May 2012
Employee of year builds better lives
As The GEO Group Australia continues to spell out its GEO Builds Better Lives ambition there could be no better advocate than Junee Correctional Centre’s Damien Morgan — the 2011 GEO Employee of the Year.
Beginning his career as a correctional officer he has followed his passion for effective rehabilitation into offender services and has developed a range of family orientated programs designed to help offenders successfully integrate back into their families and the community.
Since being appointed Junee’s family liaison officer in 2009, Damien’s innovations have included The Running Journal, which is an art pack that bounces back between the father and his children in foster care.
Under the watchful gaze of the Department of Family and Community Services, offenders have the chance to generate regular paintings and drawings — and therefore a relationship — with their children.
Damien has also introduced The Next Chapter With Dad, which was originally developed in the UK. It offers the father the opportunity to read, record and edit a book to compact disc for the child to replay at bedtime.
Another initiative, the Family Case Management Strategy is a program that has the capacity to have a major impact on recidivism. It incorporates the offender’s family in his case management process.
“It is also a way of rebuilding bridges with the family,” Damien said.
Damien says he has other “ideas and initiatives floating around” but is happy to spend the next 12 months making sure his current projects are successful.
“Importantly, each can be easily adopted by other correctional institutions,” said the 35-year-old.
“Damien presents as an innovative, passionate and committed individual,” said Junee general manager Andy Walker.
“Since his appointment as family liaison officer Damien has displayed his leadership abilities as well as demonstrated how to successfully develop and foster meaningful relationships with government, community groups, offenders and their families.”
Heather Shaw and Himesh Singh were the two other finalists in GEO’s 2011 Employee of the Year award.
A correctional officer at Fulham Correctional Centre for six years, Heather plays a key role at the front end of prisoner rehabilitation as an induction officer where her strong work ethic and risk assessment skills have proven most valuable.
Fulham senior management highlighted her ability to remain calm and think clearly in emergency situations as well as the courage she has displayed during several prisoner incidents.
A former detective inspector in the South African Police Service, Himesh commenced his employment at Parklea Correctional Centre in October 2009 as one of the first recruits in the initial pre-service course.
Now working predominantly as a correctional supervisor, Himesh accepted responsibility for Area 5 during an extended period in which the area manager was absent.
Parklea management acknowledged a review of the daily routine in Area 5 conducted by Himesh that has contributed to the enhancement of security and efficiencies in daily tasks and inmate management.
As Employee of the Year, Damien receives a $4000 travel gift card, $1000 spending money and two weeks special leave. Heather and Himesh receive a trip with a partner to the state capital city of their choice (in either New South Wales, Victoria or Queensland), accommodation and $500 spending money.
Fulham Correctional Centre has again been acclaimed for its work with the local community.
This time it was for constructing and installing a dozen community emergency information notice boards in the lead up to summer and the fire season. The notice boards kept people informed about fire risks and also gave prisoners the opportunity to attain useful accreditation qualifications.
Fulham’s initiative in conjunction with the Wellington Shire Council won two categories in the Corrections Victoria 2011 Community Work Partnership Awards.
In other Fulham Correctional Centre news, prisoners taking part in recreational activities at the centre have benefitted from generous donations by two local groups, the Gippsland Power Football Club and Loy Yang Power.
Due to the efforts of Fulham’s recreation specialist Rod Brisbane, prisoners playing football now have the use of 42 football jumpers and the centre’s cricketers use a portable cricket pitch constructed from 25 metres of conveyor belt.
The Rock Central School is edging closer to buying a school bus following a donation from Junee Correctional Centre staff and inmates.
They donated $1000 to the fundraiser as the school surges past the halfway mark on the way to the target of $25,000.
Inmates also won praise from the Junee Pony Club recently when they cleaned up the club’s grounds in preparation for a number of trail rides, gymkhanas and demonstrations.
Junee has also continued its long-standing support of the Junee Junction Recreation and Aquatic Centre’s Australia Day Fun Run.
Early in 2012, the centre helped several talented young Junee residents to fulfill their dreams by awarding $7500 in scholarships through the GEO Youth in Focus Scholarships program.
Three Junee High School students — Ebony Becquet, Billie-Rose Deacon and Jade Belling — were the inaugural recipients of the scholarships and each received $2500.
The scholarships program has been established in four categories — academic excellence, sporting distinction, creative arts and youth in business.
Junee Correctional Centre general manager Andy Walker said the scholarships are an important part of the GEO Builds Better Lives program.
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