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NADA invites nominations for the 2025 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, Ministry of Health, Aboriginal Corporation Drug and Alcohol Network of NSW (ACDAN), and people with lived experience. The awards ceremony will be held on Friday 6 June at the ICC, Darling Harbour, as part of the NADA Conference 2025.

Download these guidelines [PDF]

Award categories

First Nations
This award recognises the significant contribution of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander individuals or Aboriginal community-controlled organisations (ACCOs). This award is eligible to an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person working in a mainstream or ACCO organisation or to an ACCO 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.

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.

Outstanding contribution by an individual or team/program with living/lived experience (LLE)
This award celebrates the outstanding contribution by a person with living/lived experience currently in an identified LLE position in an NGO drug and alcohol service in NSW. Eligible individuals may be working in a mainstream or peer led organisation and have made a meaningful commitment and contribution to assist people accessing AOD services, inform the way services are delivered to better meet people’s needs and elevate the value of the LLE workforce. This award may also recognise the significant achievements of an LLE team or program.

AOD frontline champion
This award recognises an outstanding frontline worker in a NSW NGO drug and alcohol service. This person will have made a significant contribution to supporting clients and creating meaningful change that benefits the NGO AOD sector.

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.

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.

Outstanding contribution to the sector
This award recognises the significant contribution of an individual working in the non government alcohol and other drugs sector.

Awards assessment criteria

Award nominations will be judged using 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. Examples are (but not limited to): programs, research or treatment, evaluations, publications or online resources.

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.

Award prizes

Each award category winner 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
• a certificate. 

Key dates 

Nominations close 11 April 2025

How to nominate

Access the online nomination form for each award on this page.  

Nominations should be submitted online by 5pm, 11 April 2025 EST. You will receive email confirmation upon submission of your nomination. 

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: Members – NADA 

• Any individual or organisation can submit a nomination on behalf of a NADA member services organisation or a staff member of that organisation; or nominate themselves if they are representing such an organisation.  

• Nominations of NADA members or staff by their stakeholders, 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 Nations award will be accepted from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander individuals working in a mainstream or ACCO organisation, or Aboriginal community-controlled organisations (ACCOs)  

• NADA staff members are not eligible for nomination.  

Do you have a question? Would you like support?

For general enquiries email conference team and we’ll be right with you!

For support:
• for culturally and linguistically diverse applications, email Yasmin Iese
• for First Nations applications, email Raechel Wallace
• for lived or living experience applications, email Jennifer Uzabeaga