This week nominations opened for the annual Queensland Mental Health Week Achievement Awards (QMHWAA), with $4,500 in prize money available.
Open Minds has proudly hosted the Awards for 27 years to recognise and celebrate the achievements of those working to reduce stigma and improve mental health in Queensland.
There are 11 Award categories to be entered, and the overarching winner, as chosen by the judges, will receive $4,000 in prize money.
There is also an additional $500 prize offered to the winner of the Jude Bugeja Peer Experience Award, generously donated by the family of the late Jude Bugeja, whom the award is named after.
The Awards have been an Annual Flagship event for Queensland Mental Health Week since 1996, acknowledging and celebrating the work of the sector.
Kate Johnson, Chief Operating Officer at Open Minds, said the Queensland Mental Health Week Achievement Awards are Queensland’s only opportunity to shine a light on the incredible dedication, commitment and innovation within the mental health sector.
“Last year’s Awards were a wonderful celebration of our industry and the many amazing initiatives in place to support mental health across our state,” said Kate. “I’d love to see as many people as possible be recognised and inspire others through this year’s Awards, so be sure to nominate before they close on Friday 4 August.”
Any person, organisation or group that creates awareness or supports Queenslanders living with mental illness (with exception to 2022 QMHWAA winners) can nominate themselves for an Award.
Becoming a finalist acknowledges innovation, program design, excellence and commitment to mental health in Queensland.
Nominations can be submitted easily online and entrants can save progress as they go. The deadline for submitting an award is Friday 4 August 2023.
The Awards were established in 1996 to honour the memory of Earle Duus. Earle received support from Open Minds as a young man with an acquired brain injury. He went on to be a successful financial accountant and philanthropist and made a generous bequest to Open Minds, which was the catalyst for the Awards. Open Minds is delighted to continue Earle’s legacy with the overarching Earle Duus Award and $4,000 prize money named in his honour.
Nomination categories are: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Award, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse People (CALD) Award, Early Years Award, Jeff Cheverton Individual Award, Jude Bugeja – Peer Experience Award, LGBTQIA+ Award, Not-For-Profit – Small to Medium Enterprise
(1-100 staff), Not-For-Profit – Large Enterprise (101+ staff), Schools Award, Workplace – Community Wellbeing Award, and Workplace – Employee Wellbeing Award.
The Awards Ceremony takes place during Queensland Mental Health Week on Friday 13 October 2023 from 7:30am – 11.00am at Victoria Park, Herston. If you would like to attend the Awards ceremony, subscribe to the Open Minds newsletter to be informed when tickets go on sale.