Social services organisation wins Careerforce training excellence award

PSN - Enliven general manager Andrea McLeod, learning & development and quality manager Cherie Saunders and support worker Kathryn Wells. Photo/Mark Tantrum

A non-profit social services organisation has won a prestigious industry award for its commitment to staff training.

Presbyterian Support Northern - Enliven was crowned Employer of the Year at the Careerforce Training Excellence Awards ceremony at Te Papa last night, hosted by the Industry Training Organisation, Careerforce.

PSN Enliven has been providing social services to New Zealanders for more than 125 years and supports families, children, older people, people with injuries and disabilities across the central North Island, particularly those who are at risk or vulnerable.

Cherie Saunders, Learning and Development and Quality Manager said her organisation has a strong culture of professional development for its support workers.

"Continued learning progression for support workers is now not only an organisational cultural expectation for Presbyterian Support Northern, but it is embraced and expected as part of support worker's right to be able to learn on the job," Ms Saunders said.

The Taupo-based charity has written an integrated induction programme to enable staff to gain the New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Level 2) on completion of their induction.

"This ensures all staff are getting the learning benefits of crucial base line learning at induction," Ms Saunders said.

Careerforce Chief Executive Ray Lind said the Employer of the Year award recognised the ongoing commitment PSN Enliven showed to the professional development of their workforce.

"The best employers understand that training development and qualifications are an investment, rather than a cost," Mr Lind said.

"Empowering their staff inevitably results in an improved return on that investment."

Ms Saunders said her organisation was proud to have so many of its support staff either in training or already holding a qualification.

"Ninety-six per cent of our support workers either have a recognised industry qualification or are currently enrolled and actively completing Level 2," she said.

"We support all our support workers to move through from Level 2 to Level 3.

"We are now looking at Level 4 and Apprenticeship pathways, taking into consideration the type of roles expected of support workers with our current and projected future client needs."