Media Release: DEVOTED WORKER WINS ROBIN CLARK AWARD

FROM THE MINISTER FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES

DATE: Wednesday, September 5, 2007

DEVOTED WORKER WINS ROBIN CLARK AWARD

A woman’s 20-year devotion to assisting female offenders in the Victorian youth justice system has been honoured in a prestigious community services award, Minister for Community Services Lisa Neville said.

Ms Neville said Joy Stewart, a manager at the Parkville Youth Residential Centre has been named a co-winner in this year’s Robin Clark Memorial Awards in the category of Making a Difference with Children, Young People and Families.

Ms Neville launched Child Protection Week by presenting five awards in two categories in Melbourne last night at the 2007 Robin Clark Memorial Awards.

“Joy Stewart won this award for her work with young women aged from 12 to 21, including the past 13 years as manager of the Cullity Unit at Parkville Youth Residential Centre,” Ms Neville said.

“The Centre is the sole accommodation in Victoria for young woman who have been sentenced to youth residential or training centre orders.

“These are some of the State's most vulnerable and challenging young women. Joy continues to make a real difference in the lives of the residents in the Cullity Unit.

“Joy understands the contemporary issues confronting the young women while tempering that advice with ‘old school’ values and wisdom.”

The Robin Clark Memorial Awards recognise and encourage work of the highest standards in service provision and research in community, government and academic organisations to improve the lives of children, young people and families in Victoria.

Robin Clark was a respected leader in the field of child, youth and family welfare. As a DHS senior executive she was responsible for child protection, accommodation and support services and juvenile justice and also served on the boards of a number of community organisations, including Berry St, MacKillop Family Services and Adult Community and Further Education.

“These recipients honoured last night embody the very qualities Robin Clark was renowned for,” Ms Neville said.

“The awards honour those who work tirelessly for people who perhaps don’t have the means or confidence to help themselves.

“The Robin Clark Memorial Awards demonstrate the compassion that is evident among the various organisations dealing with children and young people in Victoria.”

Joy Stewart shared the Making a Difference with Children, Young People and Families.
award with Lisa Abbott, a senior youth justice senior case manager with the Department of Human Services. Highly commended in the category was Walda Blow from the Margaret Tucker Hostel for Girls.