National 2020 Men’s Health Award winners announced

June 19, 2020

The winners of the National 2020 Men’s Health Awards were named today across five categories.

Uncle Mick Adams, from HealthInfoNet, won the Local Men’s Health Hero Award
Dave Oliver, Sexuality, Sport and Masculinity Resource, won the Best Men’s Lived Experience Speaker Award
Camping on Country won the Best Men’s Program or Group Award
Mary O’Brien, founder of Are You Bogged Mate? won the Women’s Working in Men’s Health Award
Parents Beyond Breakup won the Significant Response to COVID-19 Award

More than 5000 people across Australia voted for the 2020 Men’s Health Awards. The National winners for each category were decided by a judging panel from the Australian Men’s Health Forum and announced in a special event to celebrate all finalists during Men’s Health Week.

The Local Men's Health Hero Award is for an individual, male or female, who has made a significant difference by taking action to improve the lives and health of men and boys at a local level. Dr Mick Adams, (Uncle Mick to most) is a long-serving champion of men's health and Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet.

Mick is well-known for his work to ensure that male health issues are promoted and placed on the national and international agenda through advocacy, research, publication and health management. Mick has been working in the health industry for over 30 years.

He has worked in both government and the community-controlled health service sector and has been nominated as a representative to advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health issues on national and international boards and national and international conferences.

Find out more about Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

The Best Men's Lived Experience Speaker award celebrates any man who has helped improve the lives and health of men and boys by sharing his own personal health story as a lived experience speaker or consumer health advocate.

Dave Oliver describes himself as a survivor of toxic shame. He was born into the sport of rugby, playing for clubs in Canberra, Sydney and Cowra and continuing to coach today.

David hid his sexuality for the majority of his teenage and adult life, a path he says manifested into substance use and abuse and an addiction to methamphetamine. As a volunteer Lifeline Telephone Crisis Supporter, Dave is concerned about the mental health and wellbeing of those who experience shame and anguish as a result of their sexuality and their involvement in sport.

He believes there is a long way to go in sport in Australia to provide inclusive environments for same sex-attracted participants. Dave is building resources that help him share his story in sports clubs and school in ways that can have a positive influence on the lives of same sex attracted participants within the sport of rugby union and other sports.

The Best Men's Group or Program award celebrates any men's health group, large or small, who stands out for the way they are working to create a healthier future for men and boys.

Camping On Country is an Indigenous men's health program run by BUSH TV. Each month the program visits a remote community and runs camps which include local leadership.

At the camps they provide a space for local leaders to discuss what health issues they face in their community, what programs are working or not working and work with the men to articulate their ideas for a health program targeted at their own men. They partner with health service providers to ensure the camps are safe, healthy and inspiring.

Culture, Language and Law play a significant role in the camps and are embedded into the development of localised programs after the camps.

The Women Working in Men’s Health Award celebrates women (or groups of women) working in the men’s health sector, who have made a signification contribution to improving the lives and health of men and boys.

Mary O’Brien was recognised on Thursday as the winner of the Queensland 2020 Men’s Health Award from a quality field.

Living in the Darling Downs area of the State, her career in the rural sector has given her a deep respect for country blokes, and more importantly, the ability to effectively communicate and engage with them.

Mary founded ‘Are You Bogged Mate?’ to bridge the gap between mental health/suicide prevention services and men. The purpose of ‘Are You Bogged Mate?’ is to reach rural men in their comfort zone (usually in their sheds) and speak to them in a language they understand.

Mary travels to all parts of Australia talking to groups of rural men about mental health in a new, distinctive, and direct way. Men have frequently told her that she ‘speaks bloke’.

The Significant Response to COVID-19 champions any individual, group or program that has responded effectively to the impact of COVID-19 on the lives and health of men and boys.

Dads In Distress support groups began life on a verandah in Coffs Harbour. Now run by Parents Beyond Breakup (PBB), the charity's network of peer support groups for separated dads were closed overnight because of COVID-19. PBB rose to the challenge by launching the "Virtual Verandah" - a series of online support groups that have maintained contact with existing dads and reached new clients in the process.