Announcing our Champions of Care Award Winners for 2019-2020
We are thrilled to announce the winners of our employee recognition program, Champions of Care, for 2019-2020. The Champions of Care program was launched in February 2018 with the intent of highlighting the big and little ways our employees go the extra mile – whether for a client, a family member, a colleague, or a health care partner.
Over the past fiscal year, we have received more than 150 nominations for employees who have gone above and beyond their day-to-day duties to ensure our clients and caregivers receive high-quality care. It was challenging to select winners for each category, as there were many strong nominations!
Here are our 2019-2020 Champions of Care award winners:
Person-Centred Care
The award for Person-Centred Care goes to Uliana S., Information and Referral Specialist. Uliana received multiple nominations from her colleagues and from clients she has helped. Here is one such nomination:
“Uliana was really amazing with my mother. She’s clearly experienced in working with the elderly! Uliana was very clear and easy to understand. And she’s patient and does a great job!” – Client’s daughter
Excellence
This year we selected co-winners for the award for Excellence. The two winners are Claudio G., Transportation Service Representative, and Winnie V., Personal Support Worker.
Claudio is a multiple-time nominee. His colleague Joel, wrote “With the call volume in the transportation department being the highest it has ever been, it has become extremely difficult for us to catch up on a daily basis. Claudio has been making an extra effort to stay late and catch up on unreturned phone messages. On one Friday he stayed well into the evening and caught up on the entire backlog. It really was an exceptional effort on his part. Our clients are happy and our department can work on all tasks without being bogged down in one area. Thank you Claudio!”
Winnie was nominated by her Service Coordinator, Matura. “I had faced challenges providing service for the 155 Kendal cluster building as the main two workers were not feeling well. Winnie exemplified what a Champion of Care is as she worked outside of her availability and managed the building on her own. She also dealt with an emergency situation and remained calm and collected while waiting for the ambulance. Her kindness, empathy, and quick thinking made the day go by so smooth and I appreciate her for all of her efforts!”
Accountability
The award for Accountability goes to Lisa Grace R., Service Coordinator Supervisor. Lisa has received several nominations over the year, but this one, submitted by her colleague Matie, demonstrates her commitment to always going above and beyond:
“Lisa is very attuned to our clients’ needs and goes out of her way to advocate & service these needs. Clients do not always know their options but Lisa will step up when needed to make sure all bases and options are covered. She is especially caring about clients who are out of food and has delivered emergency meals to a client after hours, on her own time.”
Collaboration
The award for Collaboration goes to Sherin S., Social Worker. This nomination is especially meaningful since it came from our partners at the LHIN:
“I am writing to express my recognition for Sherin’s amazing work. She exemplifies the competencies of a Social Worker in the community setting and across settings. Her ability to establish an effective and meaningful therapeutic relationship as well as effective synergies in inter-professional collaborative practice was evident from our very first interaction. She is currently supporting one of the most challenging client/situations in my caseload and I am immensely grateful for her knowledge, judgment, expertise and kindness.”
Equity
The award for Equity goes to Patricia F., Volunteer Resources Coordinator. This nomination from one of our former volunteers is moving:
“I would like to thank Patricia for the nurturing approach she had when she explained procedures to me and showed me how to get things done. It was something that stuck out for me and it showed me a valuable skill to have when training new hires. I was going through a tough time and volunteering at Circle of Care really was something that gave me motivation and confidence.”
Innovation
The award for Innovation goes to Dennis M., Learning Specialist. This nomination comes from our VP of Information Technology, Vin:
“Dennis helped source and implement ‘walk me’, a learning tool that will initially support PSW training on the new EasyCare Mobile App. Dennis has worked around the clock to learn, troubleshoot and create the learning content. Our vendor has been most impressed with the amount accomplished in such short time.”
Champion of the Year
Our overall Champion of the Year award goes to an employee who lives all of our values, each and every day: Personal Support Worker Ina I.. Here is a nomination she received from the daughter of one of her clients:
“I would like to recognize Ina, who has been making a difference in my mom’s life for the past several years. She has a big heart, open mind and sincere approach. Through the combination of her qualities and skills, she has been helping my mom’s quality of life in supporting her gradual decline. Ina always comes to my mom with the most positive attitude and willingness. She’s only there for a short period of time, but she makes a long term impact!”
Has a Circle of Care employee gone above and beyond for you? Share your experience here.
