AOD Awards for the NSW Non-government Sector
Award ceremony
Watch the award ceremony along with performances by The Glen for Women and Kobie Dee.
Award winners
Winners of the fifth biennial AOD Awards for the NSW Non-Government Sector were announced at the award ceremony, held on 12 May, at the International Convention Centre Sydney. The awards acknowledge the significant contribution of the sector in preventing and reducing alcohol and other drug related harms across NSW communities through leadership, program design and delivery, and dedicated workforce.
Photo right: Mohamad Fenj, The Rehabilitation Project, joint winner of the AOD frontline champion award
First Nations award
This award recognises the significant contribution of an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander individual, organisation or program that has made a significant and/or meaningful commitment and contribution to preventing and/or minimising alcohol and other drug related harms in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
The winner: Ngaimpe Aboriginal Corporation (The Glen for Women)
Outstanding contribution in peer work and/or consumer representation
This award celebrates the outstanding contribution by a person with living/lived experience in a consumer representative or peer worker role in a non-government alcohol and other drug service in NSW. This person will have made a significant and meaningful commitment and contribution to assist people accessing alcohol and other drug services and/or inform the way services are delivered to better meet the needs of people accessing alcohol and other drug treatment and support.
The winner: Kevin Street
AOD frontline champion award
This award recognises an outstanding frontline worker in a NSW non-government alcohol and other drug service. This person will have made a significant contribution to supporting clients and creating meaningful change that benefits the NGO alcohol and other drug sector.
The winner: Chris Sheppard, Community Restorative Centre
The winner: Mohamad Fenj, The Rehabilitation Project
Certificate of commendation: Candice Gilford, Uniting MSIC
Outstanding contribution award
This award recognises the significant contribution of an individual working in the non-government alcohol and other drugs sector.
The winner: Garth Popple, We Help Ourselves (WHOS)
The winner: Julie Babineau, Odyssey House NSW
Excellence in harm reduction
This award recognises excellence and/or innovation to prevent and/or reduce alcohol and other drug related harms. This includes health promotion, harm reduction, community development, prevention and consumer engagement or peer worker activities.
The winner: WHOS Harm Reduction Program, We Help Ourselves (WHOS)
Excellence in treatment
This award recognises individuals or organisations that contributed to building the evidence base for practices to prevent and/or reduce alcohol and other drug related harms.
The winner: Reconnecting Families, Odyssey House NSW
Excellence in research and evaluation
This award recognises individuals or organisations that contributed to building the evidence base for practices to reduce alcohol and other drugs related harms.
The winner: Community Restorative Centre
Certificate of commendation: Kedesh Rehabilitation Services
Previous winners
2021 winners
First Australians award
The winner: Steven Taylor, Weigelli Centre Aboriginal Corporation
Certificate of commendation: The Glen Centre-Ngaimpe Aboriginal Corporation (Chittaway Bay, NSW)
Certificate of commendation: Transitional Indigenous Service, Community Restorative Centre (Broken Hill and Wilcannia, NSW)
Excellence in treatment
The winner: Elouera, Lives Lived Well (Orange, NSW)
Excellence in health promotion and/or harm reduction
The winner: Youth Solutions (Campbelltown, NSW)
Excellence in research and evaluation
The winner: Triple Care Farm, Mission Australia (Robertson, NSW)
Outstanding contribution award
The winner: Dr Marianne Jauncey, Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Centre
The winner: Josette Freeman, SMART Recovery Australia
Certificate of commendation: Gerard Byrne, WHOS (formerly Salvation Army)
Outstanding contribution award
The winner: Will Temple, Watershed, Lives Lived Well
2018 winners
Excellence in treatment award
The winner: AOD Transition Project, Community Restorative Centre (CRC) (Broadway, NSW)
Certificate of commendation: Kathleen York House, Australian Drug and Alcohol Foundation (Glebe, NSW)
Excellence in health promotion award
The winner: ACON Rovers, ACON (Surry Hills, NSW)
Excellence in research and evaluation award
The winner: SMART Recovery Research Advisory Committee, SMART Recovery Australia (Haymarket, NSW)
Certificate of commendation: Cognitive Remediation Project, WHOS (Lilyfield, NSW)
First Australians award—improving outcomes for Aboriginal peoples
The winner: Coral Hennessy, The Glen Centre—Ngaimpe Aboriginal Corporation (Chittaway Bay, NSW)
Outstanding contribution award
The winner: Michele Campbell, Lives Lived Well—Lyndon (Orange, NSW)
Lifetime achievement award
The winner: Shane Brown, Weave Youth and Community Services (Waterloo, NSW)
2016 winners
Lifetime Achievement Award
The winner: James Pitts, Odyssey House (Sydney, NSW)
Outstanding Contribution Award
The winner: Tony Trimingham OAM, CEO, Family Drug Support (NSW)
Certificate of commendation: Paul Hardy, Community Restorative Centre (Sydney, NSW)
Excellence in Quality Development Award
The winner: A modified DBT group therapy manual, Triple Care Farm (Robertson, NSW)
Certificate of commendation: The Glen Centre, Ngaimpe Aboriginal Corporation (Central Coast, NSW)
Excellence in Health Promotion Award
The winner: Drug and Alcohol First Aid, Lyndon Community (Orange, NSW)
Certificate of commendation: WHOS Harm Reduction Program, WHOS (Sydney, NSW)
Excellence in Research and Evaluation Award
The winner: The Salvation Army Recovery Services and the Illawarra Institute for Mental Health, University of Wollongong (NSW)
Certificate of commendation: Stepping Stones to Success, Family Drug Support (NSW)
Certificate of commendation: Jude Sayers, Dianella Cottage, Lyndon Community (Blue Mountains, NSW)
Excellence in Treatment Award
The winner: Speak Out Dual Diagnosis Program, Weave Youth and Community Services (Waterloo, NSW)
2014 winners
Outstanding Contribution Award
Jo Lunn for improving organisational capacity at We Help Ourselves and her broader contribution to the NGO drug and alcohol sector in NSW
Excellence in Research and Evaluation Award
Lyndon Research and Training Program, The Lyndon Community (Orange, NSW)
Excellence in Treatment Award
Junaa Buwa! Centre for Youth Wellbeing (Coffs Harbour, NSW)
Certificate of Commendation
The Bourke Street Project, The Haymarket Foundation (Sydney, NSW)
Excellence in Health Promotion Award
Drug and Alcohol Workplace Education Program, Building Trades Group Drug and Alcohol Committee (Sydney, NSW)
Excellence in Quality Development Award
Community of Practice, Triple Care Farm (Robertson, NSW)
Supported by
Our other sites
Find us on
NADA proudly acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation as the custodians of the land on which our office stands. We extend this acknowledgement to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia and pay our respects to Elders past, present and future.
NADA has award level accreditation under the Australian Services Excellence Standards (ASES) a quality framework certified by Quality Innovation and Performance (QIP).
NADA is a member of
