08 November 2019
Employees from across Government were honoured at the second One Gov Awards ceremony last night (Thursday 7 November). The evening of celebration took place at the Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel and saw ten awards presented in a variety of categories.
In the months leading up to the awards, colleagues made 226 nominations for outstanding individuals and teams from all departments and at all levels. A panel of judges for each category, made up of employees from across the organisation, then chose the finalists and winner for each category.
The winner of the final award of the night, the One Gov Award, was chosen from the evening’s finalists by the members of the One Gov Board. Each award was presented by a Minister or member of the States Employment Board, and a senior manager.
The night included a drinks reception and dinner, with six sponsors – JT, The PBS Group, TDP Jersey, Capgemini, Penna and Marbral Advisory –covering the evening’s costs.
The night also included a performance by the Jersey Music Service’s Youth Strings group.
During the evening the Chief Executive, Charlie Parker, said: “These awards are about celebrating the front-line work that you do for Islanders, about recognising our future talent, about celebrating your hard work, and, most importantly, about saying thank you.
“The Government has around 7,000 employees, and the 27 individuals and teams shortlisted tonight represent the best of the best, as acknowledged by your colleagues across the public service.
“All of you nominated tonight have, in one way or another, gone beyond what’s expected of you – be that by providing great services, inspiring others, successfully collaborating as part of a team, or by contributing to our Island community in some other way. And those of you who nominated them clearly did so because you value, admire and respect your colleagues.”
Also speaking at the event Deputy Chief Minister, Senator Lyndon Farnham, said that the one factor that united colleagues from different Government departments was their dedication to serving our Island: “What makes the One Gov Awards particularly special is that all the nominees, finalists and winners were put forward by their own colleagues. Likewise, the judging panel was made up of Government employees of all ages, departments and lengths of service. These are, in a very real sense, your awards.”
The winners
Working in Partnership Award
For excellence in working with partners, internally or externally.
The Service Redesign Team
The Children, Young People, Education and Skills team was nominated by Daniela Raffio, the department’s Deputy Director, System Redesign and Delivery, for their work with the community short break service.
Established in 2014, the service, for children with disabilities, has four approved providers – three offering one-to-one support and one offering play-based care after school and in school holidays.
In 2018, the CYPES Service Redesign Team ran an extensive consultation with families and partners to better understand how to further develop the service, to provide opportunities for disabled children and young people to relax, develop new friendships, take part in new experiences and have fun doing positive activities.
In her nomination, Daniela explained: "Families and children asked for a wider menu of short breaks and also to address the growing un-met need, due to a lack of provider capacity. This led to a whole-scale redesign of the community short break offer, co-produced with families and partners at the core, and the new offer was launched in early 2019.”
“Feedback to date,” she says, “has been fantastic."
Dedication to Service Award
For an unsung hero who always demonstrates dedication, determination and drive in their service.
Paul Stephens
Principal Enforcement Officer Paul, from Non-executive and Legal, was nominated by his colleague, Ben Pastor.
In his nomination, Ben said: “Paul has consistently exemplified a dedication above and beyond anything I’ve seen before”, going on to explain that Paul's been instrumental in a successful cross-partnership with Tax, which has led to hundreds of thousands of pounds being recovered in previously unrecoverable debt.
Ben added: "Paul works tirelessly and has helped me develop into a manager who’s achieved high performance and results, and this wouldn't have been possible without him. Health and Community Services. With no management training available, he took it upon himself to ensure that I still got the best possible guidance through mentoring and teaching me with his encyclopaedic knowledge.
"He’s the embodiment of doing his work for the love and passion, and not just for financial reward or simply because it's his job. He truly lives and breathes being a Principal Enforcement Officer."
Rising Star Award
For a young employee who shows exceptional ability, dedication and promise.
Georgia Sharp
Having previously worked in the Customer and Local Services Contact Centre and Contributions teams, Georgia’s been on secondment as a Project Officer since January.
According to her nominator, CLS Project Manager Kieran Heaney: "Georgia’s used her knowledge, experience and great relationships with colleagues to help drive the CLS Connect phone system project along.
“From a fairly nervous start, she’s performed exceptionally over the year, and the difference in confidence hasn’t gone unnoticed by her peers. She continually acts as an exemplar of the Government of Jersey values, and her dedication to constantly improving is remarkable.
“In addition to qualifying as a PRINCE2 Practitioner this year, she regularly steps up and takes initiative, with a respectful and pragmatic approach, never failing to see the big picture. She’s been a pleasure to work with this year and I hope she continues her development in the project world."
Customer Service Award
For excellence in customer service.
Silvio De Jesus
Customer and Local Services Welcome Host Silvio 'goes above and beyond every day', according to his nominator Sophie Le Sueur, CLS Group Director – Customer Services.
Sophie explained: "A year ago, as we launched One Front Door at La Motte Street, we recruited a brand-new team of five Welcome Hosts to greet and coordinate customers, and be the first point of contact for all visits to the department. This was a new role, with huge potential to make a real difference to the success of the new initiative, and from the very outset, Silvio stood out as being a customer service superstar!
“He thrived on being given the opportunity to make and create this new role and he’s stepped up and shaped the role so that a high-quality service is offered today."
Sophie added that Silvio will always think outside the box and put the customer first, and said that she’s lost count of the amount of positive feedback from customers and colleagues about him, with barely a month going by without Silvio being nominated for CLS’ internal 'Living our Values' award.
Sophie added: "Silvio embodies what customer service excellence really looks like for the Government of Jersey, and he’d be a very worthy winner of this award!"
Innovation Award
For devising and implementing a new idea that makes a difference.
Dr Austin Gibbs
From Health and Community Services, Dr Gibbs is the Associate Specialist in Cardiology. Together with Consultant Cardiologist, Dr Andrew Mitchell, he was responsible for creating The Allan Lab – an immersive digital health technologies research laboratory in Jersey.
The Allan Lab is described as 'a space to combine industry, academia, technology and Jersey's unique jurisdictional advantages to progress the understanding, management and training in the field of cardiology'.
Nominating Dr Gibbs for this award, Arrhythmia Nurse Specialist, Angela Hall, said: "The Allan Lab's focus is on exploring emerging health technologies to advance the understanding of heart conditions, and provide a unique place for immersive simulation, procedural training, and medical education. It aims to investigate, test, develop and produce valid clinical interventions for the full spectrum of heart disease, from prevention and lifestyle modification, to screening of individuals, as well as treatments to reduce the burden of physical and psychological disease.
In addition, the lab has been designed to develop immersive medical education and training, leveraging virtual reality (VR), augmented reality and unique objective physiological feedback analysis to ensure true simulation and human factors education."
Angela added that VR can replicate the mental and physical strain relevant to training in clinical decision-making, and is also being used to reduce pain.
Community Champion Award
For outstanding contribution to the community or charitable work.
Leighton Jenkins
Firefighter Leighton was nominated for this award by Eddie Clark, CLS' Customer Insight Officer – and Eddie himself was actually shortlisted for this very award last year.
According to Eddie, Leighton 'embodies the very nature of community champion'.
Leighton, who works in Justice and Home Affairs, currently gives up around 20 to 30 hours a week either planning, attending or training for the Air Training Corps.
Eddie says that he’s personally witnessed this over the past decade, although Leighton himself has been associated with the organisation for 30 years.
"Leighton’s played a pivotal role in helping to raise funds for major items for the Island's youth,” says Eddie, “recently managing to obtain a grant for a mobile challenge assault course to encourage people to learn leadership skills and good communication.”
Eddie said that, over the years, Leighton's been instrumental in shaping the Island's future leaders, by being a role model and showing that it's better to work together with others to achieve a task. In the last six years he's helped more than 20 young adults achieve the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award, and he can be seen around the squadron building completing tasks ranging from cutting the grass to hosting VIP visits to the Island.
Eddie added: "Leighton is the biggest advocate for Jersey and he can always find time to help anybody. He's truly a one-of-a-kind gentleman, who thinks of everybody else before himself."
Team of the Year Award
Celebrating the spirit of working together.
Cedar Ward
This Health and Community Services team were nominated by Mental Health Improvement Lead Dennis Pimblott.
Dennis moved to Jersey in May and started as a Staff Nurse on Cedar Ward at the beginning of June.
Nominating them for Team of the Year, Dennis said: "Since being on the ward, I've been blown away by the care, compassion and commitment this team demonstrated to both its patients and also to one another. I was immediately greeted and regarded as part of the team. I was made to feel safe and supported, and I also this saw this reflected in the day-to-day delivery of care for our patients on Cedar.
"Cedar Ward's team attitude and philosophy is 'no task too big, no problem insurmountable, and the patient is our priority'. I've only worked with the team for a short period, but they've made me feel so welcome, supported, respected and inspired."
Dennis added: "If the organisation were able to replicate and transfer to other areas, the morale, core philosophies, leadership, and team spirit I've observed on Cedar Ward, the organisation and Island would be proud of its mental health services."
Manager of the Year Award
Recognising an individual for great people management.
Kieran Heaney
Project Manager Kieran was nominated by his Customer and Local Services colleague, Project Officer Georgia Sharp.
Georgia said: "I started working with Kieran in January, completely new to the role, with little experience. Kieran has supported, mentored and encouraged me continuously throughout my time working as a member of his team. Since January, I’ve gained more confidence, passed PRINCE2 exams and stepped up into his role when Kieran is absent.”
Georgia added that Kieran’s made time to help her revise, doing mock exams and quizzes together.
“After a few knockbacks I was ready to give up” says Georgia, “but Kieran made me try another time and, thankfully, I passed. Kieran reminded me that success isn’t only built on success, it’s built on failure and learning from that failure.
"Kieran’s always finding things for me to learn, explore and work towards. Looking back to January, when I joined with little knowledge and experience, I'm now able to do things I never thought I’d be able to.”
She added that the team has also managed to deliver some amazing things, with their project to restructure the telephony system in Customer and Local Services.
“It's been a massive challenge” says Georgia, “but we’ve supported each other throughout and contributed to delivering the department's overall vision, which is a great achievement."
Employee of the Year Award
Recognising a ‘stand out’ public servant.
Chris Elliott
Chris, who’s a Service Engagement Lead in Customer and Local Services Making it Easy Team, was responsible for overseeing the moves of Tax, Passports, Customs, Cashiers and Planning to La Motte Street as part of the One Front Door approach.
She was nominated by CLS' Group Director – Customer Services, Sophie Le Sueur, who said that, during that time, Chris ‘built excellent relationships with all stakeholders, worked under huge time pressures, and had everything under such control that people were in awe'.
Chris also managed the project to move the entire Tax Office and their millions of files from Cyril Le Marquand House to La Motte Street, and moved 12 CLS teams to new desk areas in the process.
She’s also a Team Jersey Lead, in addition to which she runs the CLS Health, Safety and Wellbeing committee, through which she's personally run 'tapping' workshops for colleagues, not just in La Motte Street, but also in Broad Street and at the Library as part of Mental Health Awareness Week.
Sophie said: "What Chris brings to the Government is so much more than the role she's employed to do. Not only is she is brilliant at her role, but all the things that she does over and above to support colleagues, improve culture and make things better mean she really stands out as an 'Employee of the Year'.”
She added: "Chris is a brilliant person to have on a team – she regularly sets Friday anagram quizzes, comes up with innovative social ideas and loves to write a positive poem about colleagues, or come up with team-theme-songs. Her positivity, empathy and support for others is non-stop, and the Government of Jersey is extremely fortunate to have someone like Chris on our side."
One Gov Award
Chosen by the One Gov Board from all of the finalists.
Leighton Jenkins (Community Champion winner).
gov.je