The Heather Jones Community Award celebrates the otherwise unsung heroes of the FASD community - advocates, carers, people living with FASD, and others whose passion and dedication lead to improved awareness and understanding of FASD, and positive impacts to those living with this lifelong disability.
Conisderation is given to the nominees who demonstrate outstanding voluntary achievements and contributions to the community, people living with FASD and their families, and support networks.
Celebrating a Heather Jones
This Award is named for its inaugural recipient, Heather Jones, former Senior Manager of the FASD Hub, and reflects her unerring dedication towards leading positive change, mentoring others, raising awareness and improving understanding of FASD.
Heather began working at the Telethon Kids Institute from 2010 as a member of the project team undertaking development work on the diagnostic instrument for FASD. She was appointed as the FASD Hub’s Senior Program Manager in 2016. Under Heather’s stewardship, the FASD Hub website officially launched on FASD Awareness Day in 2017. Through her sustained efforts over the years, the Hub has continued to grow to become one of the leading sources for FASD information nationally.
Heather’s work in supporting education and research has had profound impacts on FASD across Australia. Heather contributed to the development of the Australian Guide to the Diagnosis of FASD, its dissemination, and delivery of workshops to train health professionals in its use. She also contributed to developing criteria for screening, and referral for the assessment of FASD. In addition to contributions to research and education, Heather conducted research intomidwives’ and justice professionals’ knowledge and attitudes about alcohol use in pregnancy and FASD and helped develop a scale to evaluate midwives’ beliefs about assessing alcohol use in pregnancy. She facilitated a project on community priority-setting for FASD research in Australia and published on the role of research in influencing policy and practice to prevent alcohol use in pregnancy and promote better outcomes for individuals with FASD.
Heather also developed educational resources about FASD and alcohol use in pregnancy for GPs, midwives, and other frontline health professionals. She had a key role in the development and implementation of the NHMRC’s Centre of Research Excellence in FASD: FASD Research Australia and in building a national network of researchers and consumers.
Above all, Heather was an advocate for and a friend to many with lived experience of FASD.
On behalf of the FASD Hub Australia, we - thank Heather for her contributions to the field over many years.
Heather was the inaugural recipient of the FASD Hub Award for Contribution to Awareness and Understanding of FASD in 2022. Henceforth, this Award will be named in her memory as the Heather Jones Community Award.
Heather's endeavours in research, education and promotion of FASD has had a truly profound effect on all those travelling the FASD journey and is looked upon with awe and inspiration. Heather has been such a great leader for FASD, she has helped so many people and all involved have greatly benefitted from her incredible efforts.
Neil Reynolds
Foster Parent
About the sponsor
The FASD Hub Australia Award for Contribution to Awareness and Understanding of FASD was sponsored by Sue Miers in 2022.
Sue Miers has made immense contributions towards the FASD Community in Australia over the last two decades. Inspired by her own personal experience caring for a child with FASD and struggling to find information, resources and services in Australia, Sue founded NOFASD Australia in 1999. In 2006, Sue was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for her service to the community in establishing NOFASD. Sue has also contributed towards the development of a referral criteria for specialist diagnostic assessment in Australia. Sue continues to demonstrate tireless dedication and effort on behalf of the FASD community. She still volunteers regularly to support families and increase awareness and understanding of the lifelong, preventable condition.
In establishing the Community Award, the Hub is recognising the pivotal influence an individual can have in creating positive change. It is entirely appropriate that Heather Jones is the recipient of the Award and also appropriate for the Award to continue henceforth in her name. The value of Heather’s work as both a committed FASD project team member and original Project Manager of the Hub is unquestioned and deserves to be recognised.
Sue Miers
Founder of NOFASD Australia