SPRING BAY—Alison Orford, who served as a social worker for the Rainbow District School Board (RDSB) at Manitoulin Secondary School (MSS), has been recognized for her efforts and contributions to the local education community with a Support Staff Worker Award.
“I am very honoured to have been nominated by one of my colleagues and chosen to receive this award,” said Ms. Orford.
“We are happy to recognize these leaders for their dedication to the education community,” said Vic Medland, chief executive officer of Ontario Teachers Insurance plan (OTIP) who presented the OTIP support staff worker awards. OTIP is thrilled to recognize and celebrate two support staff workers for their contributions to our schools and to student success.”
“This award recognizes the important role that support staff workers play within schools across Ontario, and our recipients are shining examples of what the Support Staff Worker Award embodies,” said Mr. Medland.
“Nominated by their colleagues and selected by a panel of OTIP judges, OTIP is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023 OTIP Support Staff Worker Awards: Alison Orford, formerly of MSS, in the Educational Support category and Lenny Palumbo, St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School in Markham, Ontario in the office professionals, custodial and maintenance category.”
At the award ceremonies Mr. Medland announced, “this year, we had a record-breaking number of nominations for our Support Staff Worker Award, more than 600 nominations across both categories. This is a true testament to the vital role that support workers play in our school communities, and to student success.”
Christine McInnes, a colleague of Ms. Orford’s who nominated her for the award said in a video, “it is a pleasure to have nominated Alison Orford for this award. She has an abundance of compassion and skill, is a compassionate listener and understands the importance of student and families social, mental, physical and sociological needs.”
“In particular, she demonstrated her skills in putting on a full school mental health first aid training program,” said Ms. McInnes. “School staff underwent a two-day training session, and now over 250 school staff members (within RDSB) have learned how they can help students and others deal with difficult times.”
“Students want to feel a part of the greater community,” said Ms. Orford. “I am honoured to have won this award that acknowledges not only the work I have done but the work that all social workers do across the province. They help to make sure students become a fabric of a safe community and are able to access social, mental, physical and sociological needs.”
“It shows that as social workers we are having an impact on the school communities, and schools throughout the province,” said Ms. Orford. “By working with students, we help them gain confidence, resilience and benefit their well-being.”
Ms. Orford said receiving this award, “was also bittersweet in that it acknowledges the work I did for the board. I never returned to school this fall and was nominated for the award in July. One of the things I was recognized and nominated for the award was for the special mental health first aid two-day training program to help support those people facing mental health concerns or a crisis. It was in 2016 that I initially presented this program to the school board as a training program and since then we have trained over 250 people throughout the school board community including everyone, teachers, librarians, custodians, basically anyone who interacts with students.”
The award ceremonies were held in Toronto at the end of September.
Ms. Orford, along with two of her colleagues, are now operating ACTive Minds Therapy and Consulting on Manitoulin. The collective was developed by Ms. Orford, Christine McInnes and Tricia Goeldner. The name of the company emphasizes the active collaboration between the therapist and the client. It identifies therapy as an active process that requires the engagement of both parties to achieve optimal results. The name also conveys a sense of energy, positivity and movement towards personal growth and transformation.
