Highest Honour for UNSW Volunteer
0th December
Dr Lisa Maher, from the School of Public Health and Community Medicine, has been awarded the highest honour in the National Health and Medical Research Council's (NHMRC) 2001 Health Volunteer Awards.
The gold award recognises Lisa's role in providing health outreach to young people on the streets of Cabramatta. As well as conducting research into the health problems associated with drugs, Lisa provides a needle and syringe and condom distribution program. She also tries to help young people get into detoxification programs, find accommodation, accompanies them to court and visits them in jail.
When someone overdoses their friends are often too afraid to call an ambulance or the police, Lisa has resuscitated many of these young people and saved their lives.
"Acknowledging the contributions of volunteers is a great idea," Lisa said. "Volunteers are not a replacement for the health system but there are some services that aren't suited to being provided by a large bureaucracy.Things like flexibility, personal contact and the humanity of people volunteering their time can make a diffference."
The gold award recognises Lisa's role in providing health outreach to young people on the streets of Cabramatta. As well as conducting research into the health problems associated with drugs, Lisa provides a needle and syringe and condom distribution program. She also tries to help young people get into detoxification programs, find accommodation, accompanies them to court and visits them in jail.
When someone overdoses their friends are often too afraid to call an ambulance or the police, Lisa has resuscitated many of these young people and saved their lives.
"Acknowledging the contributions of volunteers is a great idea," Lisa said. "Volunteers are not a replacement for the health system but there are some services that aren't suited to being provided by a large bureaucracy.Things like flexibility, personal contact and the humanity of people volunteering their time can make a diffference."
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