TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

It is with much pleasure that I am able to write this reference for Dean Clifford.

Each year JobMatch hosts a breakfast to bring Employers together to celebrate the achievement of people with disabilities throughout the year and to acknowledge the wonderful support given to us by Employers.

Dean was invited to our Annual Employers Breakfast as our guest speaker on the 8^th of November 2005.

This year’s breakfast was one of our most successful breakfasts to date and I attribute this to Dean Clifford. We had a tremendous response from Employers with 100 people in attendance.

Dean’s presentation was moving and thought provoking. His presentation affected all people in attendance. He spoke well, told people how it was but did not make people uncomfortable in the process. The use of a visual display during the talk added impact to his story.

People left inspired though having met Dean and having had Dean share with them part of his life.

I would recommend Dean Clifford as a guest speaker to any function where you want to inspire and motivate your audience.

Yours sincerely,

Colleen Hooper
General Manager

Dear Dean,

I am writing to thank you for your participation as the guest speaker in the joint Australian Public Service Commission and Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s celebration for International Day of People with a DisABILITY, held on Thursday 1 December 2005. I would like to take this opportunity to express our thanks to you for your contribution.

The celebration was a great success and we received very positive feedback from those who attended. All who were there described your presentation as inspirational and they were impressed with both your professionalism and your ability to speak so fluently and eloquently, despite having no speaking notes. You are certainly a very worthy ambassador for those with a disability and for the Association for Competitive Employment (ACE). Your other role as Goodwill Ambassador for the Brisbane Bronco’s was an added bonus, attracting some who may otherwise not have joined us at such a celebration.

Once again, thank you for taking the time and effort to make such a significant contribution to our celebration of International Day of People with a DisABILITY.

We wish you well and every success in your remarkable achievements in promoting the positive aspects of living with a disability.

Yours sincerely,

Ms Clare Page
Group Manager
Better Practice Group
Australian Public Service Commission

25^th January 2006

Mr Dean Clifford (TG1)

Dear Dean,

Thank you for the privilege and opportunity to be the beneficiaries of your presentation titled “Dead Man Working” on Monday evening at our formal dinner.

As you are aware, the AFP Brisbane Office took the opportunity amongst a period of constant work and demands to capture our Team Leaders and give them the opportunity to leave the daily coalface behind and focus on the more strategic issues impacting on the work they do. Our three day forum in Maleny was a chance to draw breath and consider the future.

Our Team Leaders are t he critical first line managers in our organisation. Whether they are  steering major organised crime investigations, investigating tragedies such as the Bali bombings or ensuring our security here in Australia they often find themselves faced with challenging and demanding situations. On Monday evening I witnessed them viewing life from a different paradigm.

Your presentation was more than motivational and far more than inspirational. You embodied the ultimate goal of human endeavour and your life story took us all to a new dimension. The challenges you constantly encounter made our daily grinds pale into insignificance. Your courage, determination and “never admit defeat” attitude demonstrated to all present that your life’s purpose is to convey a very special message.

I can tell you that this group of very life hardened police members and staff could not stop talking about the positive impact your presentation had on them, both personally and professionally. You put the vagaries of life into a very special prospective.

Thank you very much for the time you spent with us. You are a very special man and as the great Broncos’s ‘hardman’, Shane Webcke so beautifully stated, you are a “National Treasure”.
Kind Regards
Barry Turner APM
Commander
Manager Brisbane Office.

For/and on behalf of our AFP Team Leaders in Queensland.

29 March 2007

Dean Clifford Testimonial

The Association of Competitive Employment (known as ACE) is the peak body for Open Employment Services to people with disabilities across Australia. “Open” employment means regular work in the “real world” with award-based wages and conditions, alongside people without a disability. ACE has over 180 organisational members across the country that help people with a disability find open employment by developing their skills, identifying jobs, readying workplaces and providing the right mix of support to secure and maintain quality employment in the longer term.

Participants at last year’s ACE Conference had the opportunity to hear first hand from Dean Clifford during his very well-attended session; Dean was appointed National Ambassador for ACE.

Dean has embraced his role as ACE Ambassador. He is a strong advocate for Open Employment Services and is passionate about the role these services play in supporting jobseekers with a disability in achieving their vocational goals. Dean has successfully represented ACE at a number of public events during 2005, meeting with federal ministers and the Prime Minister throughout the course of the year, in addition to being involved in a range of media events.

Most recently, Dean gave another great presentation at the ACE Conference held in Adelaide in September 2005. In his typical engaging style, Dean succeeded in inspiring and motivating our 400+ attendees, through a clever mix of sharing personal stories in a very open way, along with a well prepared slide show of photos that helped build on his key messages.

We are very happy to recommend Dean for motivational speaking engagements, as we continue to receive great feedback from any of the work he has done with us and our members.

Lucy Macali
Executive Officer
ACE
October 2005

Dean Clifford Testimonial

I first heard about Dean Clifford through one of our members, South Burnett Jobmatch at Kingaroy.

They had worked with him to help find employment and were assisting him in his goal of becoming a motivational speaker. As ACE (Australia’s Disability Employment Network) was holding its conference nearby at the Sunshine Coast we decided to engage Dean as a speaker for one of our sessions. What a brilliant move that turned out to be.
Dean packed the venue and became the talking point of the conference. All of the National Executives were so impressed with his performance that he has been engaged as the keynote speaker at our next conference in Adelaide, September 2005.

Dean has an engrossing presentation style and continues to be a champion for all people with a disability. It was for this reason that ACE also approached Dean to be the association’s official ambassador. I am sure Dean will embrace this challenge of promoting the 307 agencies Australia wide with the same gusto he has for all of his challenges.

Garry Davison.

President ACE.

30th July 2007

Dear Dean,

On behalf of the Ayr Chamber of Commerce Inc., I would like to sincerely thank you for speaking to our members recently. It was a pleasure and a privilege to hear your presentation “Dead Man Working”.

We received extremely positive comments from our members on how motivational and informative you were. Your determination and courage is an inspiration to others.

We wish you every success with your future endeavours.

Yours sincerely

Bruno van der Heide

President.

Dear Dean,

On behalf of Kingaroy Rotary Club and South Burnett CTC we are delighted to announce that you have been awarded a 2003 Youth Achievement Award.  There are three categories of ‘Job Well Done’, ‘Young Achiever’ and ‘Vocational Excellence’

You have been awarded the Young Achiever award.

As part of Youth Week 2003 a Rotary dinner meeting is being held at Kingaroy RSL Club on Monday 7^th April at 6:30pm for 7pm. You and a guest are invited to attend to receive your award.

We congratulate you on this aware and commend you on being such an excellent role model to young people in our community. We hope to see you on Monday Evening.

Yours sincerely

Michael Mason                                                                                                                 Rosamund Heit
Vocational Services Director                                                                                        Consultant
Kingaroy Rotary Club                                                                                                      South Burnett CTC