Vote today! NT Men's Health Awards shortlist
There are six shortlisted nominations for the 2019 NT Men's Health Awards. You have until Sunday 28 July to cast your vote.
The nominations for NT are listed below and you can cast your vote now using this online voting form.
On Tuesday 30 July 2019, we'll be in Darwin to announce the winner of the NT Men's Health Awards for 2019 and publishing our report card on the State of Men's Health in the NT.
You can book a free place to join at 9.30am, but before you do be sure to cast your vote for one of the nominees listed below:
NT YOUNG INDIGENOUS MALES HEALTH LITERARY RESEARCH PROJECT
This innovative research project exploring male health literacy counters negative stereotypes about young Indigenous men in the Northern Territory.
What makes this a male-friendly project?
The study into health literacy among young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island males in the Northern Territory was co-led by Professor James Smith and Mr Jason Bonson of the NT Department of Health who chairs the Darwin Indigenous Men’s Service.
The study focused entirely on males and was undertaken by a research team, including five Indigenous male researchers, which set out to understand how gender and culture shape the health literacy of young Indigenous males aged 14-25 living in the Northern Territory.
What impact is the project having?
The researchers say the study has helped build relationships with a range of community-based organisations working with young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males. The research team have put in place a strategy to help the knowledge they have gathered to be translated into practice. The study has also provided a strong foundation for developing practical strategies for improving programs and policies targeting young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males in health, sport and recreation, education, justice, employment and community services contexts.
RUN WITH DAD
Run with Dad is a Father’s Day fun run aimed at raising awareness about men’s health, specifically prostate cancer. It was founded after Katie Woolf, who lost her father Rod to prostate cancer. More than one thousand people travel to East Point in Darwin to celebrate the event every year.
What makes this a male-friendly project?
Run with Dad is a celebration of men on Father’s Day. The aim is to encourage men to take part in the event by running or walking with their children. It isn’t just a fun run, it’s a celebration of the men in our lives and the important role they play within the community. It is also an opportunity to start the conversation about men’s health and the importance of regular health checks.
What impact is the project having?
Since Run with Dad began in 2014, approximately 5,000 people of all ages and gender have participates. More than $100,000 has been raised and, in conjunction with the It's a Blokes Thing Luncheon held earlier this year, the project has raised additional funds required for a full-time prostate cancer nurse at the Alan Walker Cancer Centre.
OZHELP NORTHERN TERRITORY TEAM
The OzHelp Foundation is a leading national provider of mental health and wellbeing programs targeting ‘hard-to-reach’ men with a heightened risk of suicide. Its Northern Territory team has been nominated for its work with men on remote cattle stations.
What makes this a male-friendly project?
OzHelp specifically targets male-dominated workplaces with a proactive and holistic program that includes face-to-face wellbeing support, mental health awareness and suicide prevention training, along with a roll-out of OzHelp’s online Workplace Tune Up (WTU).
What impact is the project having?
The OzHelp Northern Territory team is connecting with workers across 15 of Australia’s most remote cattle stations to deliver targeted mental health and wellbeing support and services through a unique public-private partnership model.
This partnership between OzHelp, the Northern Territory Government and Consolidated Pastoral Company (CPC), showcases the use of government seed funding for investment by employers in the health and wellbeing of their hard-to-reach and at-risk workforces.
MATT HULL, MATES IN CONSTRUCTION
Matthew Hull is the Case Manager / Field Officer for MATES In Construction's Mining and Energy Northern Territory Project
What makes this a male-friendly project?
The NT has higher male suicide rates than any other state or territory in Australia. NT construction workers have also been found to have higher suicide rates than other employed male Territorians. The MATES project works by building peer support structures in male dominated workplaces in the Construction, Mining and Energy industries. The program is based on help offering rather than help seeking, helping men fix problems shoulder-to-shoulder in a non-medical framework.
What impact is the project having?
The MATES program has an international reputation as one of the best evidenced workplace programs globally. As an ex-service man and born Territorian with strong community connections and focus, Matt is well placed to adapt the MATES model to the culture of the NT. Feedback on Matt as a Case Manager is that he is "a no-bullshit type of guy who calls it as it is and helps the client connect to the services they require".
HOOPS 4 HEALTH ABORIGINAL CORPORATION
Hoops 4 Health Aboriginal Corporation (H4H) aims to provide health education and referrals to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males while keep their minds and bodies active through the vehicle of basketball.
What makes this a male-friendly project?
Hoops 4 Health uses sport to reach young Indigenous men. It allows them to identify with and connect to an inspirational leader in their community who is providing a positive message about health and wellness.
What impact is the project having?
Since 2002 a number of prominent Indigenous identities have all supported H4H as facilitators of the Challenges including Rohanee Cox – the only Indigenous female basketballer to represent Australia; Nathan Jawai – the first Indigenous person to play in the National Basketball Association; and Anthony Mundine - three time World Boxing Champion and official patron of H4H since 2006.
The program is delivered all over regional, remote communities and the CBD. It is also delivered in Don Dale prison where founder and former NBL star Timmy Duggan delivers health messages to young men through basketball and education.
THE LIFE ITSELF MOVEMENT
Casey Jones, Anthony Hale and Jye Cardona established the Life Itself Movement(LiT) within the Palmerston and Darwin region in the Northern Territory to provide a safe space for men struggling with mental health issues, or who may be overcoming traumatic incidents.
What makes this a male-friendly project?
Life Itself Movement sessions are open to men of all backgrounds and all co-ordinators are male. Most attendees to date are men of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage age 18-29. The sessions are designed to provide an opportunity for men to contribute, listen and gather insight to the journey of others, to reflect on their own lives, and to find common ground and connection with other men in similar stages of life,
What impact is the project having?
The Life Itself Movement launched in 2019 and is run by three Indigenous male co-ordinators. Founder Casey Jones says: "It is a safe space with high confidentiality rules. It is also free of charge and has the facilitators providing food and drink to cater."
The aim of LiT is to reduce stigma and create change in young men, "by empowering, mentoring and listening to their journeys".
ADAM DRAKE, BALANCED CHOICE PROGRAM
The Balanced Choice program is run by Adam Drake and Yianni Stefandakis, and rests on a range of activities that promote physical and mental health, predominantly working with young people in the youth justice space.
What makes this a male-friendly project?
Balanced Choice is about getting fit from the inside and out. The program targets at-risk young males and educates them about balance of the body, mind and spirit. It is run by Adam Drake who has 20 years’ experience working with youth and has been involved in the fitness industry for over 15 years. He is also a trained actor and director and in 2019 was nominated for Australian of the Year NT for his work with young people.
What impact is the project having?
Balanced Choice sessions are now delivered to various groups including the Youth Detention Centre, Malak Re-Engagement Centre, the Positive Learning Centre, Darwin Correctional Centre and the NT Government Youth outreach and Engagement Team.Activities include group fitness, one-on-one personal training, theatre sports, small group discussions, personal reflection, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, outdoor and adventure-based learning, team building and mindfulness.
STEVEN TORRES-CARNE, THE HEALING FOUNDATION
Steven Torres-Carne is Senior Project Office at the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healing Foundation, runs healing programs focus on cultural and spiritual connection with the aim of empowering and strengthening men to reclaim their leadership and fathering roles in their families and communities.
What makes this a male-friendly project?
Steven says he consults with Indigenous men as they are the experts on how best to lead, design and develop programs for Indigenous men and take ownership of them. He also ensures that safe and culturally appropriate ways of working with men are used and observed to create ‘male friendly’ safe spaces.
What impact is the project having?
The Wurrumiyanga and Ngukurr men’s healing programs facilitated by Steven have been successfully evaluated and revealed a reduction in family and domestic violence and suicidality. Men involved with the program report being more engaged in culture, with women and children feeling safer and more men participating in their community.
Steven has also been involved in the establishment of Darwin Indigenous Men’s Service Aboriginal Corporation and us involved in the development of a national framework (and network) for Indigenous men & boys violence prevention.