2022 Accolades winners announced
Seven winners were presented with their awards at this year’s 2022 Accolades ceremony held in Cardiff on Thursday, 21 April. The awards were hosted by well-known broadcaster Garry Owen and Social Care Wales’s Chief Executive Sue Evans.
They received more than 70 entries and nominations from across Wales for the 2022 awards. The panel of expert judges whittled them down to a final shortlist of 14 projects and 10 care workers.
The judges included members of Social Care Wale’s Board, representatives from organisations across social care, early years and childcare, and people with experience of using care and support.
The Accolades categories and winners:
Celebrating individual care workers in Wales who have a positive impact on people’s lives.
Winner: Keri Llewellyn, Manager of All Care (South Wales) Ltd
Keri was nominated by Andy Cole, Operational Manager Locality Services at the Vale of Glamorgan Council.
Keri manages a private home care agency in the Vale of Glamorgan. She has been nominated for her commitment to improving the lives of older people and vulnerable citizens in the community.
As well as being a Home Care Manager, Keri set up Care Communities Acting Together (CCAT) to help bring people together so they can socialise and meet new people. She has organised Christmas dinners, pantomimes, afternoon teas and ‘race days’, without being given additional funding.
Andy describes Keri as having “citizens’ needs at the very heart of what she does” and says she “deserves recognition for the outstanding and innovative work she has done… to meet the needs of the people in the community who need it most”.
As well as her work with CCAT, Keri also has a leadership role and represents the care sector on a wide range of committees, promoting the status of care workers, improving the quality of home care and making sure people are at the centre of all the decisions made about their care.
Celebrating individuals who make a positive difference to people’s lives by providing high-quality care through the medium of Welsh.
Winner: Alaw Pierce, Service Manager at Denbighshire County Council
Alaw was nominated by Nerys Thompsett and Kathryn Whitfield on behalf of Denbighshire’s operational management team.
Nerys and Kathryn describe Alaw, who was nominated for her work championing people’s rights to use Welsh, as a “role model” for staff. Throughout her career, Alaw has supported the use of Welsh in the workplace and has encouraged a culture where staff can comfortably use Welsh at work.
Alaw has successfully recruited Welsh speaking staff into key roles and has promoted the rights of older people to receive ‘best interest’ assessments in Welsh.
Denbighshire County Council’s Disability Champion, Cllr Arwel Roberts describes Alaw as having “worked tirelessly for the Welsh language within the social services department.”
Celebrating projects working with children, young people and families to help them achieve what matters to them.
Winner: Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s social services department for its ‘BG Hub’ project
The project supports children aged between 14 to 18 years old who need care and support, including children in need of protection and children who are looked after. The project has created a vast indoor and outdoor space for children, promoting group work and independent living skills and development.
Celebrating organisations or projects that put people living with dementia at the heart of their work, so they’re supported to achieve what matters to them.
Winner: Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services for its ‘Dementia Supportive Communities’ project
The project aims to improve the lives of people living with dementia, their families and carers.
The project has created a network of dementia support groups to help people living with dementia achieve the best quality of life possible, feel part of their community and feel confident, understood and respected, and to continue to enjoy their hobbies and interests.
Celebrating employers who have maintained and improved staff well-being.
Winner: Conwy County Borough Council’s social services department for its ‘Attitude for Gratitude’ project
The project was set up by Aloma Jones, the manager of the over-25 disability team. Concerned about staff well-being, Aloma planned weekly sessions where staff learned to practice gratitude and share their feelings with others. This has helped promote mental well-being and has had a significant positive effect on the team.
Celebrating organisations that have taken steps to make their workforce and/or workplace more equal, diverse and inclusive, or improved how they interact with the people they support to make sure they’re all treated equally.
Winner: Pembrokeshire County Council’s social care and housing department for its ‘Pembrokeshire Supported Employment Programme’
The programme encourages people with a disability to aspire to work. It provides supported employment in a range of situations, from cafés to business administration and grounds maintenance to social media. In all cases, people are fully supported in their job role.
Celebrating organisations that have been successful in recruiting, developing and keeping skilled staff.
Winner: Seren Support Services, which provides a range of supported living and home care services to adults living in the Neath Port Talbot and Powys areas.
Acting on feedback it received from staff, the service has become an accredited real living wage employer and rewards staff who show commitment to the company and their career development. It also carries out a staff survey twice a year and has set up a forum, where staff can have their say about company decisions.
