THIS year’s Wayahead Mental Health Matters Award has recognised three frontline Western Sydney-based organisations, receiving praise from no less than Masterchef champion and Mental Health Month ambassador Brent Draper at ceremonies in Sydney.
The vital work of One Door Mental Health in Parramatta received the Workplace Wellbeing Award for Recovery 2gether (R2G) program that supports people experiencing mental illness to recover at work by creating safe teams.
Mr Draper, handed the award to Vivien Tait of Parramatta’s One Door program at Sydney’s Hyatt Regency on October 6.
At the ceremony, Mr Draper has revealed he has battled anxiety, a mental health issue for many sufferers, which is why he became an advocate to share his personal story and help others overcome it.
The Community Initiative Award was received by the House to Grow Ltd that runs the Soul and Wellbeing Encounters program in Granville and North Strathfield connecting, educating and empowering local women to live healthy and happy.
The Muslim Peers Project run by Outloud Inc in Bankstown took the Rainbow Inclusion Award for delivering a program about being young and queer and providing counselling for people of Muslim faith experiencing mental health distress.
NSW mental health minister Rose Jackson congratulated the finalists and winners from across the state for their contribution to improve the mental health conditions of people in communities.
The awards initiated by Wayahead celebrate the expertise and innovation in mental healthcare with 24 finalists, and winners in eight categories.
“Wayahead does a great job driving awareness of mental health and linking people to support services,” Ms Jackson said.
“We all have a part to play in helping people, even if it is just starting a conversation.”
Wayahead chief executive Sharon Grocott said: “The extraordinary diversity of projects created and delivered by these organisations accurately reflects our theme this year of ‘we all have a role to play’.
For more details, visit https://mentalhealthmonth.wayahead.org.au/2023-mental-health-matters-finalists/
Photo: Vivien Tait of One Door Parramatta (centre) with Masterchef winner and Mental Health Month ambassador Brent Draper and award presenter Anna Dawson at the awarding ceremony on October 6, 2023, at Hyatt Regency Sydney.
