Leading Men’s Health in the Northern Territory
In the Northern Territory, the 2022 Men's Health Awards highlighted individuals and organisations who are committed to taking action in the men’s health sector.
This year the Awards focused on five categories: Indigenous Men’s Health, Men’s Mental Health Project, Getting Men Moving, Contribution to Men’s Work, and Men’s Health Leaders.
Presented by the Australian Men’s Health Forum, close to 3000 people voted on shortlisted nominees, while specialist judging panels determined winners of each category.
“We were thrilled to see such a strong and widespread list of people nominated for the Awards this year, including many great projects in the NT,” said AMHF CEO Glen Poole.
“The work of everyone nominated affirms how passionate people are about helping men with the support and services they provide, and how important it is for them to be acknowledged.”
2022 Award winners Northern Territory
Hoops 4 Health won the Indigenous Men’s Health Award, which highlights some of the great work being done to promote the social, emotional and physical wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and boys.
Hoops 4 Health was created by Timmy Duggan, the first person from the Northern Territory to play in the National Basketball League. He is Darwin-bred with family connections to the Warramungu people of Central Australia and the Nykinya people of the Kimberley.
In 1995 Timmy founded Hoops 4 Health, a social and emotional health and well-being program using basketball to improve the lives and health of Aboriginal men and boys through a range of initiatives. These include delivering 500 sessions to youth in the Don Dale detention centre; connecting with 10,000 youth in remote communities and providing weekly sessions for 10-16-year old’s living in Darwin through the Hoops 4 Health Academy.
Timmy is also manager of the Mundine Mindset Program and in 2022 Hoops 4 Health was the winner of the Suicide Prevention Australia Communities in Action Award for the Northern Territory.
The Man Walk Darwin [Getting Men Moving] won NT’s People’s Choice Award. The Man Walk Darwin has thrived thanks to the leadership of local man Jimmy Bouhoris, who makes sure the walks continue as a way for blokes to get moving and to have a yarn along the way about everyday issues. The Man Walk is a national initiative that gives men the opportunity to get together to walk, talk and support each other in a regular and healthy way.
Congratulations to the NT shortlisted nomination:
The International Men’s Day Forum [Men’s Health Leaders] in Darwin began in 2019 when Rebecca Forrest - winner of the 2022 NT Australian of the Year Local Hero Award - ran a panel on ABC radio to celebrate International Men’s Day. The panel discussion was so successful that the following year the day-long International Men's Day Forum came to fruition, with a commitment to "making a difference for our Territory men". A second International Men’s Day forum was held in Darwin in 2021 with 220 people attending. The program focused on a range of themes including generational change; youth engagement; building resilience; suicide prevention and mental health; men’s health and the importance of communicating and sharing how you feel.