We were all so excited in January when Caring Mums was announced as a finalist in the HESTA Impact Awards for 2022. This is no mean feat when you consider that the awards recognise people working in health and community services across Australia who are committed to creating a better future. Being one of only four finalists (in their category) from organisations across Australia shows the enormous impact of our Caring Mums program.

HESTA is a specialist industry super fund with more than 900,000 members and $68 billion in assets. The HESTA Impact Awards were established in 2020 to recognise top individuals, teams and organisations who can show they are driving improved, long-lasting outcomes across sustainability, gender equality, health, diversity and inclusion.

Our Caring Mums team, Michelle Kornberg, Robyn Davis and Pam Buchanek, together with our 80 plus volunteers, were nominated in the TEAM INNOVATION award. This is for teams who have demonstrated a commitment to creating a better future by initiating or developing a service, system or process that is having a positive impact on society, the economy and/or our planet. Only teams that go above and beyond the everyday demands of their role are able to be nominated.

Nominations were judged on:

• Evidence of a positive impact in sustainability, gender equality, diversity and inclusion, improved health outcomes/improved patient wellbeing or sector-wide partnerships
• How the team identified the area of need and what steps it has undertaken to address the issue(s) identified
• Evidence of the impact and how it's being measured

Caring Mums, which provides emotional support to pregnant women and new mothers from all cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, was recognised for its areas of impact in diversity and inclusion, improved health outcomes/improved patient wellbeing and sector-wide partnerships.

The Caring Mums team and volunteers played a pivotal role in providing emotional support to new and expecting mums during COVID-19. In the 12 months to August 2021, volunteers spent nearly 4000 hours connecting with mums to helping reduce anxiety, isolation and depression.

HESTA CEO Debby Blakey said this year’s finalists were doing fantastic work to help create a better future.
 
“Health and community services professionals are having an extraordinary impact every day on the lives of Australians and the world in which we live. They deserve to be recognised nationally,” Ms Blakey said.

“Our 2022 finalists are responding deftly to COVID-19 challenges to improve outcomes and are levelling the field to provide equal opportunity and care to those who are experiencing disadvantage or loss. Their innovations are saving and changing lives.”

The winner of the HESTA Impact Awards were announced on Feb 23rd at an online event. We all held our breath and crossed our fingers willing Caring Mums to win the Team Innovation Award which unfortunately wasn’t to be. 

The Haymarket Foundation Medical Practice team in Sydney won the Team Innovation Award and was recognised for their dedication to providing accessible, specialist healthcare and housing support services for people experiencing, or who are at risk of, homelessness.

A huge Mazeltov to our Caring Mums team, lead by Michelle Kornberg, and all our wonderful volunteers for the outstanding achievement of being a finalist in the 2022 HESTA Impact Awards and being recognised for the important work that they do.

You can watch a video about Caring Mums made by HESTA.