tenants 7 Excellence in Tenant and Community Engagement 8 Excellence in Contributions to Communities and Neighbourhoods 9 Excellence in Working with Aboriginal People and Communities 10 Excellence in Portfolio Management 11 Excellence in Communication 12 Excellence in Governance and Organisational Management 13 Excellence in Innovation 14 Excellence in Employee Engagement 15 Emerging Community Housing Leader 16 Excellence in Delivery of Frontline Services 17 Nomination Form Appendix A: Case Study Template 18 19 2 Introduction The NSW Awards for Excellence in Community Housing were established in 2002 to recognise the achievements of the community housing industry and to encourage excellence. The Awards are open to all non-government and local government organisations involved in the development and provision of community housing, which operate in NSW. The winners of the 2015 Awards will be announced at the Awards Gala Dinner, on Tuesday 5 May 2015, during the 2015 NSW Community Housing Conference. Award Objectives – Recognising Excellence The objectives of the Awards are to: • Identify and recognise best practice in the provision of community housing; • Encourage a culture of continuous improvement within the community housing industry; • Make information and resources available to assist community housing providers achieve best practice in the management and delivery of community housing; • Promote community housing as a high quality provider of social housing. Award categories for 2015 1. Overall excellence in community housing; 2. Excellence in services to tenants; 3. Excellence in tenant and community engagement; 4. Excellence in contributions to communities and neighbourhoods; 5. Excellence in working with Aboriginal people and communities; 6. Excellence in portfolio management; 7. Excellence in communication; 8. Excellence in governance and organisational management; 9. Excellence in innovation; 10. Excellence in employee engagement; For the first time in 2015 there are opportunities to recognise individual staff members in community housing who show outstanding achievement and commitment to their work. Two new Award categories have been designed. 11. Emerging community housing leader; 12. Excellence in delivery of frontline services. 3 Award Recognition Representatives from each of the Award winners will be presented with their Award at the 2015 NSW Community Housing Conference Gala Dinner and Awards Night on Tuesday 5 May 2015 in Sydney. Highly commended applications in each category will be also recognised at the Awards Night. Organisations eligible to apply All community housing providers in New South Wales are encouraged to enter the 2015 NSW Awards for Excellence in Community Housing, including housing co-operatives, Aboriginal housing providers, churches, housing companies and housing associations, supported housing providers and local government providers. Partnerships may be nominated provided that at least one of the partners is a community housing provider in NSW. Housing organisations of all sizes and from all areas across New South Wales will be considered, and the Judging Panel will consider the context and resources of each organisation in their decisions. The Awards recognise excellence across the diverse community housing industry, and all organisations that apply will be given equal consideration. How to apply The nomination form must be completed in full by someone authorised to sign on behalf of the organisation. The nomination form must be accompanied by a statement of not more than 3 pages, addressing at least one of the selection criteria for the selected Award category. Organisations are encouraged to provide additional documentation to support their nominations, such as data, referee reports, case studies, photos and videos. If you are submitting a case study as part of your application, please use the case study template provided Appendix A of the nomination guidelines. The total size of the nomination form, statement and additional documentation must not be more than 3MB. Nominations that are not completed in full will not be considered. Only one organisation or partnership can be nominated on each nomination form. Organisations can be nominated for multiple Award categories or may be nominated multiple times for different services they provide. A separate nomination form must be completed for each nomination. 4 About the Judging Panel The Judging Panel will be convened and comprised of three members with considerable experience in community housing. The judges will be independent and will have a strong understanding of social and affordable housing. Award applicants cannot participate on the Judging Panel. The responsibilities of the Judging Panel, and its individual members, are to: • Assess applications for the NSW Awards for Excellence in accordance with the criteria for each award, and decide on a winner in each category. Highly commended applications in each category can be nominated for special mention at the presentation; • Declare any potential conflict of interest; and • Maintain confidentiality at all times. The composition of the Judging Panel will be provided before close of nominations. 5 Award Categories Overall Excellence in Community Housing Award overview This Award is presented to the organisation that demonstrates excellence across all aspects of community housing core business: tenancy and property management, service to tenants and quality of outcomes; community engagement; and development of social and/or affordable housing. Selection criteria In nominating for this Award, organisations need to demonstrate all three criteria: • Excellence in all areas of the organisation’s operation including corporate governance, asset management and organisational management; and • Sustained benefit to tenants and local communities; and • Initiatives that actively promote community housing. Evidence to support the application for this Award could include (but is not limited to): • Examples of how the financial management of the organisation is structured and maintained; • Examples of administrative and information systems; • Examples of how the organisation adapts to the changing needs of tenants and incorporates these needs into planning and property acquisition; • Examples of initiatives undertaken to respond to the changing demographic of the local community; • Examples of involvement in ongoing dialogue and planning with policy and decision makers. 6 Excellence in Services to Tenants Award overview This Award is presented to the organisation that demonstrates excellence in delivering services to tenants assisting them to establish and maintain secure tenancies and encouraging and promoting social and economic participation. Selection criteria In nominating for this Award, organisations need to demonstrate one or more of the following: • Tenancy and property management services which deliver sustained benefits to tenants; • Evidence of tenant satisfaction and responsiveness to tenants’ changing needs; • Effective referral and support links with relevant agencies. Evidence to support the application for this Award could include (but is not limited to): • Examples of significant and sustained outcomes for tenants, such as quality of life improvements, increased independence, greater social integration, participation in work, training and education, and involvement in the local community; • Information collected through surveys, evaluations or informal discussions that shows a picture of sustained benefit to tenants and/or the local community; • Examples and the results of regular or one-off initiatives undertaken to determine tenant satisfaction, such as tenant satisfaction surveys or other mechanisms. 7 Excellence in Tenant and Community Engagement Award overview This Award is presented to the provider that demonstrates its commitment and outcomes in fostering community engagement, encouraging tenant involvement and encouraging and supporting innovative approaches in tenant-led decision making. Selection criteria In nominating for this Award, organisations need to demonstrate one or more of the following: • Evidence of working with local communities to achieve sustained benefit; • Facilitation and encouragement of tenant engagement with the organisation. • Adoption of best practice approaches in tenant-led decision making and participation. Evidence to support the application for this Award could include (but is not limited to): • Examples of significant and sustained outcomes for tenants and the community, such as quality of life improvements, increased independence, greater social integration, participation in work, training and education; • Examples of collaboration with and support for other organisations in the community; • Examples of how tenants participate in decision making through range of approaches; • Examples of the benefits tenants have achieved through their participation; • Examples of flexible and inclusive approaches to decision making that recognise the benefit of tenant involvement. 8 Excellence in Contributions to Communities and Neighbourhoods Award overview This Award is presented to the organisation that demonstrates it has actively worked with or within a community or neighbourhood to build social capital and develop the capacity of local communities and neighbourhoods to address local needs. This may involve a wide range of activities such as social procurement strategies that encourage tenant employment, educational opportunities and funding for tenants, or many diverse community development initiatives aimed at improving neighbourhoods or delivering place-based initiatives. This also considers that many of these initiatives are delivered in partnerships with other community and non-government organisations, local and state government agencies and social enterprise organisations. Selection criteria In nominating for this Award, organisations need to demonstrate one or more of the following: • Increasing opportunities for tenants to participate in education, employment or community activities; • Strategies undertaken by the organisation that have led to ongoing changes to the wellbeing of tenants and members of the local community; • Evidence of significant and sustained outcomes for tenants and neighbourhood such as quality of life improvements, increased independence, improved health outcomes or participation in training, education and involvement in the local community. Evidence to support the application for this Award could include (but is not limited to): • Examples of collaboration with other organisations and tenants that have had a benefit for the wider community • Examples of the ways that the organisation or its tenants have been significantly involved in a successful initiative and in particular responding to the challenges identified by the community or neighbourhood • Examples of outcomes from the program or partnership, for example: improved tenant quality of life, coordination of housing and services, and neighbourhood activity. 9 Excellence in Working with Aboriginal People and Communities Award overview This Award is presented to the organisation that has shown a long standing commitment and dedication to providing high quality services and building respectful relationships with Aboriginal tenants, applicants and their extended families and communities. Selection criteria In nominating for this Award, organisations need to demonstrate one or more of the following: • Excellence in provision of culturally appropriate services to Aboriginal tenants and communities. • Excellence in formal or informal partnerships between community housing, Aboriginal community organisations and other partners which have made a difference to the organisation’s delivery of services to Aboriginal clients and staff. Evidence to support the application for this Award could include (but is not limited to): • Examples of partnerships with Aboriginal community agencies (formal or informal) and organisations which have made a difference to the organisation’s delivery of service to Aboriginal clients and staff; • Examples of using appropriate cultural competency standards or other tools to develop and reinforce excellence in service delivery to Aboriginal clients • Evidence of Aboriginal tenant satisfaction with the organisation’s overall commitment to provide culturally appropriate services; • Evidence of an increase in Aboriginal staff opportunities; • Evidence of an increase in the organisation’s profile within the Aboriginal community. 10 Excellence in Portfolio Management Award overview This Award is presented to the organisation that has shown an excellent approach to the strategic use of their portfolio to maintain its standard, achieve financial efficiencies, maximise the portfolio’s value, and meet the needs of tenants and applicants. Selection criteria In nominating for this Award, organisations need to demonstrate one or more of the following: • Evidence of strategic portfolio planning; • Use of assets to achieve sustained benefit to tenants; • Excellence in property procurement, acquisition, development, redevelopment and/or disposal. Evidence to support the application for this Award could include (but is not limited to): • Examples of how the organisation has used assets to maintain their standards, maximise their value and deploy them to best meet the needs of tenants in the most efficient ways; • Examples of strategies used by the organisation to grow its portfolio to meet the needs of tenants; • Examples of how the management of assets by the organisation improves the tenants’ quality of life; • Examples of stock acquisition, disposal and (re)development that has been undertaken in response to the changing needs to tenants. 11 Excellence in Communication Award overview This Award is presented to the organisation that demonstrates a strategic and inclusive approach to communications with its stakeholders, including tenants and applicants, as well as partner organisations and government. This could be related to a specific communication or branding campaign that the organisation conducted or it could be based on the organisation’s overall communication approach. The winner of this Award also demonstrates initiative and positive outcomes in the promotion of the community housing industry as a whole. Selection criteria In nominating for this Award, organisations need to demonstrate one or more of the following: • Evidence of a strategic approach to communications across the organisation; • Active promotion of the organisation and the community housing industry; • Evidence of engaging in wider industry advocacy and advancing the overall industry’s goals. Evidence to support the application for this Award could include (but is not limited to): • Examples of the organisation’s communication strategy, and positive outcomes or results achieved; • Examples of the organisation’s annual reports; • Examples of how the organisation contributes to overall industry promotion and good reputation in the wider community. 12 Excellence in Governance and Organisational Management Award overview This Award recognises the important contribution that good governance and organisational management bring to the overall success of the organisation and its ability to achieve positive outcomes for tenants as well as internal and external stakeholders such as staff, volunteers and partner organisations. Selection criteria In nominating for this Award, organisations need to demonstrate one or more of the following: • A culture of leadership and performance; • Demonstrated strategic oversight and performance monitoring by the board of directors; • Sophisticated and effective organisational systems including documented policies that reflect best practice and achieve desired outcomes; • An attitude towards managing risk and evaluating opportunities to enhance the organisation. Evidence to support the application for this Award could include (but is not limited to): • Examples of highly developed and effective organisational systems and/or organisational structures and processes for managing and governing its activities; • Examples of how the mission and the strategic intent of the organisation is embedded in the organisational systems, culture and service delivery; • A governance and management structure that can respond to the changing needs of the tenants and the broader community. 13 Excellence in Innovation Award overview This Award is presented to the organisation that shows examples of innovative ways of solving problems, or addressing new and emerging issues, or early adoption or development of an innovative initiative or a creative way to respond to tenants’ and communities’ needs. This category is quite broad to enable nominations on numerous and wide-ranging initiatives and approaches undertaken by community housing providers. Selection criteria In nominating for this Award, organisations need to demonstrate one or more of the following: • A creative solution to an identified need • Organisational culture that encourages development and adoption of innovative ways of working • Evidence of benefits to tenants and communities as result of the innovation. Evidence to support the application for this Award could include (but is not limited to): • Examples of how the innovation impacted, or will impact in the community, and/or examples of how it provided sustainable benefits for tenants and the local community; • Examples of evaluation process undertaken to identify the need for the project and the processes in place to identify whether it has achieved its aims; • Examples of community inclusion in the process, decision making or implementation. 14 Excellence in Employee Engagement Award overview This Award is presented to the organisation that recognises the value of a well engaged and responsive workforce for the success of the organisation and quality of services to tenants. Selection criteria In nominating for this Award, organisations need to demonstrate one or more of the following: • Evidence of improved employee motivation and engagement • Systems that have been implemented to support the work of staff and include them in ongoing professional development • An example of a workplace relations strategy and how it is linked to the improvement of performance and productivity and the results that have arisen out of this strategy. Evidence to support the application for this Award could include (but is not limited to): • Examples of human resourcing initiatives conducted and how they led to an improvement or transformation in the organisational workplace culture; • Examples of how the organisation has achieved high levels of staff engagement, better retention of staff, or increased employee satisfaction; • Indication or evidence of how better employee engagement has led to better services to tenants and communities. 15 Emerging Community Housing Leader Award overview This Award recognises an individual staff member who shows an exceptional commitment and drive for the success of their organisation and indications of future leadership capabilities. With the exception of the CEO (or equivalent) and other executive level managers, there is no limitation as to the nominee’s position in the organisation. Personnel from all operational units can be nominated, including front line staff, team leaders, project managers and middle managers. The nomination must be put forward by the CEO and contain their endorsement for the nomination. Selection criteria In nominating a staff member for this Award, the organisation needs to demonstrate one or more of the following: • How the staff member’s commitment to the organisation and his or her leadership capabilities help drive service improvement or achieve better outcomes for tenants and communities. • Demonstrated aptitude for leadership and the ability to take initiative. • Substantive contribution to their organisation or to the community housing industry. The suitability for nomination in this category should be reflected in concrete examples of the nominee’s work as outlined in the selection criteria. 16 Excellence in Delivery of Frontline Services Award overview This Award is presented to an individual staff member who demonstrates exceptional drive and commitment to the delivery of front line services in community housing. To be nominated for this Award, the staff member must have direct contact with clients, such as tenants, applicants or members of the community. The nomination must be put forward by the CEO and contain their endorsement for the nomination. Selection criteria In nominating a staff member for this Award, the organisation needs to demonstrate one or more of the following: • The nominee’s commitment to frontline service delivery and their willingness to “go the extra mile” to deliver exceptional service to tenants and/or applicants. • The nominee’s passion and commitment to the organisational mission and purpose and their commitment to housing fairness and justice. • Their passion and drive to work with diverse people and communities, often in difficult circumstances. The suitability for nomination in this category should be reflected in concrete examples of the nominee’s work as outlined in the selection criteria. 17 2015 NSW Awards for Excellence in Community Housing Nomination Form Details of the organisation or individual being nominated for an award Name of organisation or individual Award category Overall excellence in community housing Excellence in services to tenants Excellence in community engagement Excellence for contribution to communities and neighbourhoods Excellence in communication Excellence in innovation Excellence in governance and organisational management Excellence in portfolio management Excellence in employee engagement Excellence in working with Aboriginal people and communities Emerging community housing leader award (staff member award – must be nominated by a CEO) Excellence in delivering frontline services (staff member award – must be nominated by a CEO) NOTE: To nominate an organisation in more than one category or for more than one service/program, please submit a separate Nomination form addressing the selection criteria for each category. Please tick: In submitting this entry I accept the judges’ decision as final. I confirm that the information in this nomination form is accurate. I agree to allow the details of this entry to be made available to the public. Submitted on behalf of the organisation: Name: Position: Organisation: Address: Telephone: Email: Signature: Date: Contact Person: Name: Phone: Email: Please submit this Nomination Form and supporting evidence in a single file no larger than 3MB to the Conference website at: http://nswcommunityhousingconference.org.au/CHC2015 If you have questions about the nomination process, please contact Maja Frölich at MajaF@communityhousing.org.au for assistance. Appendix A: Case Study Template Please use this template if you are submitting a case study as part of your nomination. A word version of this document can be downloaded from the Conference website at: http://nswcommunityhousingconference.org.au/CHC2015 managing tenancies and properties What’s happening in community housing? supporting clients building strong communities delivering new housing expanding into diverse service areas Insert program name About the program Insert short, factual description of the project/program/service Text Text Text Text About the provider Insert 2-3 sentence description of case study organisation, potentially including location/region of operation, years of operation, any special focus areas Text Industry capabilities in action as applicable to your application Text Text Text Text Text Text Key features Insert short concluding dot points which tie together the main points in the rest of the case study Start each sentence with a verb, for example: Demonstrates… Shows… Increases… Improves… Contributes… Insert image or quote 19
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