AOD Awards for the NSW Non-government Sector
Promote your service. Recognise the work of staff.
Nominations are now open for the 2023 AOD Awards for the NSW Non-government Sector. The awards acknowledge the significant contribution of the sector in preventing and reducing alcohol and other drug related harms across NSW communities through leadership, innovative program design and delivery, and workforce dedication.
The awards will be judged by a panel that includes: NADA’s executive team and a representative from the Ministry of Health, Local Health District, Aboriginal Corporation Drug and Alcohol Network of NSW (ACDAN), and two people with lived experience. The awards ceremony will be held on 11 May at the ICC, Darling Harbour, as part of the NADA Conference 2023.
Nominations close 3 April 2023.
Award prizes
Winners will be recognised in the Advocate and the NADA website, and will receive a prize of $500 to assist in professional/organisational development, an award plaque and a certificate.
Award categories
Excellence in treatment
This award recognises excellence and/or innovation in treatment to prevent and/or reduce alcohol and other drug related harms. This includes the delivery of services, quality and safety, programs and initiatives for individuals or specific populations.
Nominate: Excellence in treatment
Outstanding contribution in peer work and/or consumer representation award
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.
Nominate: Outstanding contribution in peer work and/or consumer representation
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.
Nominate: AOD frontline champion
Excellence in health promotion and/or 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.
Nominate: Excellence in health promotion/harm reduction
First Australians 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.
Nominate: First Australians award
Excellence in research and evaluation
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.
Nominate: Excellence in research and evaluation
Outstanding contribution award
This award recognises the significant contribution of an individual working in the non-government alcohol and other drugs sector.
Nominate: Outstanding contribution to the sector
Award nomination eligibility
Only current members of the Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies (NADA) and their staff are eligible for the awards. A list of NADA members is available here: nada.org.au/members.
Any individuals or organisations can submit a nomination and can nominate themselves for an award. Nominations by stakeholders of NADA members are encouraged.
Nominations will not be accepted for an award category that the nominated person has previously won, but they are still eligible for other award categories.
Nominations for the First Australians award are encouraged from both Aboriginal controlled services and general services.
NADA staff and members are not eligible for nomination.
Awards assessment criteria
Award nominations will be judged on the following criteria:
Demonstrated outcomes
Demonstrated outcomes in preventing and/or reducing alcohol and other drugs related harms to NSW communities. Evidence of significant positive impact on outcomes for consumers and/or service provision in the sector.
Contribution to the sector or community
Nominations must demonstrate how their work has made a substantial and practical contribution to the sector or community. Information can include (but is not limited to): publications, evaluations,
Supporting documentation provided
Documentation must be provided to support the nomination, including (but not limited to): feedback and references from key stakeholders, journal articles, evaluation reports, media articles, de-identified case examples, copy of relevant webpage promoting the program or outline of the research/treatment, testimonials, recognition from other groups and endorsements, list of initiatives and actions taken and the impact they have had.
For more information about the awards criteria for each category refer to the nomination forms.
Certificates of commendation may also be provided to nominations deemed commendable by the judging panel. Awards may be granted in a category other than the one nominated, if deemed more appropriate by the judging panel.
Awards enquiries
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)
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