HESTA Excellence Awards finalists revealed

Highlighting the extraordinary work being done across disability, allied health, aged care and community services, 26 organisations and teams have been named as finalists in the 2021 HESTA Excellence Awards, all of which are working to enhance the health and wellbeing of individuals, families and communities.

HESTA CEO Debby Blakey said every single finalist has demonstrated extraordinary leadership and dedication to improving the quality of care and support for more Australians over a challenging year.

“From improving social connection for older people during COVID to increasing health education for people from refugee backgrounds, these professionals are having an incredible impact on the lives of the people who need these services the most,” Blakey said.

“The quality of this year’s nominations has been phenomenal, and I wish to thank every nominee and finalist for their important work. HESTA is very honoured to help recognise their achievements.”

Finalists from each of the four sectors were chosen across the categories of Outstanding Organisation and Team Excellence.

The eight winners will receive a portion of the $60,000 prize money pool to be used for further education, service or team development, generously provided by longstanding HESTA Awards sponsor ME — the bank for you.

ME Acting CEO Adam Crane said the bank was thrilled to support the awards.

“On behalf of ME, congratulations to these very worthy award finalists,” Crane said. “Your commitment, dedication and hard work to help those in need, from our older seniors to those living with disability in our community, is admirable and we thank you for your ongoing efforts.”

The winners will be announced during a live public broadcast on Wednesday, 25 August 2021.

2021 finalists

Outstanding Organisation

Aged care

Whiddon, NSW and Qld

Whiddon is recognised for its strategic initiative to support the holistic health and wellbeing of its wider team during a challenging year of bushfires, floods and a pandemic, including delivering care packs, a range of wellbeing resources and financial assistance to employees whose homes were damaged in the floods.

Royal Freemasons Benevolent Institution (RFBI), NSW and ACT

RFBI is recognised for its Mental Moments Show, a week-long show designed to highlight the importance of mental health for aged-care professionals.

Feros Care, Coolangatta, Qld

Feros Care supports older Australians to live happier, connected, more fulfilling lives through innovative technology, wellness strategies and communication efforts.

integratedliving Australia, national

integratedliving Australia has increased its ability to deliver virtual programs, helping clients remain connected and enabled during COVID lockdowns and beyond.

Allied health

Earbus Foundation of WA, Northbridge, WA

Earbus Foundation of WA works to reduce middle ear disease in young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

Restore Function Physiotherapy, Greenslopes, Qld

Restore Function Physiotherapy is recognised for its work to ensure female athletes receive the same high standard of medical management as their male counterparts, reducing risk of injury.

Adaptive Physiotherapy and Performance, Port Macquarie, NSW

Adaptive Physiotherapy and Performance delivers surf therapy and adaptive sports programs to children and adolescents with neurological, developmental and musculoskeletal conditions across the NSW mid-north coast.

Community services

The Water Well Project, Malvern, Vic

The Water Well Project works to improve the health and wellbeing of communities from migrant, refugee or asylum seeker backgrounds through free, interactive health education sessions.

Sacred Heart Mission, St Kilda, Vic

Sacred Heart Mission is recognised for its dedication to the immediate needs of the St Kilda community and beyond. The Mission provides support and services for people experiencing homelessness, disadvantage and social exclusion, including a meals program, trauma-informed case management, women’s crisis accommodation, long-term supported accommodation and more.

Share the Dignity, national

Share the Dignity is recognised for its work to ensure no woman, girl or person who menstruates goes without basic access to period products in Australia. They assist through advocacy and by collecting and distributing period products across Australia.

SHINE for Kids, national

SHINE for Kids supports children and young people with a parent in prison. SHINE for Kids is the only national charity to provide programs to these children and young people, operating in schools, the community and 29 correctional facilities across the country.

Disability services

Limbs 4 Life, national

Limbs 4 Life is recognised for providing information and support to empower amputees and their families, ensuring they don’t experience limb loss alone.

Multicap Avegates School Holiday Program, Multicap, Eight Mile Plains, Qld

Multicap Avegates School Holiday Program is recognised for supporting children and young people living with complex disabilities.

Bus Stop Films, Carlton, NSW

Bus Stop Films is recognised for teaching film studies to adults with intellectual disabilities and those from marginalised communities.

Team excellence

Aged care

Critical Interim Support Team, Brotherhood of St Laurence, Frankston, Vic

The Brotherhood of St Laurence’s Critical Interim Support Team makes a real difference to the lives of older people experiencing disadvantage, including people who are unable to connect to services and those experiencing significant social isolation.

Brightwater Music Pharmacy Team, Brightwater Care Group, Osborne Park, WA

Brightwater Music Pharmacy Team brings music therapy and music engagement services to aged-care clients living in residential care or at home.

Lifeview Hospitality and Gardening Teams, Lifeview, Carnegie, Vic

Lifeview’s Hospitality and Gardening Teams’ Planting with a Purpose Program brings together the chefs at all four Lifeview homes with the gardening team and residents to create menus and grow the required produce.

Dementia Australia Centre for Dementia Learning, Dementia Australia, national

Dementia Australia is recognised for reimagining its education and consultancy programs during the pandemic, supporting the transformation in dementia practice.

Allied health

Advance Rehab Centre team, Artarmon, NSW

The Advance Rehab Centre team assists patients with Functional Neurological Disorders (FND), creating a multidisciplinary team approach to ensure patients have access to the very specific neurological rehabilitation required by this population.

Blokes in a Caring Role, Dementia Australia, national

Blokes in a Caring Role has tailored a program specifically for the requirements of men who are carers of a loved one living with dementia. The program is the first of its kind in Australia.

Community services

SHQ, Northbridge, WA

The SHQ team has developed and implemented a clinician- and consumer-endorsed screening tool to identify and support women who are at risk or who have experienced intimate partner violence or reproductive coercion.

Senior case management team (homelessness services), The Haymarket Foundation, Chippendale, NSW

The Haymarket Foundation’s senior case management team has gone above and beyond to support individuals experiencing homelessness who have fallen through service gaps.

Zoe Support Australia, Mildura, Vic

Zoe Support Australia supports young mothers aged 13–25 while they engage with social programs, education and employment.

Disability services

Team Helen, Hartley Lifecare, Pearce, ACT

Team Helen is a small group of women providing 24/7 active support of Helen, a 49-year-old woman with a disability. The team’s mantra of providing person-centred, high-quality support has had a positive impact on Helen’s life, improving her health and wellbeing.

WaterAbilities, Cyclabilities Incorporated, Ngunnawal, ACT

The WaterAbilities program team has created a dedicated allied health Safety and Survival swim program in Canberra for children with support and sensory needs.

YMCA, South Australia — Leap Online, Whyalla, SA

YMCA South Australia supports people living with disability during COVID-19 isolation in 2020 with the Leap Online program.