Aboriginal-Led Organisations Honoured for Suicide Prevention Work

18 August 2025

Waterlily Healing Indigenous Corporation and Perfectly Imperfect Consulting, based on Larrakia Country in Darwin, NT, have received the ‘Community’ Award at the 2025 Barbara Hocking Memorial Awards. 

Hosted by suicide prevention organisation R U OK?, the awards recognise efforts to create a world where we are all connected and protected from suicide across four categories: Workplace, Education, Community and Conversation Leader.  


The judging panel recognised Karyn Anne Moyle and her team for their outstanding contribution to suicide prevention, particularly through culturally safe, trauma-informed programs that empower Aboriginal communities to speak openly about mental health, grief, and suicide. 


Together, the two organisations deliver initiatives such as Painting Suicide, Grief and Loss Healing Circles, Deadly Thinking Youth, and Aboriginal Mental Health First Aid. These programs use storytelling, yarning, art, and sensory-based learning to create safe spaces for honest dialogue across urban centres, remote communities, prisons, youth detention centres, and schools. 


Aunties Place, a youth-focused healing space in Palmerston, offers nourishing meals, peer support, and a culturally grounded environment where young people feel safe, seen, and supported. It has become a trusted refuge for those experiencing emotional distress, grief, or suicidal thoughts. 


In announcing the award, Brenden Maher, R U OK? Board Member and member of the judging panel, highlighted the value of their efforts.


“Waterlily Healing and Perfectly Imperfect are creating spaces where asking ‘are you OK?’ is not just possible, it’s a regular part of any day," he said.


By weaving cultural knowledge, lived experience and trauma-informed care into every conversation, they’re helping communities feel safe to speak up, connect, and heal together.” 

Learn more about the Barbara Hocking Memorial Awards

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After ten years of teamwork, partnerships, growth, and countless conversations, I will be stepping down as CEO from 1 December 2025. It has been an extraordinary privilege to contribute to the growth of this movement and to witness meaningful change before my eyes. Gavin Larkin founded R U OK? because he believed conversation has the power to change lives. One seemingly simple question, when asked with genuine intent and care, can start a meaningful and sometimes complex conversation. And that’s what Gavin wanted. For people to look beyond responses of “I’m fine” or “All good” and ask, “Are you really OK?”. The notion of going deeper with conversations, of asking a second time, of trusting our guts and moving past our hesitation - is being grasped and moving beyond one day to any day. Whilst saying “G’day how are you?” will always be a greeting - we can do more. When Gavin lost his father to suicide he wanted to try and protect other families from the pain his endured. He wanted to get people talking and having real chats about how they’re feeling with their mates, their family and their colleagues. In locker rooms, lunch rooms, and lounge rooms across the nation. But he approached it from a different angle. Gavin wanted all of us to have the confidence to support the people we care about who might be struggling with life. To make conversations a natural part of our behaviour, to openly show our signals of support. So as R U OK? generations continue to evolve, my chapter is coming to a close. How fortunate I am to have been part of the story. From hesitant glances during presentations in 2015 to queues of people waiting for a conversation in 2025. From yellow wigs in the office, to welcoming yellow-swathed Ambassadors to share their lived experience. From yellow coffee cups in a café, to yellow cars driving into communities nationwide. And yes, there’s been a few cupcakes along the way. Social change is happening, and we are all a part of it. No one organisation can prevent suicide, no one individual can save everyone - but the power of many can make a difference.
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