- Ten winners were recognised for their inspiring contributions to improving men’s mental wellbeing in the Western Australian community
- The inaugural WA Men’s Wellbeing Awards was presented by Richmond Wellbeing in partnership with Men’s Talk
- A further 22 finalists were also acknowledged for their efforts and dedication to supporting men’s wellbeing
Richmond Wellbeing and Mens Talk were pleased to present Western Australia’s very first Men’s Wellbeing Awards, on Thursday 13th June during Men’s Health Week.
More than 100 people attended the event where ten inspiring awardees were recognised for their inspiring contributions to improving men’s mental wellbeing in the WA community.
Adrian Munro, CEO of Richmond Wellbeing, said the awards were an opportunity to shine a light on those individuals and organisations who are playing their part in improving men’s mental health and wellbeing.
“Men’s mental health is everyone’s business. It isn’t a topic that gets a lot of attention, but with suicide rates being three times higher in men than among women, combined with the lower help-seeking behaviours of men in our community, we need to be talking about it more.
“To hear the stories from our winners and finalists was inspiring, and demonstrated there are many incredible people in our community who are actively taking steps to help men access support and reduce the stigma around mental health.
Men’s Talk CEO, Paul Litwin expressed his gratitude for the organisations who supported this inaugural event.
“We are fortunate to have the support of many great organisations who share in their commitment to improving men’s wellbeing in our community.
“It was a truly heart-warming occasion which was made possible thanks to our major sponsor, Bendigo Bank – Community Bank North Perth and our generous award sponsors who represented a great cross-section of the business community.
Congratulations to the 2024 WA Men’s Wellbeing Award Winners.
City of Cockburn
Community Support Award
Proudly presented by Sonshine Media
The City of Cockburn plays a proactive part in delivering a variety of healthy lifestyle and wellbeing programs and events that are focused on men in the community and surrounding areas. These initiatives create communities that promote social connections that benefit all men’s health and mental wellbeing.
Uncle Len Yarran
Community Support Award
Proudly presented by Sonshine Media
Len Yarran has dedicated a lot of his time to fostering a nurturing environment for men’s mental health within the Aboriginal community. Through tireless dedication, Len has established crucial support networks, curated essential resources, and championed overall wellbeing for Aboriginal men of all ages. His unwavering commitment to creating a safe space for open dialogue is inspirational.
Mineral Resources
Workplace Wellbeing Award
Proudly presented by HESTA
Mineral Resources prioritises the physical and mental health of its staff. The company’s health and wellbeing programs encompass both physical and mental wellbeing, injury prevention management, and lifestyle and social wellbeing. With a full-time in-house psychologist and regular visits from psychologists to mine sites, they emphasize that men’s mental health is equally significant as physical health.
Dr. Bruce Robinson
Research and Innovation Award
Proudly presented by Edith Cowan University
Dr. Bruce Robinson is the Founder of The Fathering Project. After talking to dying fathers in his clinic who expressed deep regrets about having failed as fathers, he decided to try and help young dads become better dads. The program has been conducting research and programs for over a decade, aiming to improve children’s outcomes by inspiring and equipping fathers and father figures to effectively engage with their kids.
6PR – Nightshift Program
Media and Entertainment Award
Proudly presented by Stellar Systems
6PR Nightshift program, with a large male listenership, was instrumental in establishing a fortnightly segment around Men’s Mental Health and Wellbeing to be presented on a fortnightly basis. This segment is the only one of its type on mainstream media in Australia to discuss men’s mental health and wellbeing.
Shaun Chandran
Mental Health Campaigner of the Year
Proudly presented by Crowe Australasia
Shaun Chandran is the founder of Belmont Dads Group, a community group for Dads which launched in March 2020. Despite the challenges faced by the COVID-19 pandemic, his vision and perseverance saw the group flourish to a network of over 500 fathers, the largest Dads Group in WA. Shaun has also been instrumental in running Man With A Pram, Perth’s annual Father’s Day walk to connect fathers and families while raising awareness on the importance of perinatal mental health for new Dads.
Armed For Life – “Real Men”
Mental Health Initiative of the Year
Proudly presented by Rendezvous Hotel Scarborough
“Real Men – For Secondary Schools” asks boys “With pressures from society and others around us what kind of man do you want to be?” There are certain issues for boys that are not really talked about. With little to no guidance given on how to become a man, how do boys make the right decisions with so much temptation to make the wrong ones? The ‘Real Men’ session focuses on helping teenage boys to understand what it means to be a man by focusing on 5 important points. Through these points, this session will tackle issues such as respect for women, talking about issues, anger, pornography, and more.
Alastair Mackenzie
Mental Health Professional of the Year
Proudly presented by Roshana Care Group
Alastair is the Founder of Buddiup. Buddiup provides support for young men living with intellectual and learning disabilities. Founded in Perth in July 2020, the concept was born out of eight years of experience facilitating an Integrated Football Program. Buddiup provides programs and services to over 100 athletes and participants in Perth and Geelong, helping young men on their journey to creating a healthier life through community, health, learning, and relationships.
Soa Palelei
Mental Health Lived Experience Advocate of the Year
Proudly presented by Dentons
Soa Palelei’s personal journey through depression and anxiety, particularly as it relates to the pressures of a professional athletic career and a challenging childhood, has given him a profound empathy for others facing similar struggles. His willingness to share his story openly provides comfort and relatability to those who may feel alone in their battles. Soa visits workplaces, such as mining sites, to engage with men who may be at risk of mental health issues due to their demanding and isolating work environments.
Steve Biddulph
Lifetime Achievement Award
Proudly presented by Bendigo Bank – Community Bank North Perth
Steve Biddulph AM is one of the world’s best-known men’s and parent educators. A psychologist for 40 years, he is now retired but continues to write. His Books, including Raising Boys, The New Manhood, Happy Children, are in 6 million homes and in 31 languages. These books have influenced the way we look at the development of boys and men. Steve was voted Australian Father of the Year 2001 for his work encouraging dads and a Member of the Order of Australia for his work in young people’s mental health. He has 2 grown up children and lives in Tasmania with his wife and co-author Shaaron and assorted wombats.
