Barranggirra participant, Simone Mackinnon-Cini has been recognized in the recent Greater Western Sydney Training Awards for her resilience and determination in completing her Traineeship in Health Services.
Simone commenced her Traineeship in July 2021 with Liverpool Hospital and faced some significant challenges being a single mother with two children who was entering the workforce for the first time. Simone had an undeniable passion for the healthcare sector and a great ability to build rapport with patients, however was struggling to complete the academic component of the Traineeship.
After joining Souths Cares' Barranggirra Program, Simone received the additional mentoring and academic support which enabled her to thrive. Barranggirra Mentor, Derick Peachey provided learning support to Simone, which included visiting Liverpool Hospital each week to support her studies.
At one stage Simone was considering leaving her Traineeship, however refused to give up and sought an extension to enable her to complete the training.
Simone Mackinnon-CiniI was really close to leaving the Traineeship as I couldn’t get on top of my studies, however with the weekly support of my mentor Derick I was able to get back on track and complete the training. Now I can look back and be proud of everything I’ve achieved so far.
After completing her Traineeship in December 2022, Simone was offered fulltime employment at Liverpool Hospital, where she has continued to succeed and has become an important part of the team. Simone transports patients to their medical appointments and thoroughly enjoys the opportunity to communicate with people from all walks of life and make their stay in hospital as comfortable as possible.
Simone's nomination for the NSW Training Awards was endorsed her employer South Western Sydney Local Health District, who recognised her commitment to overcoming challenges and her passion for supporting patients within her role at Liverpool Hospital.
Derick Peachey, Barranggirra Mentor stated Simone’s training and employment journey was an inspirational story.
"Simone is probably one of the strongest individuals that I have had the privilege of working with. She has overcome many challenges, showed great resilience and is an inspiration for other mature-aged Trainees", Derick said.
Completing her Traineeship has given Simone the confidence to continue her career journey in the healthcare sector, with her next goal to become an Alcohol and Drug Support Worker.
The Barranggirra Program is proudly supported by Training Services NSW.
