A skills coach from Action Mental Health’s Southern Region Service in Tannaghmore, Lurgan, has been presented with our bi-annual Chairman’s ICE Award in recognition of his dedication and the work he does in creating extra opportunities for clients.
Marc McCann, who joined Action Mental Health 12 years ago, delivers personal development training for clients. He said he was very surprised, but delighted, to win the award.
“I accept it on behalf of all of my colleagues in Portadown and Tannaghmore, who work tirelessly every day to provide a vital service for our clients,” he said. “It is a real team effort. Colin has inspired me and the whole team to be creative and passionate about our work, with the focus always on the support and recovery of each individual.”
Launched back in 2016, the Chairman’s ICE Award is presented twice a year in recognition of individuals’ contributions to innovation, creativity and excellence within Action Mental Health. Along with a commemorative trophy, the winner also receives an extra day of annual leave.
CEO of Action Mental Health, David Babington, said: “Many congratulations to Marc! His nomination highlighted that he ‘has worked in a very focused and dedicated manner for the betterment of our clients, broadening the reach and quality of service provision.’
“As part of the nomination submission, the comments also described Marc as ‘a great champion of attending clients’ and said he is someone who ‘relishes the challenge of empowering people to ‘reach for the stars’ and unlock their potential that is conducive to individual recovery.’ We think Marc is a very deserving winner of the ICE Award and I hope he enjoys that extra day off work!”
In addition to the Open College Network NI (OCC NI) accredited training that Marc delivers to clients, he also seeks out numerous other opportunities for them to engage in. These include everything from reflective writing and mindfulness sessions to physical exercise opportunities.
“One example of this would be the links established with Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Council (ABC Council) in South Lake Leisure Centre, where I support up to eight clients in using the gym each Tuesday morning,” he said. “This has been running for 12 months now. Also, I recently mentored and nominated a learner for the OCC NI Learning Endeavour Awards. Christine went on to win both her own category and the overall Hilary Sloan Award. This was a fantastic achievement for her and I was delighted to play a small part in that.
“My accredited sessions are very conversational in nature and I pride myself on creating a ‘safe space’ for people to share their feelings and emotions in a friendly and supportive environment.”