CAWT Press Release

CAWT Captures Prestigious National Training Award

13March 2014

The Co-operation and Working Together (CAWT) cross border health and social care partnership won the ‘Excellence in Coaching Award,’ from the Association for Coaching, at the Irish Institute of Training and Development’s National Training Awards 2014. The Award was presented by Minister for Training and Skills, Ciaran Cannon TD, at an all-island Gala event in Naas Co. Kildare on Friday evening last.

The CAWT partner organisations: the HSE, Southern Health and Social Care Trust and Western Health and Social Care Trust jointly received this prestigious Award for the collaborative ‘Connect’ Coaching network project. The ‘Connect’ Coaching network is an innovative, sustainable coaching resource for staff in the CAWT partner organisations which supports a person to work through real day-to-day work issues in order to identify their own solutions. This network of coaches is facilitating and supporting the considerable organisational change underway in the health services in both jurisdictions.Funding for the ‘Connect’ Coaching network project was secured by CAWT with the support of the DHSSPS and the Department of Health from the EU’s INTERREG IVA programme.

The key aspects which contributed to the judging panel’s decision to select the CAWT project included the innovative cross border element, the significant scale of the project and the inclusion of the mentor and supervisor roles which ensures the quality and sustainability of the coach network into the future.

Commenting Edel O’Doherty, CAWT Deputy Chief Officer said: “On behalf of the CAWT partner organisations, I am delighted that our Connect Coaching project has been recognised in this way. I wish to extend our congratulations to all the CAWT partners who collaborated to implement this hugely successful cross border initiative that, so far, has benefited over 1,000 staff members working in health and social care.” She added:“I also wish to acknowledge the EU INTERREG IVA funding secured by CAWT from the Special EU Programmes Body. Without the valuable investment from the EU, the Connect Coaching project would not have reached the scale and uptake it has achieved to date.”

Coaching Development Ltd worked in partnership with CAWT in the delivery of the coach training programme in the CAWT border area.

-Ends-

Photo caption

CAWT 1:Representatives from the CAWT cross border health partnership receiving the ‘Excellence in Coaching Award,’ from the Association for Coaching, at the Irish Institute of Training and Development’s (IITD) National Training Awards 2014 are (l to r): James O'Neill, IITD President; Anne Forsythe, Southern Health and Social Care Trust;Siobhan Patten, HSE West; Eilish McKeown, HSE DNE; Ciaran Cannon TD, Minister for Training and Skills; Edel O’Doherty, CAWT; Ursula Doherty, Western Health and Social Care Trust; Marianne Walsh, Western Health and Social Care Trust; Pauline Dunlop, CAWT and Grattan Donnelly, Coaching Association Ireland

Notes to Editor

  1. The IITD National Training Awards are focused on engagement, collaboration, participative management, excellence in training initiatives, transparency, innovation and learning and development of both individuals and organizations. Organizations and individuals submit entries based on specific Training Initiatives that they believe have contributed to the success of their organisations.
  2. The Excellence in Coaching Award is aimed at those organisations that have successfully implemented a sustainable coaching climate via coach training, coach provision or evaluation. This award is also open to coaching providers who demonstrate an innovative approach and excellence in the implementation of a coaching initiative or process.
  3. The Co-operation and Working Together (CAWT) partner organisations were successful in securing EU INTERREG IVA funding to design, develop and implement a Professional Coach Training Programme for senior managers and clinicians employed in health and social care organisations based in the border region of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The overarching purpose of the programme is to strengthen leadership and management capacity within and between the CAWT partner organisations.
  4. CAWT is a cross border health and social care partnership comprising the border counties of the Health Service Executive (HSE) in the Republic of Ireland and the Southern and Western Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland. The Health and Social Care Board and the Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland are also CAWT partners and are currently implementing the coaching initiative in these organisations
  5. The European Union’s INTERREG IVA programme is designed to support cross border co-operation, social cohesion and economic development between regions of the EU. The Northern Ireland/Ireland programme is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body and covers all of Northern Ireland, the Border Region of Ireland and Western Scotland. It aims to address the economic and social disadvantage that can result from the existence of a border.