Heart-driven success

KELINA Tokunai’s career is driven by her heart.

Her qualities of kindness and compassion saw the Uniting AgeWell Lifestyle Coordinator receive the organisation’s highest staff award – Employee of the Year for 2023.

In her acceptance speech, Kelina paid tribute to Uniting AgeWell for being an organisation that invests in and grows its staff.

She also mentioned the reason for her job satisfaction – the residents, for whom she cares so much.

International Women’s Day is an important opportunity for Uniting AgeWell to recognise the impact of its valued members of staff, like Kelina, and to re-affirm our commitment to providing truly inclusive career pathways and forging a better world.

Kelina appreciates the opportunities for career growth she has at Uniting AgeWell and is studying a Bachelor of Health Science and Leisure.

“I want to gain more knowledge,” she said.

She also said she has learned much from her late-father’s Pacific Island background.

“It is ingrained in me to look after your elders and to learn from them,” Kelina said.

That’s something I am passionate about.”

Uniting AgeWell General Manager of People and Culture, Gen Toop, said with 78 per cent of the workforce identifying as female, Uniting AgeWell offers flexible work arrangements to enable staff to work around their family commitments.

There are a significant number of women in senior and leadership positions with a host of opportunities for further growth and education, including subsidies for further education, leadership programs and scholarships for professional development.

Uniting AgeWell is also a partner with WomenCan, a vocational organisation that empowers women.

“Our commitment to our workforce and our clients is in our blueprint,” said Gen.

“We’re proudly an inclusive organisation championing diversity in all its forms. But we’re different in one sense, one of our prerequisites in hiring people is that they share our values of kindness, respect, integrity, innovation and inclusion.”

To explore your career opportunities at Uniting AgeWell, visit unitingagewell.org/careers, call 1300 783 435 or email your resume to [email protected].