2024 Award Nominations

The Mental Health Matters Awards honours the exceptional accomplishments of individuals, groups, and organisations dedicated to improving understanding, awareness, service provision, and the overall mental health of communities in NSW over the previous year (2023-2024).

Nominations are now OPEN.

Prizes for award winners
The winner of each award category will receive $1000 and an engraved award plaquette.

Judging Panel
Our judging panel comprises of independent mental health experts, professionals from the sector, past award recipients, and individuals specialising in specific categories. Wayahead staff are not involved in the judging process for the awards.

How to nominate

Do you know someone making remarkable contributions to mental health? Nominate yourself, a program you’re involved with, or an individual or initiative you admire for their outstanding work.

We are here to help and answer any questions you may have about the Awards or the nomination process, including support to complete your nomination. Contact us on (02) 9339 6021 or promo.admin@wayahead.org.au

For full category descriptions, eligibility criteria, and nomination links, please refer to the details provided below.

Nominate criteria

    Please review the following guidelines before submitting a nomination:

    • Nominations should relate to projects, programs, or initiatives that are accessible to and hold significance for the people of NSW.
    • We kindly ask that nominations are not submitted for consideration in multiple categories.
    • Each organisation or individual may submit only one nomination; quality of nominations will be prioritised over quantity.
    • Staff and volunteers affiliated with Wayahead, as well as sponsors of the Awards (such as ACON), are ineligible for nomination.
    • Previous award recipients are not eligible for self-nomination for a period of three years following their award.

    Nomination Questions

    Mental Health Matters Youth Award

    1. Provide a brief description of the program/project – including target group/s & aims.
    2. How were young people involved in the planning and implementation of this program/project?
    3. What were the early intervention/prevention strategies of this project/program?
    4. What were the measurable impacts of this project/program? (Include summarised evaluation data such as participation rates, outcomes or feedback, data collected from surveys). Include links if appropriate.

    Mental Health Matters Community Initiative Award

    1. Provide a brief description of the program, project or initiative. Include information about community involvement in the planning, design, and implementation.
    2. What was the aim of this program, project or event?
    3. What are some of the key issues around mental health faced by the community which were targeted by this project/program or event, and how were these issues were addressed by the program/project/event?
    4. Provide a summary of the evaluation data, outcomes and any formal or informal feedback. Include links if appropriate

    Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing Award

    1. Please provide a brief summary of the program/project/service (including aims)

    2. How were Aboriginal people involved in the planning and implementation of this project?
    3. How does this program/project enhance the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal communities?
    4. Provide a summary of the evaluation data, outcomes and any formal or informal feedback. Include links if appropriate

    Outstanding Achievement in Mental Health Promotion

    1. Please provide a brief summary of the program/project/service

    2. What were the aims of this program or project?
    3. How did the project or program achieve its aims/objectives?
    4. Provide a summary of the evaluation data, outcomes and any formal or informal feedback. Include links if appropriate

    Leadership through lived experience Award

    1. Provide a brief account of the individual that is being nominated, and the work they’ve done. Include the aims of any project or program they’ve run.
    2. How has their work contributed to advocacy and social change for people with lived experience of mental ill-health?
    3. What are some of the longer term impacts the individual has had on the lives of people with lived experiences of mental health issues?
    4. Please include links to any feedback, media, or other supporting information

    Wayahead Workplace Wellbeing Award

    1. Provide a brief description of the workplace wellbeing initiatives undertaken? Include specific programs, as well as relevant policy changes.

    2. What was the aim of this program or project?
    3. What key factors led the organisation to develop and implement this program or initiative in the workplace?
    4. Provide a summary of the evaluation data, outcomes and any formal or informal feedback. Include links if appropriate.

    Mental Health Matters Media and the Arts Award

    1. Provide a brief description of the media and the arts submission.
    2. Provide a summary of the evaluation data, outcomes and any formal or informal feedback.
    3. Provide details of the involvement of people with lived experiences of mental ill-health.
    4. Please provide a link for any supporting media that can be accessed via the web. May include (but not limited to) links to written articles, links to reviews of the program/project, links to videos or advertisements.

    Mental Health Matters Rainbow Inclusion Award - Sponsored by ACON

    1. Please provide a brief summary of the program/project/service (including aims)
    2. How does the service or program actively identify and support the mental health needs of LGBTIQA+ people?
    3. How were LGBTIQA+ people actively involved in the planning and implementation of the project or program?
    4. Provide a summary of the evaluation data, outcomes and any formal or informal feedback. Include links if appropriate.

    How the Awards are judged

    Each nomination will be judged by a panel of judges with relevant expertise.

    Judging is based on the following criteria:

    Appropriateness
    Does the nomination match the category description, and does it reflect the heart of the category? Is the nomination is the best possible example of that category?

    Innovation and approach
    Is the nomination doing something new? Combining existing things in new ways? Or are they bringing new perspectives to existing systems? Is the approach taken by the nomination appropriate? Does it reach the people it aims to? Do the aims of the project match the approach taken?

    Involvement
    How are consumers, carers, and/or community involved in the design, implementation, and evaluation of the nomination? Note: as a rule, we favour those which show clear evidence of consumer, carer, and/or community involvement in all stages. For the “Leadership through Lived Experience Award” this criterion is adjusted to focus on the leadership aspects, including demonstration of incorporating principles of consumer leadership, co-design, and building these skills in others.

    Response
    How has the project been received and what impact has it had? Has the response been well received by the target audience/group? Has there been strong interest in the project or positive evaluation? Not all projects will have access to detailed evaluation techniques. Nominations will not be penalised for not having access to intricate evaluation techniques. Do the outcomes/response match the aims and/or are appropriate to the project.

      Award Nominations

      Click on your category below to submit your nomination.

      Mental Health Matters Youth Award

      This award acknowledges outstanding excellence and/or innovation in programs, projects, or initiatives that prioritise prevention and early intervention efforts targeted at young people.

      Apply here

      Mental Health Matters Community Initiative Award

      This award honours small, grassroots, community-driven groups, projects, or events that primarily aim to enhance the mental health and well-being of marginalised communities, particularly those from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds. These initiatives strive to facilitate access to culturally appropriate information and services. This may encompass ongoing groups dedicated to mental health support or awareness-raising events that have made a positive impact on the local community.

      Apply here

      Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing Award

      This award celebrates programs, projects, individuals, or initiatives that significantly contribute to enhancing the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal communities.

      Apply here

      Outstanding Achievement in Mental Health Promotion Award

      This award acknowledges excellence and/or innovation in mental health promotion activities, programs, or initiatives that significantly contribute to heightened awareness, decreased stigma, and improved wellbeing associated with mental health and/or mental ill-health.

      Apply here

      Julie Leitch Leadership through Lived Experience Award

      This award honours an individual with lived experience of mental ill-health, mental illness, or someone caring for a person with lived experience, who has demonstrated exceptional leadership in advocacy and driving social change for the benefit of those with similar experiences. This recognition can encompass the initiation or coordination of a specific program or a lifelong commitment to this cause.

      Apply here

      WayAhead Workplaces Wellbeing Award

      This award acknowledges organisations that have proactively fostered a positive work environment for all employees and have provided support for their mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. The prize for this award includes exclusive access to select features of the Wayahead Workplaces program.

      Apply here

      Mental Health Matters Media and the Arts Award

      This award celebrates individuals or organisations that have produced thoughtful, informative, and responsibly reported media and/or artistic projects addressing mental health illness. Eligible projects may include journalism, visual art projects, theatrical productions, or musical endeavours.

      Apply here

      Mental Health Matters Rainbow Inclusion Award

      This award honours mental health-related programs, projects, or initiatives that demonstrate a dedication to the mental health and wellbeing of LGBTIQA+ individuals.

      Apply here