Announcing the recipients of our Innovation Fund

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We are excited to announce that two organisations have been awarded the 2023/2024 Innovation Fund. This round focused on innovative projects that will support recovery at work after an injury, so that injured clients can stay connected and engaged in their workplace while they are recovering. 

We had 39 eligible innovative proposals put forward from all across Aotearoa, but two stood out and were awarded $120,318.25 to fund their projects. The winners for this round are: New Zealand Trucking Association and the Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust. 

The Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust is developing an Employer Peer Support Network, by training and supporting three employers as Peer Mentors. Their aim is to provide peer support both individually and in group sessions to many other employers supporting kiritaki (clients) with traumatic brain injury to return to work. To do this, they will leverage technology to develop user-friendly apps, host webinars, and create resources. They will also host events, workshops, and forums, with the goal of establishing a standardised training curriculum.   

New Zealand Trucking Association is developing The Transport and Logistics Recovery at Work initiative, which will focus on enhancing workplace recovery following injuries in the Transport and Logistics sector. To do this, they will create a dedicated module on the HARMfree Transport and Logistics online portal with comprehensive recovery packs and produce multilingual resources and videos. The project aims to change management behaviours, support injured workers effectively, and maintain their connection to the workplace during recovery. 

We were looking for projects that were ready for implementation, will be delivered within three to six months after receiving the funding, although we considered projects that were to be delivered within 12 months, have existing support from clinicians, clients/client groups, a New Zealand-based institution or organisation, and have the potential to be scaled up in partnership.  

We are excited to work in partnership with New Zealand Trucking Association and the Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust to bring their proposals to life. 

We would like to thank each applicant for taking the time and effort to submit an application and improve recovery at work outcomes.    

To find out more about our winners initiatives, visit our website.