The ZEST Awards honour the hard-working members of the community sector, the paid and unpaid, throughout the Greater West of Sydney.
This year, there were a record 115 nominations for the prestige awards organised by a team comprising Western Sydney Community Forum,WESTIR and TRI Community Exchange.
As Mr Baird said at the presentation, “(Community workers) are what makes this country great.”
“I thank you for the work you do,” he said. “Australia is a lucky country not because of our resources but because of the people who make us great.
”People who work in the community sector put others before themselves, when the chips are down.”
Those sentiments were reflected by UWS Chancellor Peter Shergold who said community workers were “what made a civil society and Western Sydney such a distinctive and vibrant region”.
“What creates social capital is when people come together to help others for no profit,” Prof Shergold said.
But, in light of federal government cutbacks to funding of community organisations, politics was an inevitable shadow on the celebratory stage.
Western Sydney Community Forum chairwoman Pam Batkin appealed to Mr Baird to take the case of the community sector to the federal government.
“The federal funding cuts are being felt across the country,” Ms Batkin said. “I ask the Premier to appeal to his federal counterparts for funding relief for community organisations.”
Apart from the back pats, there was outstanding performances from Matavai Cultural ARts Centre and the energetic troupe from Team 9 Lives, who performed amazing back-flips that would put many political leaders to shame.
And the long list of winners:
Outstanding community leader- paid capacity
Winner: Karen Craigie, manager Child Abuse Prevention Service at Ashfield.
Highly commended: Sahar Dandan, program director Lebanese Muslim Association.
Outstanding community leader - volunteer capacity
Winner: Bashar Hanna, various cultural development programs aimed at refugees.
Highly commended: Essa Khan, runs sports programs for young asylum seekers/refugees.
Outstanding youth leader
Winner: Ahmad Al-Rady, Muslim role model through his poetry and public speaking.
Highly-commended: Dalia Al Haj Qasem, film-maker, made film of children in detention.
Highly-commended: Helaina Narvaiza, charity volunteer.
UWS unsung heroes
Jennifer Armstrong, makes Beauty Packs for abused women to improve self-esteem.
Out of the box
Winner: Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, event by Auburn Youth Advisory Collective to inform young people about mental health issues.
Highly-commended: Taste Cultural Ambassadors, tours to multicultural food outlets.
Exceptional community partnership across a region
Winner: Eels Read with a Mate, father from Holroyd and Parramatta read with their children and Eels players.
Highly-commended: Paint the Town REad Groups Western Sydney, project encouraging everyone to read more.
Exceptional community partnership in an LGA
Winner: Experience Journey of a Refugee, Auburn Council’s simulated refugee camp with refugees telling their stories.
Highly-commended: Schools First Project, Community Migrant Resource Centre linking migrant communities with local schools.
Exceptional social enterprise within a community organisation
Mission Australia Soft Landing Mattress Recycling, employing jobless to recycle dumped r or donated mattresses.
Outstanding use of technology by a not-for-profit organisation
Create Proof, Community Migrant Resource Centre project giving voice to refugees through new media platforms.
Outstanding project working with Aboriginal communities
Winner: Ngalu Wai, Aboriginal Child and Family Centre in Mt Druitt, meaning We Care, affordable child care for Aboriginal families.
Highly commended: ARTucation, alcohol education and art project aimed at young people.
Outstanding project promoting social cohesion and community harmony
Auburn Refugee Camp in My Neighbourhood.
Highly-commended: Youth StepUP Apps, equipping refugee and migrant youth with tools they need to find their way in Australian system.
Exceptional community business partnership
Community Migrant Resource Centre, building business partnerships to help migrants.
Exceptional project within not-for-profit organisation
Winner: Employee Work Skills Program, TAFE Granville and Australian Foundation for Disability designing courses for people with disability.
Highly-commended: Parramatta Mission, for services helping homeless, the mentally ill or people going through difficult times.
Outstanding voluntary group/organisation
Permaculture Sydney West, helping people to be more sustainable in daily lives in regards to water, energy, waste, food and community.
Hall of Fame
The late Laurie Hodge, long-serving volunteer, mostly with Nepean Food Services, known for his compassion, commitment and forward-thinking.
- Story By Di Bartok
