Tiaho Has Attitude!

Published November 13^th 2008, Posted in National

Tiaho Trust Finalist for the Attitude TV Community Award

Tiaho Trust has been named as a finalist in this year’s Attitude TV Awards, a new initiative developed to honour the outstanding achievements of New Zealanders living with disabilities.

Tiaho Trust are one of three finalists out of over fifty nominees for the Attitude Community Award, designed to recognise outstanding contribution to the disabled community by an individual, voluntary group or not-for-profit organisation.

Tiaho Trust is a unique and boutique organisation.  It is relatively unusual in New Zealand in that it is a disabled-led organisation.  The majority of staff and governance have an impairment of one kind or another. 

Tiaho Trust has been in operation for over five years and has a prominent profile within the Tai Tokerau region.

Tiaho Trust contributes to the vision of the New Zealand Disability Strategy in Northland by positioning ourselves to be the leading proactive disability led organization in Tai Tokerau from which the community can obtain expert advice and support.  Tiaho Trust strives to brand disability through professionalism and quality.

Other categories up for grabs on the night include the Attitude Sportsman and Sportswoman, Enterprise, Arts, Community, Spirit and ACC Employer Awards.

The winners in each category and an overall Supreme Award winner will be announced at a black tie event at the Sky City Convention Centre on December 3, coinciding with World Disability Day.

The event will be televised as a special episode of Attitude TV on Sunday 7th December at 9.30am and 10.30pm on TV1 but Close Up (TV One) has also committed to covering the build up, finalists and the event itself.  Watch Attitude TV on Sunday 30th November on TV1 at 9.30am to view an overview of the finalists.

The mastermind behind the Awards, Attitude presenter and associate producer Curtis Palmer, plans to make this an annual event. 

“We want to celebrate young disabled people who are inspirational, people in our communities who contribute to making the life of a disabled person richer, our ‘outside’ artists, disabled entrepreneurs and the employers who help disabled people achieve successful working lives,” says Palmer.

ACC is the principal sponsor, supporting the Employer and Supreme Awards.

“ACC wants to acknowledge people who have shown resolve to return to work and the businesses that have helped make that possible,” says Dr Jan White, ACC Chief Executive. “The benefits of returning to work after an injury are well proven, improving almost all aspects of the person’s life, and these awards showcase people and organisations who understand that.”

Southern Cross, Air New Zealand, NZ Trade and Enterprise, Lion Foundation, NZ Relay, Invacare, Westpac and the Wayne Francis Charitable Trust are also key sponsors of the event, supporting the awards with travel prizes, business mentoring and grants.

For more information please contact:
Jonny Wilkinson
CEO
Tiaho Trust
09 340 3406

Video below contains footage of Attitude TV filming Tikipunga Highschool students recieving ICT training on the fun and educational social networking website ‘Spork’ by Tiaho Trust Empowerment Online Facilitator Matthew Lewis.

Click Video to play

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