At a ceremony held at the UNSW Sydney on the 23 September 2024, Lifeline Direct's Skills-for-Life Training Manager, Dr. Marilyn June Anderson was announced as the winner of the The 2024 Australian Mental Health Prize – Community Hero.

The award ceremony was presented by the Hon. Emma McBride MP, Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention and the Hon. Rose Jackson MLC Minister for Mental Health.

UNSW Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Attila Brungs, said: “These winners embody the spirit of innovation and commitment in mental health advocacy, research, and support. I congratulate them on driving meaningful change and inspiring a more inclusive and compassionate approach to mental wellbeing.”

Dr. Marilyn June Anderson, winner of the The 2024 Australian Mental Health Prize – Community Hero
Dr. Marilyn June Anderson, winner of the The 2024 Australian Mental Health Prize – Community Hero
My role in mental health and crisis intervention as a calling, not just a career
Dr Marilyn June Anderson

Dr Anderson has dedicated over 25 years of service at mental health support charity Lifeline. She’s led initiatives that have trained over 40,000 individuals, including frontline workers, volunteers, and community members, in areas such as suicide prevention, mental health, domestic violence, grief, and loss.

Starting her career in Far North Queensland, Dr Anderson’s leadership has transformed Lifeline into a major force for community-based mental health support, reaching communities from the NSW Hunter, Central Coast, and New England regions to remote areas in Victoria and Alice Springs.

Dr Anderson said she aims to make Lifeline a cornerstone of mental health support, especially in rural and regional areas where such services are often limited.

“Every day, I am motivated by the belief that a simple, caring conversation can change a life. Reaching out to someone in need, showing them that they are heard and supported, can be the difference between hope and despair,” she said.

Dr. Anderson said reaching out for help is one of the bravest things a person can do.

“It's a sign of strength, not weakness… that first conversation can be the first step to healing,” she said.

Congratulations Dr Anderson, we are privileged to have you leading the way for Skill-for-Life Training in our Lifeline Direct Regions and connecting more communities with life saving skills.

Dr Anderson with Hon. Rose Jackson MLC Minister for Mental Health
Dr Anderson with Hon. Rose Jackson MLC Minister for Mental Health
Dr Anderson with fellow prize winners, from left Professor Michael Berk, Dr Louise Byrne, Professor Juli Coffin
Dr Anderson with fellow prize winners, from left Professor Michael Berk, Dr Louise Byrne, Professor Juli Coffin
2024 Australian Mental Health Prize, at UNSW, Sydney
2024 Australian Mental Health Prize, at UNSW, Sydney

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