This little ditty is at the heart of an innovative Aboriginal Men’s Centre.

The Goori Men’s Recovery Centre, in Cleveland, has been awarded the ANTaR Qld 3rd Annual Close the Gap Award for their well-structured and culturally appropriate approach to helping men recover from drug and alcohol addiction problems.

John Close, Director of the centre, says the award comes as both a surprise and an honor.

“We are delighted to accept the award from such a well known organisation," he said.

"It came as quite a shock when we received notification of the win, but it’s great to know that our work is not going unnoticed, by not just who we help, but the greater community as well.”

The Centre has put together a program based on three stages considered essential for ongoing rehabilitation.

The men move in three month blocks from a fully supervised residential treatment to a half-way house, where they start to engage in ‘normal life’, to the third stage of taking control of their lives but still being supported as necessary.

A graduate of the centre said the initial residential support had been very important to his success in dealing with his addictions.

The mentoring and support when he started working was also crucial to his continued success in remaining out of prison.

Mr Close says his organisation strives to provide the best chance possible for all patients to get back on their feet and make a positive difference amongst their families and peers.

The Close the Gap awards are the brain child of ANTaR Committee member, Barry Malezer.

The awards will be given each year until 2017.

The ten awards emphasise the need for long-term commitments to solve deep-seated problems of unequal access to primary health care.

ANTaR Qld Chairperson, Kitty Carra, said the award aimed to showcase to politicians and policy implementers the very creative and imaginative ways in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people tackle the challenges in their lives.

“This year’s ANTaR Close the Gap Award focuses on the innovative, persistent and culturally appropriate programs which the Goori Men’s Recovery Centre team have developed in Cleveland and at their Referral Centre in the Valley," she said.

"The two centres deliver better health by helping overcome addictions and also by helping to keep men out of prison or from returning to prison."

The Award Ceremony will take place on 26TH October 5:30 – 7pm Premiers Hall Parliamentary annex, Parliament house.

It will be attended by a number of Parliamentarians, both government and opposition, members of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and major support organisations.

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For further information: Kitty Carra, President ANTaR Qld Association Inc 0409 548 892