Media Release by Senator the Hon Amanda Vanstone

2002 Prime Minister’s Community Business Partnership Award Winners – ACT

I want to congratulate Acumen Alliance and Marymead Child and Family Care Centre, who have won the ACT Medium Business 2002 Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships in recognition of their work for disadvantaged children and families.

Marymead’s work with Acumen Alliance has helped make a real difference to the lives of local children and families by promoting hope and positive change.

By combining their skills, knowledge and expertise, the organisations have developed new and innovative ways to assist the 800 families and children the Marymead Centre helps each year.

As well as assisting families in need, the partnership has positive effects for both organisations. Working with Acumen has helped Marymead to extend its community support base, and Acumen staff’s involvement with the community group has enabled them to develop new skills and given them the satisfaction of knowing that they have helped some of the most disadvantaged families in the ACT.

Marymead and Acumen’s partnership is an outstanding example of how organisations that work together can help to build a more caring, productive and vibrant society.

This year’s Awards have attracted hundreds of nominations from around the country, demonstrating that the partnership spirit remains strong across Australian communities and the business sector.

The Awards recognise the positive opportunities that community partnerships create both locally and within organisations, by encouraging personnel to embrace projects that were life enriching and generated a sense of staff morale and personal pride.

The ACT partnership will now be judged against other State and Territory winners for the National Medium Business Category Award to be announced at Parliament House in Canberra on 11 December.

National winners and Special Award winners will receive $10 000 towards the extension of their community project.