Waterford community hub is Day Care Centre of the Year
The Waterford city disability support service was lauded for championing community inclusion for its 24 members, by creating an environment that empowers and facilitates personal and professional growth.
Broadcaster Martin King was on MC duty at the ceremony in the Clayton Hotel Dublin, leading the evening's celebrations with good humour and charm, as hundreds of leaders and representatives from the disability and healthcare sectors gathered for the prestigious event to celebrate outstanding achievements in service provision.
Vita Community Hub scooped the national award for Day Care Centre of the Year, honoured for its dedication to developing the talents and potential of the people attending the service.
The innovative programmes on offer have helped individuals with disabilities to achieve greater independence and a higher quality of life. The service was honoured for its focus on community engagement, with the Vita team continuously striving to create and enhance connections that will have far-reaching benefits for each individual.
'Vita prides itself on promoting fulfilling employment opportunities for its members,' said a spokesperson. 'The judges credited the service for the development of a unique staged job activation programme, focused on harnessing each individual's essential job skills.
'Community collaboration is key for the programme's success, with the Vita team actively creating multiple partnerships with employers throughout the locality.'
In addition, the promotion of third level education is a top priority for the Vita team. In collaboration with South East Technical University (SETU) Humanities department, staff in Vita developed a pilot project which allowed its members to study a Hospitality course in the college.
Throughout the academic year, individuals from Vita worked alongside hospitality students in the SETU training restaurant and ran the Growth Café on campus.
James O'Halloran, Vita Programme Supervisor, said, 'We have been on a high all week since winning this award. The team is thrilled to have achieved this national recognition for our dynamic educational, advocacy, and employment programmes at Vita. This award is a testament to the unique impact of our service and the difference it has made to people's lives.'
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