VACCHO NEWS DECEMBER 2018 - MARCH 2019

Mutjang Bupuwingarrak Mukman ‘Keeping Kids Safe’

news Dec - March 2019

Image: Minister for Child Protection Hon Luke Donnellan MP

More than 100 invited guests from Community, mainstream organisations and child protection gathered to witness the moment when Bendigo and District Aboriginal Co-Operative (BDAC) legally took control of the future of Aboriginal children in out-ofhome care within the region.

The launch of Mutjang Bupuwingarrak Mukman, was history in the making as Bendigo became the first regional Aboriginal organisation in the state to receive full authorisation under Section 18 of the Children, Youth and Families Act (2005).

Section 18 gives the Department of Health and Human Services power to authorise an Aboriginal agency to make decisions for Aboriginal children on child protection court orders.

Mutjang Bupuwingarrak Mukman is Dja Dja Wurrung language meaning ‘keeping kids safe’. The program launched after a successful 18 month pilot program, which saw all children in the program transition into kinship care and half be reunified with their parents, all remaining connected to their culture and communities.

Speaking to an overflowing and emotional crowd, BDAC Chief Executive Officer, Raylene Harradine said that during the pilot she and her team had witnessed “transformational changes” for the families.

“Since we’ve taken on the pilot… we’ve seen a massive change in our community where our children aren’t in limbo in the child protection space, because we’re Continued on page 3

Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Inc.

VACCHO is the peak body for the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people living in Victoria: RTO No: 20739

Uncle Wayne Thorpe teaches our young ones the ways of their ancestors.

Pg 6

Federal election gears-up VACCHO welcomed Greens MP Adam Bandt (above center) and Labor MP Andrew Giles to our Collingwood offices in March.

VACCHO’s A/CEO Trevor Pearce and COO Helen Kennedy had some good yarns with them both over cups of lemon myrtle tea.

Top of the agenda for us was familiarising them both with what VACCHO is seeking as part of our Federal Election platform. We highlighted the need

for an Aboriginal person to be on every Public Health Network (PHN) Board; our call for a Parliamentary Inquiry into racism in the mainstream health system; the need for five per cent of Medical Research Future Fund disbursements to include funding for Aboriginalled and controlled health and medical research.

VACCHO has many more meetings booked with politicians from all sides of the aisles in the lead-up to the Federal Election, ensuring the voices of Victorian Aboriginal peoples are heard in the corridors of power.

VACCHO newsletters are available to view online at

www.vaccho.org.au/news-media/nl

Contents 01 Mutjang Bupuwingarrak Mukman ‘Keeping Kids Safe’ 02 Federal election gears-up 04 Safe journeys for our young ones heading on to high school 06 Who’s this fella tying culture and education into a way of life?

08 Winda-Mara & MCCC embedding strong cultural values into the work of doctors 09 Goanna 2 survey goes to the festival 10 Aged Care Action Plan for Aboriginal Peoples

Bendigo West MP Maree Edwards, Minister for Child Protection Luke Donnellan, BDAC Chairperson Barry Fary , BDAC CEO & Alliance Chairperson Raylene Harradine, VACCA CEO Adjunct Professor Muriel Bamblett

From page 1 working with our families to put supports around them,” she said.

“This is about families taking back the power,” she continued as the crowd erupted in applause.

Minister for Child Protection Luke Donnellan officially launched the full authorisation of Mutjang Bupuwingarrak Mukman, saying that the Section 18 was a vital step in Aboriginal self-determination.

Donnellan said the Section 18 marked many “firsts” for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait families.

“For the first time communities and

families will lead the discussions and make the decisions. “(Section 18) is the first of its kind in Australia at addressing the overrepresentation of Aboriginal children in out-ofhome care,” he said.

Mutjang Bupuwingarrak Mukman currently has 10 Aboriginal children within the program, which will increase to 36 in 2019, 72 in 2020 and 110 in 2021.

The launch coincided with the 18th birthday of BDAC and the organisation’s long journey to keeping Aboriginal children safe, happy and healthy.

From 2001 where the organisation had “no money” aside from a $10,000 grant in seed funding, BDAC now welcomes eight cases workers who ensure that Aboriginal children are with kin and wrapped in culture, and wherever possible, be reunified with their families.

“The future of our children is filled with possibilities,” Harradine said.

She said she hoped Section 18 would be rolled out nationally.

For more information please contact Victorian Aboriginal Children and Young People’s Alliance on 03 9411 9411 or danap@vaccho.org.au.

VACCHO NEWS December - March 2019

3

Safe journeys for our young ones heading on to high school VACCHO has been to the Koorie Surf Carnival at Cape Conran before. This year we wanted to focus on the important work of Djillay Ngalu (East Gippsland Aboriginal Health Consortium) helping primary school kids transition into high school.

We went up to Lakes Entrance to speak with Tony Paganella, Program Coordinator for Djillay Ngalu which is made up of four ACCHOs: • Lake Tyers Health and Children Services • Gippsland and East Gippsland Aboriginal Cooperative • Moogji Aboriginal Council • Lakes Entrance Aboriginal Health Association

I began with Djillay Ngalu nine years ago. Almost to the day, and through identifying what the community gaps are we’ve been able to put together a program that focuses on the transition of youth in primary schools into secondary school. So with regards to tuition, the Yangan Ngalu, meaning move together, is being

created as a pilot supported by the Indigenous Advancement Strategy, to work with kids in that transition phase. It helps them navigate through some of the life changing decisions they’re making at an early age.

bumps in the road are purely just bumps in the road. Because when they don’t have an idea of what the long-term outcomes could be, that bump in the road becomes a crevasse and a valley that’s harder to climb out of.

One of the features of the program is to take the kids away on a two to three-day camp during the summer holidays before they start school and help them identify their concerns about the year ahead. Early on we identify the beginning of that journey of transition, how to scope out the opportunity of going to a secondary school, what that means and the new expectations of graduating to secondary school life.

Our regional kids are not exposed to the wider opportunities that maybe metropolitan kids are exposed to. Their circle of influence is a lot smaller. Whilst they’ll have sports role models or celebrity role models, they’re not exposed to a metropolitan way of life at all. We have a high incidence of kids staying indoors, irrespective of the fantastic outdoor environment that we live in. They’re not engaging in those outdoor activities on a regular basis other than for the programs we put together.

Some of the barriers that are present in each individual’s life, whether it be a challenging home life or low academic standards, determines how we work with them going forward into secondary school. So the camp allows them to look at things like personal choices, their level of confidence going into secondary school and expectations.

Can you give me an example of expectations for the year ahead?

So an understanding of a bigger picture. Why education’s important. If the kids understand why they do the formal education they’ve been told they need, what could life look like for them? By having that longer game plan, the

So, there’s a bit of breakdown in role models within the families and who takes kids out to do things.

For a lot of families now, going on Country to explore and other cultural activities is not practiced widely or regularly. There are some families that will have one or two people in the family that have all practiced traditional skills, but it comes back down to programs like this that give the opportunities for older people in the community to share that knowledge.

That’s why we have the likes of

Wayne Thorpe (page 6), with language and cultural practice, yarning up. He has tremendous skills in communicating with kids. We also have other role models that come to the camp to provide their knowledge and experiences to help inspire the kids to see things in a broader way. Then we have the ACCHOs that make up Djillay Ngalu that have programs within them. They’ll be here this afternoon to pass on knowledge about healthy choices and Surfing Victoria’s Indigenous Program coming over.

The Korin Gamadji Institute from Richmond is coming as well. They usually focus on an older age group but have been willing to come up to East Gippsland because they know there’s a gap here with kids transitioning into secondary school.

So, there’s this massive equation that we’re working with at moment where the kids are at primary school.

For much of their primary school life they’re doing

okay but when they get to Grade 6, if there’s a habit of not showing up, they are likely not to show up at secondary school. It’s just too big a jump, not enough socialisation has happened. So, when they go to a bigger environment at school it’s a deal breaker for them.

The Koori Engagement Support Officers (KESOs) are doing a tremendous job. They’ve got some wins but they can only do so much. Justice Workers are equally doing their bit to keep kids out of the justice system.

So, it’s vital that programs like Yangan Ngalu actually are out there working within the local community and developing strong links with the schools to help the schools understand where the gaps are. Schools do a really good job at education in the formal setting. But a lot of the learning that the kids are having to learn is not in the formal setting. They’re basic life skills.

For more information on the Yangan Ngalu Program contact Tony on 0447372097 or email tonyp@dn.org.au VACCHO NEWS December - March 2019

5

Header

Who’s this fella tying culture and education into a way of life?

My name’s Wayne Thorpe, also known as Watbalimbajila. Watbalimba means the language of song, story and dance. Jila - bit of humour. Humour is expression.

waves) where we’re singing up the waves so we can have a good surf day. Another year we did a rip dance, from watching videos about the rips and how to identify them and how to survive with them.

Part of my role or work that I do is providing the cultural element to the camp and that ranges from language, songs, stories and dance. This is my sixth year. I do this work with Alice Pepper Aboriginal Community Development Broker from Local Indigenous Network (page 7 middle left).

What we hope to achieve on this camp, through a bit of a reflection of what the children learn, is a chance for them to have a say. A lot of times people don’t get to have a say and have people listen to them. So part of our talking circle is to provide our young people the opportunity to voice and express themselves, because this camp is about learning how to enjoy education, whether that be cultural or whether that be at school.

It helps them to understand why they need this education, why they have to go to school and what for. It helps them understand what their ambitions might be. This camp is an opportunity to reflect on that stuff to understand it, so it helps them on their journey down their personal dreaming track.

In the past few years we’ve been learning a new dance. Each time we come, pick an idea, and create a dance to do on the beach as part of the opening of the Surf Comp. In these few days of camping leading up to the Surf Comp we get the opportunity to get creative. For instance, we’ve done a dance about the waves and the ‘Knuckbunder’ (the name of the

So how important then is where these young fellas are from?

help be custodian of those areas, regardless of whether you’re traditionally from the area.

Knowing who you are and where your Country is grounds you. A lot of Australian people feel disconnected because they’re not connected to Country, not traditional like we are. I hear that in different men’s groups and people from different backgrounds. So it’s important for children to learn that early, so then they can feel a sense of belonging, feel the pride of belonging, and that’s all a part of their identity.

That cultural identity and perspective provides strength to learn why they need to get an education.

It’s also another way of keeping culture alive today, you live in culture then. You put those same concepts into your education.

Knowing who you are and where you come from can make it easier to know where you’re coming from and where you’re going to. It’s one less thing to worry about.

If people don’t know, well then we can maybe help them find what their traditional culture is. Even if sometimes they’re stolen generation and we really don’t know… all right then. Where have you grown up, because you can

So once children are open and they’re feeling fresh about it, they’re saying, “Yeah, bring it on, I can see how I’m going to use my education to get to my goals, to be what I want to be. I want to be a gamer, or a professional footballer”. When they start to understand that even professionals need mentoring and coaching, they learn that they need it too. It teaches them that you never stop learning.

For more information about the deadly work Wayne does you can contact him on 0428 727 873.

VACCHO NEWS December - March 2019

7

Winda-Mara & MCCC embedding strong cultural values into the work of doctors Murray City Country Coast GP Training (MCCC) is continuing to establish close relationships and strengthen engagement with Aboriginal communities and Aboriginal Controlled Community Health Organisations (ACCHOs) through their GP Training.

This training is key to the work they do within their Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Program.

Last year MCCC travelled throughout the South West region of Victoria in December. The MCCC team was made up of Auntie Eileen Alberts and Auntie Nellie Flagg who are Cultural Educators, as well as wearing many other hats in and out of their communities.

MCCC Cultural Educators carry out an extremely important role working in partnership with Medical Educators to develop, deliver and evaluate cultural awareness training activities for GP registrars and other groups.

Image (L-R): Karen Dixon - Program Manager MCCC Aboriginal Corporation, Aunty Nellie Flagg - MCCC Cultural Educator and Aunty Eileen Alberts - MCCC South West Cultural Educator.

Participating in a range of activities they promote MCCC’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health training to ACCHOs, registrars, medical students and other individuals.

They also provide invaluable guidance and support to MCCC GP Registrars working within ACCHOs and share their knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture, lore and protocols.

Aunty Eileen is based in Heywood at Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation (Winda-Mara) and has provided long standing support to MCCC through assisting and guiding hundreds of registrars as part of the Australian General Practice Program.

Winda-Mara was just one of many ACCHOs the team visited to discuss: • How MCCC can further support ACCHOs. E.g. promotion, increased practice profile • Salary support payments • Recruitment of local Cultural Mentors to support registrar placement in ACCHOs • Registrar orientation • MCCC’s Reconciliation Action Plan.

If you’d like more information about GP Registrar training in the South West Victorian region go to mccc.com.au/.

Follow us @VACCHO_org 8

VACCHO NEWS Spring 2013

VACCHO NEWS Spring 2013

8

Goanna 2 survey goes to the festival On 26 January, VACCHO collaborated once again with the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) to take part in the Goanna 2 Survey at the Balit Narrun Share the Spirit Festival.

The Goanna 2 Survey follows up Goanna 1- the first national survey of 2,877 young Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in relation to sexual health and blood borne viruses. The Goanna survey has provided invaluable information around the knowledge, practices and health service access around sexually transmissible infections, blood borne viruses as well as alcohol and other drugs.

The day was a huge success, our Sexual Health and BBV coordinator Anne and our intern Gabrielle, along with eight hardworking young people spent the morning in training before heading down to the Festival to conduct the surveys on handheld tablets.

Thanks to the addition of a free photo booth, gift

bags and lots of VACCHO goodies, our stall was very popular with people of all ages whilst our hardworking info collectors were out surveying young people. Throughout the day, collectors had the chance to enjoy the food and live music of the festival and got the chance to meet other young Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people from across the country.

We would like to give a big thanks to everyone who helped to make the day the great success it was, especially our fabulous info collectors Gabrielle, Ethan, Jordan, Levi, Tom, Tanika, Shania, Tuqiri and Maddison and VACCHO’s Louise Lyons!

Congratulations also to Tamani who won the JBL headphones and Bri from Geelong who won the PS4 PlayStation first prize draw for the survey participants.

For more information on the Goanna 2 Survey contact VACCHO’s Anne Roseman on anner@vaccho.org.au or 03 9411 9411.

VACCHO NEWS December - March 2019

9

Aged Care Action Plan for Aboriginal Peoples

VACCHO was proud to be in Canberra in late February for the launch of the new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aged Care Action Plan, the first of its kind in 25 years.

the Commonwealth's Aged Care Diversity Framework, with the other two encompassing the needs of Culturally And Linguistically Diverse communities and LGBTI people.

Speaking at the launch, the Minister for Aged Care and Indigenous Health, Ken Wyatt, singled out VACCHO’s work in this area, and particularly the dedication of VACCHO’s Policy and Advocacy Unit Manager, Noeleen Tunny.

The Action Plan provides specific guidance to aged care providers on how to address the needs of Aboriginal peoples in enacting the overarching principles of the Diversity Framework, which takes a human rights approach to driving cultural and systemic change in the aged care system, and to ensure that all Australians access safe, equitable and high-quality aged care services regardless of their ethnicity, culture, sexuality and life experiences.

“Our Elders deserve care and support that takes into consideration their individual needs, life experiences and cultures that date back 65,000 years,” Mr Wyatt said after the launch.

The plan is one of three aged care action plans released under

VACCHO collaborated in the

development of the plan, coordinating the consultation process in Victoria, NSW, Tasmania and SA. Consultations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and aged care providers included: • 629 completed surveys • 51 individual consultations carried out by the project team and members of the working group. These face to face consultations were intended to complement the survey data and explore in more detail issues being raised in the survey responses and views expressed by members of the Working Group; and

Images (Above L-R) National Advisory Group for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aged Care, Graham Aitken, Danielle Dougherty, Matthew Moore, Gary Morris, Kate Smith, Leslie Nelson, Hon Ken Wyatt AM, MP, Noeleen Tunny, Rachel Dunn, Venessa Curnow, Tamra Bridges, Adrian Carson (image courtesy DHHS) (Right L-R) Julie Hawke, General Manager, Primary Health Care - Ramahyuck, Helen Kennedy, Chief Operating Officer - VACCHO

• a written submission provided by the Healing Foundation in recognition of the specific issues related to Ageing and the needs of the Stolen Generations.

Implementation of the plan will increase the accessibility of culturally-safe aged care support and services to older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and provide guidance to mainstream service providers seeking to increase the cultural safety and

appropriateness of the services they offer to Aboriginal people.

In particular this plan emphasises the need for mainstream service providers to collaborate and/ or co-design services with Aboriginal Community Controlled organisations.

To quote the plan: "The plan can assist providers to identify actions they could take to deliver more inclusive and culturally appropriate services for consumers. It acknowledges that there is no ‘onesize-fits-all’ approach to diversity, and that each provider will be

ACCHO jobs are advertised on the VACCHO website. Go to www.vaccho.org.au/jobs

starting from a different place and operating in a different context.”

VACCHO and its members, including those members who themselves provide aged care supports, look forward to working with aged care providers to ensure the best, culturally appropriate care is provided to older Aboriginal people; they are the keepers of culture, and deserve to be respected and valued.

For more information contact Noeleen Tunny Acting Policy Director - VACCHO on 03 9411 9411 or noeleent@vaccho.org.au

JOBS

VACCHO NEWS December - March 2019

11

VACCHO Board Members Karen Heap: Chairperson Raylene Harradine: Vice Chairperson James Atkinson John Gorton Michael Graham Suzie Squires

STORIES | IDEAS | FEEDBACK

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

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

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.

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

• 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 December-March 2019

This newsletter is printed on Impact recycled uncoated paper.