VACCHO NEWS AUTUMN 2017

Bendigo and District Aboriginal Cooperative launches Stage 1

news March - May 2017

From humble beginnings Bendigo and District Aboriginal Cooperative (BDAC) has grown in size, now with 70 staff, to establish itself locally, regionally and Statewide.

It is now recognised as an active agency providing a number of programs across Aboriginal health, justice, family and community services.

With the opening of their new buildings on the one site, BDAC is now able to enhance its services growth for the future.

Prouses Road now has three new buildings in operation, Administration, Health / Medical Clinic and Family and Community Services.

“Our new community and wellbeing centre has been a focus of our strategic direction for many years and resulted

from the hard work and foresight of both past and present members listening to the needs of our community members” Chief Executive Officer Raylene Harradine said. Ms Harradine said the design of the precinct had been inspired by the artwork of two local artists, Georgina Riseley and Trina Dalton-Oogjes.

Health General Manager Dallas Widdicombe said this work depicted meeting places and tracks that joined them together, which had been reflected in the buildings on site and the paths that led between them.

Ms Harradine said the plan had been to create a “space that would suit the needs of our community, in a setting that provides access to the bush”.

The new premises brought the organisation’s services together at

Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Inc. VACCHO is the the peak body for the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people living in Victoria

one location, she said, although some would continue to be delivered from its Forest Street site.

BDAC will now work towards securing funding for Stage 2 of the build, an Early Learning Centre which includes a bush kinder.

Copy courtesy BDAC For more information please call 03 5442 4947 or go to www.bdac.com.au.

MORE PICTURES ON PAGE THREE

Vibrant, healthy, selfdetermining Aboriginal communities

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VACCHO newsletters are also available to view online at www.vaccho.org.au/news-media/nl Contents

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eenthunga: opening doors to the W Victorian health sector

1 Bendigo and District Aboriginal Cooperative launches Stage 1

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4 Bubup Wilam joins VACCHO Membership

10 New resources to help workers support clients who inject ice

6 Boorndawan Willam’s healing vision for their Community

ACCOs stepping up to disability and aged care reform

8 First Peoples Networking Space and Yarning Circle: Strength in Unity

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VACCHO NEWS Autumn 2013

Out and about

BDAC FROM PAGE ONE

Images top left CW: Over 450 of the general community and stakeholders | Hon. Jacinta Allan MP, BDAC Chairperson Uncle Barry Fary, BDAC CEO Raylene Harradine, Aunty Barb Gibson-Thorpe and Lisa Chesters MP | Racquel Kerr from Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporationa and BDAC Board Member doing the smoking ceremony | Rodney Carter, CEO of Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Corporation

Follow us @VACCHO_org VACCHO 2016 3 3 VACCHO NEWS NEWS Summer Winter 2015 VACCHO NEWS March-April 2017

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Bubup Wilam joins VACCHO Membership Late in 2016 Bubup Wilam (Children’s Place) for Early Learning Aboriginal Child and Family Centre came on board as the twenty-ninth community controlled VACCHO Member.

We could not be prouder to have Bubup Wilam join our deadly group of strong community controlled services. We sat down with Lisa Thorpe, CEO and Angie Zerella, Education and Training Manager for a yarn to learn about the critical work that Bubup Wilam does.

Bubup Wilam first opened its doors as a small kindergarten on Neeble Street. In 2007 Commonwealth funding through the National Partnership Agreement was allocated to Whittlesea Council for the development of Bubup Wilam. Bubup established an Aboriginal working committee who worked with the Council and still maintains a strong partnership with them.

The Council was renovating the aquatic centre complex in Thomastown, close to hospitals, shops and public transport and on a large block of land. Meeting all of Bubup’s criteria, the Council allocated a piece of land on the block, helped with demolition and in 2012 Bubup Wilam opened its doors to Community’s boorai and bubs aged six months to six years.

Lisa says that “Everything is developed around us as well. We’re really a part of the whole precinct. There’s the library, the Thomastown Recreational Aquatic Centre and the primary and secondary schools.”

“We’ve worked hard with the City of Whittlesea to be well known and even our local MP Bronwyn Halfpenny, and the Federal MP Andrew Giles who is great, are huge supporters of us.”

Using the federal funding from the partnership agreement and the standard child care funding to establish the Centre, Bubup provides extra support services for families. These services are embedded into the core services which have been determined by the kids and families that attend Bubup Wilam.

This means that Bubup runs an extensive and varied early years program which stands us out.

Angie says the holistic way we have embedded the additional services into our program are what sets Bubup Wilam apart from other mainstream services. They are not just an added on extra. “We don’t run any program that doesn’t integrate with another program. So nothing’s segregated and

chopped up into a multitude of programs. Every program talks to another program so our work with families works in with our work with children and is therefore holistic and responsive to need. There’s a lot of work we do with prevention/intervention and trauma based therapy, but that doesn’t sit on its own, it’s apart of a wider program”.

There are individual health and learning plans developed for all children in collaboration with their families that are reassessed twice a year at the service. Lisa says this has been put in place so that, “we know where the child’s at, we know where the family’s at, we know if the family’s struggling, we know when the family’s doing ok. We read the family through the child so they trust us”.

Taking a holistic approach to health, information is shared with specialists at Bubup Wilam (such as the Speech Therapist) to enhance their understanding of the children and families who they work with, allowing for decisions to be made for the child that take all of the child’s circumstances into account. The specialists also share their information with educators and families so tailored goals can be set to ensure the best outcomes for children can be reached. This approach enables specialists, families and educators to work closely together, sharing information and enhancing the services they provide.

Bubup Wilam also provides training for Aboriginal people seeking to gain a Certificate III or Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care, making possible a workforce that comes directly from Community. For those trainees it also provides an opportunity for their kids to attend the service.

This supports Bubup Wilam to maintain its selfdetermination ensuring a strong workforce of Aboriginal people to take the service forward. Bubup Wilam won the Victorian Training award for this program in 2016 and was in the top three in the country at the Australian Training Awards.

Angie believes that the children who go to Bubup Wilam are immersed in a culturally strong, safe and connected Aboriginal setting enhancing a strong sense of belonging and identity. Bubup Wilam is their place and is like a second home for all of them.

Bubup Wilam have developed their own Aboriginal Early Years Curriculum that is innovative in design.

This curriculum sits alongside the mainstream Early

Years Curriculum to ensure the children get access to all they need. With all programs underpinned by self-determination the children graduating from Bubup Wilam can transition to primary school and “have the strength of knowing, and that’s the difference, they’re not there wondering why it doesn’t feel right”. This transition is also supported through visits by Bubup Wilam staff to the many schools (15 in 2016) their children move to. This creates a pathway for important information to be passed between Bubup Wilam, families and the schools that help the child and their family adjust to a mainstream educational environment. This transition program begins in kindergarten and follows children up until grade two.

When asked what brings her the most joy in working at Bubup Wilam, Lisa talked of “Seeing the strength in families…and seeing them do it for themselves. We don’t do it for them, we support them to take a lead role in their own lives.” Angie sees the joy that comes in “the transformation of lives, of people…growing strength. From the little Aboriginal people, to their parents, to the staff I work with every day”.

For more information about the Service you can call 03 8459 4800. To email Bubup Wilam or for a full list of their extensive services please go to www.bubupwilam.org.au.

Images top left CW: Bubup Wilam, Lisa Thorpe and Angie Zerella | play area | Djural Aldridge | Toni Thornton (educator) with Boorai River Hobba | Hanna Bottross (educator) with Zannie Stanton, Ashleigh Hutchinson and Indie-Rose Hutchinson.

VACCHO NEWS March-May 2017

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Boorndawan Willam’s healing vision for their Community Boorndawan Willam, derives from the Wathaurong and Woiwurrung languages. Boorndawan (Wathaurong) meaning ‘safe’ and Willam (Woiwurrung) meaning ‘house’, combine to create a ‘safe house’.

Boorndawan Willam Aboriginal Healing Service is VACCHO’s newest Member Service. Boorndawan Willam Aboriginal Healing Service addresses the impact of intergenerational trauma associated with family violence in Aboriginal communities.

Boorndawan Willam Aboriginal Healing Service assists men, women and children on their healing journey.

We had a yarn with Rose Solomon, Outgoing Manager and Shirley Slann, Incoming Manager to let Community know what Services they offer their area.

The Centre was originally based in Ringwood.

With Nilimkal Kangoo Eastern Metropolitan Indigenous Family Violence Action Group securing Commonwealth funding and State project management for a purpose built Service approved in 2006, work began to establish the new Service we see today in Lilydale. Auspiced by Eastern Access Community Health, the Service became a Company Limited by Guarantee in 2014 under Manager Rose Soloman with Board support, and is currently in the process of negotiating the funding and service agreement to be fully transferred over.

The Service started with a Mens’ Worker, Healing Worker and a Manager and with some additional funding employed a Case Manager, they now employ 10 staff.

The Service follows the Vision that, The Boorndawan Willam Aboriginal Healing Service provides a safe cultural place that supports the healing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, families and communities to live free from family violence.

Built on the back of the Indigenous Family Violence Task Force Report (2003), Boorndawan Willam Aboriginal Healing Service adheres to the holistic approach stipulated in the Report. This approach, which is contextualised in a cultural and spiritual environment, is underpinned by the integration of Aboriginal teachings into individual services and interventions. This process supports and protects victims of family violence, delivers specialised services for women, children and men, provides guidance and accountability for perpetrators and sustains the recovery and healing of individuals, families and communities.

Rose Solomon believes that Boorndawan is different from other services because “Boorndawan is a trauma informed model. We talk about trauma informed practice but you very rarely see this practice as there’s barriers around funding. We’ve

been able to develop a model that’s holistic, works with the victims and the perpetrators regardless of their gender, and we’re able to provide long-term support because you can’t fix transgenerational trauma in 12 or six weeks. We work for a couple of years with families, that’s what the difference is.

There’s four other healing services in Victoria, they all operate differently. In the Northern Region they have a mens’ centre, in Lakes Entrance they have the healing centre and a farm where they have a lot of men’s work. There’s also Rochester which is in Echuca. One of the barriers throughout the course of developing the community capacity of Aboriginal families to address family violence has been the usual mainstream approach.”

There are changes afoot with the appointment of Shirley Slann as the new Manager of Boorndawan, who is the proud daughter of Norma Rogers (nee Craigie) and Joe Rogers of Mount Isa.

Shirley is the second Aboriginal woman to be Manager of Boorndawan Willam, the first being Elka Small. Shirley comes with extensive experience in family violence, having managed a mainstream service in Mount Isa for 15 years looking after ‘outer’ Communities as far up as Mornington Island.

She’s on a number of Boards, one being Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety and is an Indigenous Reference Group Member for the Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research.

We welcome Shirley and Boorndawan Willam to the VACCHO family and look forward to working with the team.

For more information about the services Boorndawan offers, please call 03 9212 0200 or email boorndawanwillam@each.com.au.

You can also find more information at www. bwahs.com.au.

Image credits left page L-R: Shirley Slann and Rose Solomon with Boorndawan Willam’s Womens Healing Cloak, A meeting of Eastern Community Legal Centre partners and staff with Boorndawan Willam’s Marissa Atkinson (right) This page top CW: Boorndawan Willam Aboriginal Healing Service, Rose Solomon and Shirley Slann, Too Many Cheeky Dogs Children’s Room.

VACCHO NEWS March-May 2017

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First Peoples Networking Space and Yarning Circle: Strength in Unity At the 15th World Congress on Public Health in Melbourne 3-7 April 2017, VACCHO facilitated and hosted the First Peoples Networking Space and Yarning Circle.

The aim was to develop an inviting and culturally safe space where First Peoples from around the world could come together to meet and yarn.

The Space was officially opened with a warm Welcome to Country by Aunty Joy MurphyWandin who invited all the different groups to use the Space to come together to build strength in unity to improve the health of our people.

The Yarning Circle was open to all First People delegates to network throughout the week. There were lunch-time sessions, and discussions led by the delegates.

Discussions included topics such as suicide prevention, grief and solutions (with support from Black Dog Institute) and health promotion as well as yarnings about breast feeding and

rethinking sugary drinks.

Special highlights include: • Renowned artists and weavers Bronwyn Razem and Vicki Couzens who shared their knowledge on traditional weaving. Participants really enjoyed the experience with its hands-on approach to learning which had a calming and relaxing effect on the delegates.

• 15th World Congress of Public Health, unanimously supported the establishment of an Indigenous Working Group within the World Federation of Public Health Associations.

The Indigenous Working Group will provide an opportunity to bring to the global public health and civil society arena a visible and prominent Indigenous voice that privileges an Indigenous world view and narrative.

“We intend to create a platform for change with

the aim to address the health inequities experience

by Indigenous peoples worldwide,” Mr Te Patu said.

The group was formed on the 50th anniversary of the WFPHA, at the 15th World Congress conference, when 40 Indigenous and non-Indigenous conference delegates of the yarning circle unanimously supported in principle its establishment.

• As a result of everyone’s hard work the World Federation of Public Health Indigenous Working Group came together and decided the Space should be continued into all future conferences.

This decision was endorsed

by Michael Moore, President - World Federation of Public Health Associations.

VACCHO would like to thank the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services for sponsoring the Space, as well as all of our staff who contributed to its success.

Image: First People delegates with VACCHO staff | Inset L: Vicki Couzens teaching weaving | Inset R: Aunty Joy Murphy-Wandin and Emma Rawson, Director - Manu-Kahu Associates (NZ) | Photos by: Dylan (Sadge) Clarke

Weenthunga: opening doors to the Victorian health sector Weenthunga (pronounced: Ween-tunga) means ‘hear / understand’ in Woiwurrung, language of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation

Weenthunga Health Network is a First Australian led organisation.

It welcomes Australians as well as First Australians in health roles, encouraging collaboration to continue to better the health and wellbeing of Victorian First Australians and their communities.

As one of VACCHO’s newest Members, we decided to sit down and have a yarn with Aunty Steff Armstrong, proud Gamilaroi woman and Weenthunga’s Health and Education Consultant to find out a bit more about the organisation.

Five years ago, Lin Oke, Weenthunga Executive Officer and Kelli McIntosh (then on the Board of Indigenous Allied Health Australia and now medical student), were both occupational therapists at the time who sat down to discuss gaps in Victorian healthcare networks.

They believed the gaps were due to the natural silos of the national health organisations for each profession, which was limiting networking opportunities across and between health professionals and practitioners. While

Brenda McDermott, Weenthunga President, Lin Oke, Executive Officer, Donna Murray, CEO IAHA and Nicky Turner, President IAHA at IAHA event at which the allied health sector continued commitment to Close to Gap. Right: Steff Armstrong, Weenthunga’s Health and Education Consultant

understanding that unless you were for example, a doctor, you couldn’t be part of the Indigenous Doctors Association, they also understood that everyone, including the person who picks you up to take you to your doctor’s appointment, all have a part to play in Aboriginal health. It was this focus that led Lin and Kelly to set up a Victorian body that provided networking access to a wide range of Victorian health professionals while all the time maintaining a national reference point.

“It became about setting up a network that anyone could join and be able to make links with other health professionals at a Victorian level. So people who couldn’t join other organisations because they didn’t have a piece of paper, could also join us.

So now we have members from different professions who are First Australians and

Australians, so it’s that idea that both all work together.

Weenthunga’s main goals are to contribute to Closing the Gap, getting Aboriginal people into the health workforce and educating the Australians in the health workforce about working with First Australians.

We run forums for nonAboriginal members to provide guidance and support around the provision of culturally appropriate care and workplaces, as well as health care days for girls in years 10-12 that are interested in working in health. That day looks at a range of health care roles available to young women. It brings them together with Aboriginal women already working in health, such as pediatricians, Aboriginal Health Workers, and midwives who are keen to share their wisdom and experiences. These days have resulted in girls going on to study a range of health professions

such as occupational therapy and social work.

There is ongoing support for these girls, and I get to support some of these girls and their families.

The reason there is such a focus on women is because a few years ago I was part of a big research group and was lucky enough to go all over Australia to review a program that supported Aboriginal kids to help keep them engaged in school through sport.

I found that twice as much money went into boys and there were twice as many programs for boys.

I’ve been blessed to have nearly 35 years of being around young Aboriginal people and older people and around both men and womens’ programs, and you don’t gain knowledge and not pass it on.”

For more information on Weenthunga Health Network or to look at joining go to www. weenthunga.com.au.

VACCHO NEWS March-May 2017

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New resources to help workers support clients who inject ice Penington Institute has developed a new series of videos, fact sheets and supporting training to help mainstream needle and syringe programs (NSP), Aboriginal community controlled health organisations (ACCHOs) and other frontline services better respond to injecting ice use by their clients.

Injecting Ice in the Country – Healthier Approaches, which was funded by the Victorian Government and developed in collaboration with VACCHO, feature interviews with NSP and other frontline workers reflecting on their experiences in managing clients who inject ice.

The resources are available via the Penington Institute website at www.penington.org.au/ injectingiceinthecountry.

John Ryan, CEO of the Penington Institute, said the resources and training were developed in response to the needs of workers. “The education campaign covers themes identified by rural and regional frontline workers as areas they wanted to learn more about,” Garry Sattell, VACCHO Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Coordinator, said that the resources will support mainstream services and ACCHOs to increase access to harm reduction services for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (Aboriginal) people.

“The resources reflect on the challenges for mainstream and Aboriginal services in meeting the needs of Aboriginal people who inject ice. Some Aboriginal people are reluctant to access Aboriginal health services due to

shame, or for fear of their drug use being revealed, while others find it hard to access mainstream services,” Garry said. “I’d encourage all services with clients who inject ice to access the resources and free training.”

FREE TRAINING AVAILABLE IN VICTORIA Free Injecting Ice in the Country – Healthier Approaches training is available from Penington Institute as part of the program implementation. The 90 minute sessions utilise the videos to initiate discussions among staff around how they can engage with and support clients who inject ice.

For more information, or to arrange free training at your service, please email info@ penington.org.au.

ACCOs stepping up to disability and aged care reform

Changes to the Home and Community Care (HACC) program means that many Members now need to think about how individual packages work and what this means for their Communities. Our Members are aware these reforms create both opportunities and threats but can see they carry the promise of better outcomes for Communities.

introduction to NDIS and Aged Care Home Care Packages and what this means for VACCHO Members. Alex Gunning from the National Disability Insurance Agency spoke about how to register as a service provider under NDIS and how the scheme works in practice. Katie Eagles from ASIS Consulting National worked with Members to identify new services they might be able to deliver. Jeff Davey and John Yohanand from Saward Dawson helped Members with their financial models, including the costs of delivering services under NDIS and Home Care Packages.

VACCHO held workshops on these reforms in Bendigo, Creswick, and Melbourne.

Tim Flowers from Saward Dawson Chartered Accountants opened the workshops, with an

Funding for NDIS and Aged Care Home Care Packages goes directly to Community members, not to organisations.

This is a really big change for all organisations, including our

In March this year, 11 VACCHO Members stepped up to the challenge to learn more about the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and Aged Care Home Care Packages Program.

Members, who are used to getting their funding directly from the government. The Members who attended the workshops said they found it really helpful, as some were starting out with no knowledge of how this funding model works. They learnt it is not easy for smaller organisations to make it work and there is a lot more to be done before they will be ready to open their doors. At the same time, this is an important opportunity to make a real difference and improve services for Elders and people with disabilities in our communities.

A fourth workshop will be held in Gippsland in the next few months.

If you have any questions about these forums please contact Alisoun Neville at alisounn@ vaccho.org.au or on 9411 9411.

SLEEP AT THE G $4313 raised 4 May 2017 Melbourne Cricket Ground

Thank you to all our supporters &

SEWB Statewide gathering

2-4 May 2017 Lakes Entrance

FOUNDATIONS IN GOVERNANCE training May 2017 Horsham

L-R: Linda Bos, Uncle Barry Fary, Auntie Lyn Warren and Michelle Taylor (facilitator)

Out and about Follow us on VACCHO NEWS March-May 2017

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VACCHO Board Members John Mitchell: Chairperson Karen Heap: Vice Chairperson John Gorton: Board Member Rod Jackson: Board Member Hilary Saunders: Board Member Suzie Squires: Board Member

17-23 Sackville Street Collingwood VIC 3066 P 03 9411 9411 F 03 9411 9599 E enquiries@vaccho.org.au

www.vaccho.org.au Follow us on

Daphne Yarram: Board Member

STORIES | IDEAS | FEEDBACK

Don’t forget this is your newsletter and we need your stories and ideas.

VACCHO Members • Aboriginal Community Elders Services • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Albury Wodonga Aboriginal Health Service Ballarat & District Aboriginal Co-operative Bendigo & District Aboriginal Co-operative Boorndawan Willam Aboriginal Healing Service Bubup Wilam for Early Learning Aboriginal Child and Family Centre Budja Budja Aboriginal Co-operative Cummeragunja Housing and Development Aboriginal Corporation (Viney Morgan AMS) Dandenong & District Aborigines Co-operative Dhauwurd Wurrung Elderly and Community Health Service Gippsland & East Gippsland Aboriginal Co-operative Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Co-operative Gunditjmara Aboriginal Co-operative Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association Kirrae Health Service Inc. Lake Tyers Health and Children’s Service

Note »» Auspiced

If you would like to give us story ideas or comment on our newsletter please call Cisco from our Communications Team on 03 9411 9411 or email him on ciscof@vaccho.org.au.

• Lakes Entrance Aboriginal Health Association • Melbourne Aboriginal Youth Sport & Recreation Co-operative • Mallee District Aboriginal Services »» Kerang Aboriginal Community Centre »» Swan Hill and District Aboriginal Co-operative • Moogji Aboriginal Council East Gippsland Inc. • Mungabareena Aboriginal Corporation • Murray Valley Aboriginal Co-operative • Ngwala Willumbong Cooperative • Njernda Aboriginal Corporation • Ramahyuck District Aboriginal Corporation »» Central Gippsland Aboriginal Health Services • Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-operative Ltd • Victorian Aboriginal Health Service • Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative • Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation • Weenthunga Health Network Inc VACCHO NEWS March-May 2017 © VACCHO 2017

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