This award celebrates leaders who make a difference in their management of a diverse workforce, and in exemplifying Jim’s achievements the awards highlighted Mind and Body as an extraordinary company amongst the 55 nominees.

Jim Burdett, and Mind and Body’s Like Minds, Like Mine Team leader, Taimi Allan attended the awards on Thursday the 29th of October, where Mind and Body’s work was showcased in 3 categories to an audience of over 350 politicians, multi-nationals and New Zealand business leaders. An outstanding video of Mind and Body was shown, and Jim and Taimi were given an opportunity to speak.

The Hon. Tariana Turia presented the award to Jim who spoke of his passion for Mind and Body’s remarkable employees, our strengths because of, and not in spite of our experiences and made it clear that living with an experience of Mental Illness was enabling rather than disabling.

It was also a timely and incredible opportunity for Taimi, as part of her Like Minds work on countering the stigma and discrimination associated with Mental Illness, to tie in the current national Like Minds, Like Mine campaign hotspot on Employment. Taimi spoke to a captive audience of Employers on not just awareness of the discrimination people with an experience of Mental Illness face in employment but indeed, the benefits of employing and supporting such a resilient workforce.

Whilst Jim won the award last night, congratulations must go to everyone at Mind and Body for such a significant achievement.

More information can be found on the EEO website www.eeotrust.org.nz as well as published articles in the Work Life Awards publication and the November issue of “New Zealand Management” magazine.”

source comedyfestival.co.nz

Chris Brain is in “A Better Place”

Presented by PinkBrain ThinkTank and supported by a RETHiNK Grant.

New Zealand’s comedians’ comedian is staging his first ever solo show during this year’s NZ International Comedy Festival.

Chris Brain, 2009 Billy T Award Nominee, is in a “Better Place” after years of living on the fringes.

“A Better Place” follows Chris’s darkly comic journey through gambling, drinking, religion, drugs and even going to the gym in order to be normal.

What he came to realise was that there is no such thing as normal. Depression didn’t colour his view on life, it magnified Chris’s unique and hilarious take on the human condition.

As a seasoned comedian Chris is aiming to perform a show which takes his audience on a journey with comedic moments that will make them laugh, cry and hopefully think.

AUCKLAND

Mon 18 May – Sat 23 May, 8.45pm

The Classic Studio, 321 Queen St

WELLINGTON

Tues 5th May-Sat 9th May, 7.00pm

The Fringe Bar, Cuba St

For further information on ticket sales:

http://www.comedyfestival.co.nz/auckland/show/a-better-place

For more information contact:
Irene Pink:
027 211 2068
irenepink@yahoo.com

The Certificate in Peer Support (Mental Health) is the only course designed specifically for Peer Support Workers that leads to a New Zealand Level 4 qualification: the Certificate in Peer Support (Mental Health) (Level 4). The course is offered exclusively by Mind and Body Learning and Development Ltd.

Service Providers should contact us now to secure places for their Peer Support Workers in 2009. (We do not accept individual fee-paying students).