QBank Everyday Heroes Awards 2022 winner Monique Rashford helping women complete probation orders, 2023 nominations now open

Meet the Roma woman who has founded a group dedicated to assisting women with completing their probation orders through support, advice and a sense of community, with the ultimate goal of reducing reoffending. Read her inspiring story.

Ahead of this year’s QBank Everyday Heroes Awards, past winner Monique Rashford has revealed how she is making waves improving probation rates among women in an effort to prevent reoffending.

The QBank awards shine a spotlight on the hard working frontline workers who have gone above and beyond to protect, serve and heal their communities.

Of the six award categories - Achievement, Ownership, Dedication, Working Together, Excellence and the Young Everyday Hero Award - Roma’s Ms Rashford beat out candidates from all across Central and Western Queensland for the coveted the Ownership award, which recognises an individual who has shown empowerment and integrity.

Ms Rashford, who previously worked as a Probations Services officer for Roma, still continues her rehabilitative work now as a community corrections advisor for the Queensland Corrective Services.

“I love the broad nature of this job and having the ability to help people who are sometimes at their lowest points,” she said.

“It is an extremely rewarding place to work and I’d recommend anyone coming from any walk of life who is interested in helping people improve their lives to have a look at what opportunities we have here in Roma or anywhere around Queensland.”

2022 Everyday Heroes Award Winner Monique Rashford (right) pictured with QBANK Chief Growth and Experience Officer Paula Hayes (left). Picture: Supplied.

The Roma Women’s Empowerment Group was created after identifying the successful completion rate of supervised women was decreasing in Roma.

Ms Rashford said this could be attributed to several factors including parenting responsibilities, social isolation, and general lack of access to information.

“Winning the QBANK Everyday Heroes Award was an extremely humbling and inspiring experience, particularly to be standing with so many people who actively give back to their communities,” Ms Rashford said.

“I have such a passion for helping women learn valuable life skills and it was an honour to be recognised for this work.

“The group was developed to be a safe space where women could come with their young children and have access to support services, social interactions and relevant information allowing them to take ownership over decisions that impact them.

“The Roma Women’s Empowerment Group gives the women an opportunity to meet the requirements of their supervision while providing opportunities to learn skills like cooking healthy meals on a budget, interview techniques and sexual health advice.

“Through building up women’s skills to adopt more pro-social coping strategies, we are enhancing the management of mental health and encouraging women to engage with their local providers to improve their lives.”

Nominations for this year’s QBank Everyday Heroes Awards are open until 31 August 2023 with nominees eligible from the top end to the southeast across a range of sectors.

To be eligible for the Everyday Heroes Awards, the nominated person must be over 18 and a government employee (Local/State/Federal) residing in Queensland and be employed in a job that is principally concerned with the administration of justice and protection of life/property. To be eligible for the Young Everyday Hero Award, the nominee must be aged 12 to 17 and reside in Queensland.