Talk

in’ S

tron

gThe

com

munity

new

slet

ter

of th

e Onemda

Vic

Hea

lth K

oori H

ealth U

nit

ISSUE NO. 21 DECEMBER 2008

Welcome to Onemda’s last newsletter for 2008. This has certainly been a busy and productive year for staff here.

In this edition of Talkin’ Strong we are covering some of the events and projects we have organised and partnered over the past three months. These include: the launch of the report We Can Like Research… In Koori Hands; the LIME network regional and national reference group meetings; the 'From Margins to Mainstream' conference project that Onemda undertook over the course of the year; participation in the Indigenous Public Health Teaching and Learning Forum in Canberra; attendance at the Coranderrk Festival in Healesville, an annual event held to commemorate and preserve Coranderrk’s Aboriginal cultural heritage, among other events and conferences.

We also highlight in this edition the Victorian Aboriginal Child Health, Development and Wellbeing Survey, as well as research on the social determinants of Indigenous health in a global context.

We congratulate the Institute of Koorie Education students Wendy Anders, Geoffery Lingwoodock and Cheryl Mundy who have graduated with a Master of Public Health and welcome new Onemda staff Terry James, Odette Mazel and Ngarra Murray.

We wish all of our community partners and colleagues a safe and merry Christmas and look forward to new challenges and productive collaborations in 2009.

Onemda Update

Contents Onemda Update 1Social Determinants of 2 Indigenous Health 'From Margins to Mainstream' 4Master of Public Health Graduates at IKE 5 Report Launch 6LIME Meetings 7Indigenous Public Health Forum 8Onemda Staff Outings 8Child Health Survey 9Community Profile 10Kulunga Research Network 10New Staff 11Onemda News 11

Talkin’ Strong 2

The Social Determinants of Indigenous Health: A global challengeby Ian Anderson

Globally, Indigenous peoples have poorer health outcomes relative to non-Indigenous peoples no matter where they come from. Many causes of ill-health lie outside the health system. Poverty, unemployment and poor housing all contribute to poorer health outcomes. These are often referred to as the social determinants of health. Strategies to address these determinants are critical to addressing our health disadvantage. The importance of the social determinants of Indigenous health has long been recognised in Australia, for example, in the National Aboriginal Health Strategy in 1989 and similar strategies that followed.

However, research and critical thinking are needed—research that takes into account the particular social and historical context of Indigenous peoples as well as Indigenous worldviews and ways of understanding health and wellbeing. This is a necessary step in the development of effective, evidence-based interventions. Here I want to describe some work that has been done by the Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal health (CRCAH) and the World Health Organization Commission on the Social Determinants of Health (CSDH).

Developing an agenda for the social determinants of Indigenous HealthEven though we have known for a long time that social inequalities have played a key role in Aboriginal health inequalities, this issue has not been well researched. There has been some important research in relation to Aboriginal housing and the physical environment, but it is only recently that national attention has been focused on the social determinants of health in Indigenous Australia.

The CRCAH recognised this problem and began in 2006 to put some resources into developing a research program in this field. This program has focused on improving our understanding of how social factors impact on health as well as evaluating interventions.

The roll-out of the CRCAH program coincided with the work of the CSDH, which was set up to develop a global agenda addressing the social determinants of health. At its meeting in Nairobi in June 2006, it specified Indigenous peoples’ health as a distinct component of its work program. The CSDH has focused its attentions on identifying:

Talkin’ Strong 3

• What needs to be done to minimise the risks to Indigenous peoples and improve health outcomes for Indigenous peoples globally;

• What are the examples of successful actions on the social determinants of Indigenous; and

• What are the effective policies concerning the social determinants of Indigenous health.

To answer these questions, the CSDH commissioned a paper that drew on contributions from across the globe. The aim of this paper was to bring together current knowledge on Indigenous populations, health and the social determinants of Indigenous health. In January 2007, the CSDH also put out a call for case studies that addressed the Commission’s questions about effective actions and policies. Finally, in April 2007, the CSDH convened an International Symposium on the Social Determinants of Indigenous Health, which was hosted by the CRCAH and Flinders University.

The symposium provided a forum to workshop the issues highlighted in the situational analysis and case studies, and to develop recommendations for action. It was attended by participants from Australia, Belize, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Ecuador, Guatemala, New Zealand, Peru, the Philippines and the United Kingdom. A workshop report was produced and recommendations tabled at the eighth meeting of the CSDH in June 2007.

Emerging themes in the social determinants of Indigenous health

The CRCAH research program and the CSDH process identified many similar themes. For example: self-determination; ecology and environment; economic prosperity, fairness and equity; leadership and capacity strengthening; racism/dominance/imperialism; healing, services, systems, structures; cultural sustainability, protection, stewardship; land; and human rights.

Both projects identified the role of social determinants such as poverty, education, housing and the physical environment. These are also significant social determinants of health in non-Indigenous populations. However, even though they were not unique to Indigenous peoples, some determinants were either particularly significant or needed to be understood within the context of colonisation. This includes the Aboriginal experience of interpersonal and institutional racism.

Colonial processes that resulted in political and social marginalisation of Indigenous peoples and their

dispossession from land, and natural and cultural resources were also seen to play a significant role in shaping the social determinants of Indigenous health. This meant that some of the strategies to address the social determinants of Indigenous health include constitutional and legal reform, treaties and reconciliation.

Many Indigenous peoples around the world live in remote fragile environments, such as the sub-Arctic regions or tropical rainforests of South America. Indigenous peoples in these regions are also particularly vulnerable to the effects of environmental degradation.

Both projects highlighted the importance of engaging with Indigenous understanding of the social determinant of health. For example, work undertaken with the Koori community in the Goulburn Valley illustrated that Koori ways of seeing the social determinants health emphasised:

• a holistic approach to health as well as specific issues such as health knowledge, youth, drugs and alcohol;

• the relationships between generations, issues on identity, self-esteem and self confidence; and

• the relationship with mainstream society (including issues of dispossession, colonisation, and racism).

(See the article by Michael Tynan et al. in Beyond Bandaids, referenced below)

Research such as this can continue to help shape our thinking about the social determinants of Indigenous health and help guide the development of interventions and services that lead to improved outcomes for our communities. The work of the CRCAH and the CSDH also shows that we need to understand the social determinants of Indigenous health in the context of Indigenous cultures, the impact of colonisation, the economic realities for Indigenous peoples, and their relationships with mainstream society and its institutions.

I. Anderson, F. Baum & M. Bentley (eds), Beyond Bandaids: Exploring the Underlying Social Determinants of Aboriginal Health. Papers from the Social Determinants of Aboriginal Health Workshop, July 2004, Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health, Darwin. Also available in downloadable pdf from <www.crcah.org.au/publications/beyond_bandaids.html>.

Sharing Our Stories and Building on Our Strengths

From Margins to Mainstream: The 5th World Conference on

the Promotion of Mental Health and the Prevention of Mental and

Behavioural Disorders

Talkin’ Strong 4

Onemda recently supported Indigenous participation at ‘From Margins to Mainstream’ world conference, held in Melbourne from 10–12 September 2008.

VicHealth provided Onemda with funding to actively seek input from community organisations and individuals that have an impact on enhancing mental health.

Onemda approached Indigenous professionals working in a diverse range of community programs, and offered workshops on writing abstracts and conference papers, presentation skills as well as logistical support. Several Onemda and Centre for Health and Society staff acted as mentors to the participants, and supported them through the writing and presentation of their papers.

‘The presenters were proud to talk to us about what their health and wellbeing projects are achieving for the communities they work and live in,’ said Project Officer Ngarra Murray, who coordinated the workshops and attendance at the conference.

The Indigenous professionals who took part were:

•Belinda Briggs, Rumbalara Football Netball Club, Shepparton;

• John Cusack, Family and Youth Services Team, Top End Association for Mental Health, NT;

• Janelle Hickey, Billabong Barbeque Program for Parkies, Neighbourhood Justice Centre, Victorian Department of Justice;

• Daniel Mulholland, Australian Integrated Mental Health Initiative Program, a partnership between Top End GPs and Tiwi Island communities;

• Gregory Phillips, Abstarr Consulting, with David Dryden and Ross Morgan, Maya Living Free Healing Centre, Thornbury; and

• Marcus Stewart, ‘I’m an Aboriginal Dad’ project, Child and Parent Services, Mercy Hospital, Melbourne.

There was also an ‘Indigenous Social and Emotional Wellbeing: Identity, Culture and Heritage’ forum run by

Paul Stewart, Onemda’s Research Community Development Officer, with presentations from the following Koori professionals:

• Troy Austin, President of the Fitzroy Stars Football Club (majority Aboriginal players), Melbourne Northern Football League;

• Anthony Brown, Mental Health and Wellbeing for Young Indigenous People, Victorian Aboriginal Health Service, Northcote; and

• Helen Kennedy, Health Programs Manager, Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, Fitzroy.

Paul, Anthony, Helen and Troy are all pictured below.

At the forum, speakers talked about specific policies and program activities that enhanced the mental health of their communities. They also discussed the success they had achieved with using sport, in particular football, as a vehicle to address the social and emotional wellbeing of the Koori community in Victoria.

Paul Stewart is happy about Onemda’s involvement in this community development project.

‘We wanted to get across the message that Indigenous people, whether they be researchers or community health professionals, are doing great work in their communities. Rather than Onemda presenting its own work, we wanted to be out there supporting people in communities talk up and share with others their positive stories.’

Onemda is planning to evaluate the project to see if the lessons learned could assist other groups in the Aboriginal community prepare and present their work to national and international audiences. For more information about the project, please contact Ngarra Murray at <nmurray@unimelb.edu.au>.

Talkin’ Strong 5

Wendy AndersI am an Arrernte woman from Alice Springs. I now live in Victoria and have done so for many years, but still hold strong ties to my home. Undertaking the MPH has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. It has given me the skills to continue to work within my community. It has built my confidence and self-

esteem and allowed me to seek employment in areas that I would never have considered before.

Master of Public Health Graduates

Institute of Koorie Education Deakin University 2008

Geoffery LingwoodockI am a Kabi Kabi man from Queensland and moved to Geelong to finish my studies in Social Work, then Public Health, at the Institute of Koorie Education. While doing some research for a project I realised there was little information on men’s health and even less on Aboriginal men's health. It was with this in mind that I began to explore ways to better use my skills as a social worker and an Aboriginal Men's Health Worker. I plan to return to the community armed with new skills and confidence from doing the MPH to offer the community another resource to better the physical/mental/social wellbeing and health of Aboriginal men.

Cheryl MundyI am a Palawa woman (Tasmanian Aboriginal) and have worked most of my life in Aboriginal health, wellbeing and social justice. When I was little I used to sleep with coloured pencils under my pillow ready for school and excited in anticipation. I had the same sense through the MPH. I have worked in local and national Aboriginal community controlled organisations, and government, since the early 1970s, including the National Aboriginal and Islander Health Organisation, the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and the Aboriginal Legal Service.

In recovering from removal of an eye, I picked up the study bug and that was it! The Institute of Koorie Education provided a safe and meaningful place, including the Kitjarra residence. As Aboriginal students, some with academic skills and all with life skills, the learning was powerful for all in the classroom and in the residence. Since completing the MPH, I have gained a permanent appointment as Aboriginal Policy & Liaison Officer in the Tasmania Alcohol & Drugs Services in Mental Health Services State-wide Systems Development, and also remain active in the community organisations in Tasmania. For me, the MPH, backed up my life skills, gave me new skills that enabled me to contextualise issues with life. I strongly recommend this course of study.

The Institute of Koorie Education is now calling for applications for the Master of Public Health 2009 intake. If you are interested, please contact Janice Jessen or Scott Miller on (03) 5227 2346.

Talkin’ Strong 6

We Can Like Research...In Koori Hands Report LaunchWe Can Like Research… In Koori Hands, published by Onemda, was launched at the Koorie Heritage Trust on Tuesday, 7 October. This report builds on our 1999 report We Don’t like Research… But in Koori Hands it Could Make a Difference by helping to further Onemda’s core research, teaching and community development agenda of ‘by Koori people, for Koori people’.

The latest report presents findings from a series of community workshops about Koori health research run with key Koori Elders, pictured in the photo (top left), researchers and community representatives around Victoria. It argues that research into Aboriginal health will be improved and made more relevant if Aboriginal people control the research agenda.

Paul Stewart, Research Community Development Officer at Onemda, said that ‘workshop participants want Koori health research to be controlled by Kooris’.

‘For this to happen, Aboriginal community organisations need to play a key role in research and its dissemination, implementation and evaluation, and need to be resourced to do this,’ said Paul. ‘High-quality health research is vital if the government is to achieve its commitment of closing the life expectancy gap between Aboriginal and other Australians.’

Many Koori people feel that, historically, health research and its applications have not benefited them. They remain suspicious about mainstream research, its intentions, and impact on communities and populations. There are concerns that without community control over health research, the health gap between Aboriginal and other Australians will continue to widen.

The new report offers ‘a momentum for positive change’ for the future, as long as Koori people have the resources, research capacity and leadership roles in driving the health research agenda.

Angela Clarke, Deputy Director of Community Programs at Onemda, believes that ‘the workshop series are a crucial part of our work with communities, and a way also for Koori researchers to present how they use Koori methodology in their work, and to highlight positive research stories.’

We Can Like Research… In Koori Hands, as well as the earlier 1999 report, can be ordered by emailing us at onemda-info@unimelb.edu.au or by phone on (03) 8344 0813 or can be downloaded at <www.onemda.unimelb.edu.au/publications>.

Uncle Robert 'Jumbo' Pearce, Aunty Marion Pearce, Ian Anderson, Aunty Melva Johnson, Aunty Joan Vickery, Uncle Kevin Coombs, Aunty Lyn McInnes and Aunty Joy Wandin-Murphy

Elders and audience listening to speakers

Kate Butler, Kylie Kinsela, Deb Knoche, Laura Thompson and Jane Yule

Talkin’ Strong 7

Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education

(LIME) Network Regional

Meeting and National Reference Group

The LIME Network held a Victorian/Tasmanian Regional meeting on 8 September in Melbourne with representation from VACCHO, Deakin University, Monash University, the University of Melbourne and the University of Tasmania, along with other key Indigenous people in the community.

The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss ways that universities, local Indigenous community organisations and relevant health services can better engage and support each other. Participants shared information and discussed regional issues around Indigenous health medical training, clinical placements, the medical workforce and teaching.

The National LIME Reference Group, which consists of representatives from all the universities that teach medicine across Australia and New Zealand, met the following day. This meeting provided an opportunity for peer networking, professional development and support. The group also contributed to developing the LIME work program, including the Critical Reflection Tool and the LIME website. It also talked about the agenda for LIME Connection III to be held in Melbourne in November 2009.

The LIME Network hosted an additional networking opportunity after the meeting with a beautiful performance by Indigenous contemporary Jazz singer Liz Cavanagh and her ensemble (pictured right).

For more information about the LIME project please contact Laura Thompson (LIME Project Officer) by email at <lmt@unimelb.edu.au> or visit our website at <www.limenetwork.net.au>.

Papaarangi Reid, Ian Anderson, Aunty Doreen Wandin-Murphy

Liz Cavanagh and her ensemble

The meeting in full progress

Talkin’ Strong 8

Another Indigenous Public Health Teaching and Learning Forum was convened in Canberra this year by Onemda and the Institute of Koorie Education (IKE) at Deakin University, in association with the Australian Network of Academic Public Health Institutions (ANAPHI). Presenters included Adrian Miller and Jenny Judd from James Cook University, Vanessa Lee from Griffith University, Kate Senior from Menzies School of Health Research, Jo Lander from the University of Sydney, Janice Jessen and Scott Miller from IKE, and Bill Genat from Onemda. Bill also presented a plenary session on the implementation of the Indigenous Public Health Curriculum Framework that has been endorsed by ANAPHI. The curriculum framework is a set of guidelines for the implementation of the six core Indigenous health competencies that are required of every graduate of all Master of Public Health (MPH) programs. During the plenary session, MPH program managers from around the country considered key strategies to ensure the uptake of the framework in their own institutions.

The forum was also an opportunity for a meeting of the Indigenous Public Health Education Network. A new leadership group was formed at the meeting consisting of Francine Eades (Manager, Population Health, Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia), Adrian Miller (James Cook University), Vanessa Lee (Griffith University) and Scott Miller (IKE). The ANAPHI executive agreed to support the network by providing a home and administrative base through its Secretariat. The network will advise ANAPHI on the Indigenous components of the National Quality Framework for public health education. It will also convene future teaching and learning symposia, meetings, national workshops and training sessions.

Indigenous Public Health Teaching and Learning

Forum

National Indigenous Health and New Media Forum The National Indigenous Health and New Media Forum was held in Cairns on 26 September. It focused on content development, application and the delivery of new and existing media for Indigenous health promotion.

Onemda’s Jane Yule, Kate Butler and Nicole McMillan travelled to Cairns for the forum. It was a great opportunity to hear and learn more about the innovative technologies and media being used for Indigenous health, as well as an opportunity to network with other professionals in the field.

Coranderrk FestivalThe 2008 Coranderrk Festival was held in Healesville at the Wandoon estate on Saturday, 16 August. The festival is an annual event to commemorate and preserve Coranderrk’s Aboriginal cultural heritage and to promote awareness of the history of the land and its people. Onemda staff were invited along to the festival to meet with locals and to share information about the work we are doing. Among those who braved the cold and rain were Bill Genat, Paul

Stewart, Cristina Liley, Kate Butler, Ian Anderson, Shaun Ewen and Dick Sloman. They were kept warm by the campfire, sheltered by the sheds and marquees and enjoyed warming soup and hot dogs supplied by the estate. Aunty Doreen (pictured left) welcomed people to country, and Kutcha Edwards and Uncle

Herb Patten entertained guests with songs and gum leaf playing.

Coranderrk and Worawa Aboriginal College day tripPaul Stewart, Bill Genat and Kate Butler went to Coranderrk to visit the Wandoon estate and Worawa Aboriginal College.

Paul, Bill and Kate spoke with Karen Grulke and Aunty Doreen to learn more about the history of Coranderrk, to talk about the Coranderrk festival and to visit significant sites. They also met with Lois Peeler, Principal of Worawa College and toured the college grounds. It was an informative day enjoyed by all. We would like to thank Aunty Doreen, Karen and Lois for sharing their wisdom and time.

Aunty Ruth Bell and Scott Miller

Talkin’ Strong 9

In 2007, Onemda, along with a partnership of Aboriginal community-controlled and mainstream organisations, worked on the design of a Victorian Aboriginal Child Health, Development and Wellbeing Survey (VACHDWS) for the Victorian Government Office for Children. The Office for Children was looking for advice about what sort of information should be part of a survey and the best way to collect it. They wanted to use this to develop services and policies, and to monitor trends in the health of Aboriginal children and young people. We also collected information from Aboriginal communities on what they want from a survey, and what resources and training would be needed for them to participate in a survey and to respond to its results.

Partnership GroupA partnership group was established with representation from Aboriginal peak bodies in the health, education and child care sectors including the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Healt Organisation, the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency, the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Incorporated (VAEAI), the Institute of Koorie Education, the Centre for Community Child Health (Royal Children's Hospital) and Onemda.

Community ConsultationA state-wide community consultation process was implemented to identify Aboriginal priorities for the survey. We met with representatives from more than 20 organisations (most of them Aboriginal community-controlled) around the state. In addition to survey content, there were serious concerns about how data and information from surveys will be used and presented, who will have access to it, what benefits (if any) will arise from it, the associated risks to Aboriginal people and communities, and what control Aboriginal people and organisations will have over the information about Aboriginal children and communities. The importance of local Aboriginal input into analysis, interpretation and reporting of data became clear. Another big issue was the accessibility of local data for service providers to enable them to develop programs, and the need for government to support and resource local communities to achieve this.

Data Stewardship and Survey GovernanceAfter the community consultations, and a review of governance strategies of other Australian and international surveys of Indigenous health, it was evident that the development of a survey would need to include clear recommendations around data stewardship (where an organisation holds data in trust on behalf

of others), data ownership and survey governance. In the end, we recommended that formal protocols should be developed to address the stewardship—and, particularly in the case of Indigenous cultural knowledge, the ownership—of the VACHDWS information. However, this will only work if there are resources and training in the Aboriginal community-controlled sector to help them collect and use health-related data, and the right expertise and cultural respect in mainstream organisations to help them work appropriately with community.

ABS 2008 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social SurveyIn the course of the project, it became apparent that the Australian Bureau of Statistics planned to implement the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey (NATSISS) in the second half of 2008, at a time that closely coincided with the planned VACHDWS. As a result, and because NATSISS covered many of the issues identified in initial consultations as being important for Aboriginal child health, the focus of the project shifted to developing additional content for the Victorian arm of NATSISS in order to address key gaps in the existing survey. The main gaps in NATSISS were culture and identity, self-determination, and carers' aspirations for children, so we worked on developing measures of these issues.

Adolescent Health Survey – Indigenous ModuleThe Victorian Adolescent Health Survey, to be implemented in 2009 by the Centre for Adolescent Health (Royal Children's Hospital), provided an opportunity to survey young Aboriginal people by adding an Indigenous module to that survey. We worked with the VAEAI and the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) to develop specific questions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents. We also included some questions from VAHS’s Young People’s Project. Included in the Indigenous module are questions on self-determination, culture and identity, and aspirations.The school environment is an important influence on children and young people, so describing school programs, how welcoming schools are for Aboriginal students and families, and the Aboriginal content in curriculum will also be important.

If you would like any more information on this project or a copy of the final report, please call Alister Thorpe (03 8344 0640) or Kevin Rowley (03 8344 0814) at Onemda. We would like to thank the many community members who provided advice on survey content and processes.

Designing a Victorian Aboriginal Child Health, Development and

Wellbeing Survey

Talkin’ Strong 10

My name is Anthony Brown, my family history is the Gunditjmara tribe from Warrnambool, Victoria. I was raised in Melbourne with five brothers and attended school at Preston East Primary School and Preston East Technical School.

I completed year 11 and commenced work in the Melbourne Aboriginal community in 1982 at the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) as a field officer. In 1983 I completed the Aboriginal Health Worker program at the Koori Kollij in Collingwood. In 1984 I returned to VAHS as an Aboriginal Health Worker. In 1986 I was appointed the coordinator of the VAHS clinic. In 1988 I became involved with HIV–AIDS and we held state wide education information lectures. I was also the national representative on HIV–AIDS for the National Aboriginal Islander Health Organisation. From 1990 to 1994 I was the deputy Chief Executive Officer at VAHS, and then moved to the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency as the family support coordinator. In 2000 I was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of the Fitzroy Stars gym, where I worked until 2001. At that time, I made the shift to adult mental health were I worked for one year then moved to the Koori Kids Mental Health Unit at VAHS where I have been the coordinator for the past six years.

I have completed many courses to do with mental health, including developmental psychiatry. My current role is to coordinate the Koori Kids Unit and also do intakes on Koori families. Some of my other interests are as radio broadcaster on 3KND (1503am) where I have a morning show from 7 to 9am Monday to Friday and 8 to 10pm on Saturday nights. The aim of the radio programs is to give adolescents a confidence boost through being on radio. I get the kids to report on a subject that they are comfortable with as most of these adolescent kids have special needs.

Anthony recently presented at the ‘Indigenous Social and Emotional Wellbeing: Identity, Culture and Heritage’ forum at the 'From Margins to Mainstream' conference held in Melbourne on 10–12 September (see separate story on page 4).

Community Profile

Kulunga Research Network VisitsOver the past couple of months, we have had two visits from members of the Kulunga Research Network. Kulunga is based at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, in Perth, Western Australia. This dynamic team of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal researchers and staff oversee the Institute's Indigenous maternal and child health projects. Kulunga’s aim is to build capacity in Aboriginal research. It aspires to a model of research and practice that brings together in a research setting the ideas and experiences of Aboriginal communities and the expertise of Aboriginal people.

Onemda received a visit from Gail and Jason Barrow. Gail and Jason are Noongar people, in particular Goreng/Koreng and Wudjari, and their traditional country is the south coast of WA, around the Esperance area. Gail was born in Kalgoorlie and Jason was born in Gnowangerup where his mother’s father was also born.

We would like to thank Jason and Gail for coming over and sharing their ideas and knowledge.

Anthony Brown

Jason Barrow is Senior Research Officer at Kulunga

Gail Barrow is Curriculum Development Officer at Kulunga

Talkin’ Strong 11

New Staff

Odette is the newly appointed Program Manager for the Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education (LIME) Network (www.limenetwork.net.au). She will work with the other members of the LIME team to plan, implement and evaluate strategies to ensure the quality and effectiveness of teaching and learning of Indigenous health in medical education in Australia and New Zealand.

Before this appointment, Odette was the Project Manager and a Research Fellow at the Agreements, Treaties and Negotiated Settlements with Indigenous Peoples in Settler States (ATNS) Project (www.atns.net.au) in the Centre for Health and Society. She has several years experience in managing and contributing to research projects with a focus on issues concerning Indigenous people. Odette holds a Bachelor of Arts and Law and has worked for the Australian Government Solicitor on the Hindmarsh Island Bridge litigation, and for Southern Cross University in the School of Law and Justice. She comes from Adelaide and therefore loves Melbourne, she is also undertaking her Master of Law. Odette can be contacted by email at <omazel@unimelb.edu.au> or by phone on (03) 8344 9160.

Odette MazelNgarra is a Wamba Wamba/Yorta Yorta woman who recently started working as an Administrative Assistant at the Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Tobacco Control (CEITC). Prior to this, Ngarra was Onemda's Project Officer for the 'From Margins to Mainstream'

Conference Project (see story on page 4). Before that, she worked at Museum Victoria and for the Pastor Sir Douglas and Lady Gladys Nicholls Memorial Project. Ngarra can be contacted by email at <nmurray@unimelb.edu.au>.

Ngarra Murray

Terry is currently working as a Project/Research Officer at the Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Tobacco Control. Her job includes nationwide consultation with Indigenous health workers around tobacco control issues. Terry will also be undertaking a PhD at Onemda, looking at workplace stress and coping for the Indigenous health workforce. Her study interests in general have focused around behavioural science and community development.

Terry’s most recent work has been with the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, providing a coordination/support role for the Aboriginal Health Promotion and Chronic Care Partnerships. Other work has included various project, policy and executive support with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission before operations ceased.

Terry has also worked as a disability worker and carer, and in various roles in adult education. She enjoys great times with her family, friends and work colleagues, meeting new people and looks forward to more travelling and good times in the future.

Terry James

Congratulations to Anke van der Sterren and family on the arrival of baby Bridget Elisabeth Pearce on Wednesday 12 November weighing in at a respectable 3.9 kg.

Congratulations

Seasons GreetingsOnemda staff would like to wish you all a safe and happy Christmas and New Year.

Onemda News...

If you would like to receive our newsletters, and to be informed about the workshops, seminars and courses that we run at the Unit, please fill in this form and mail or fax it to the address below. All questions are optional but it would help us to know what aspects of our work you might be most interested in.

PLEASE PRINT

Name: .......................................................Organisation:. ................................................................................................................Address:. ........................................................................................................................................................... Postcode: .............Tel:(....) ..................... Fax:(....) .................Email: .........................................................Are you Koori? Yes No

Do you currently work in a Koori Community organisation? Yes No How would you describe your current area of work or study: ...............................................................................................................

Does your work/study involve any of the following: (Please tick as many as apply) Health service delivery........................ Health policy...................................... Health research.................................. Other research................................... Koori education.................................. Other education................................. Koori Community service..................... Other (Please specify).........................

Do you have any particular interests that we might be able to help you with? (e.g. children’s health, evaluation, research methods, Koori history)....................................................................................................................................

Are

you

on

our m

ailin

g lis

t?

Where you will find us

Onemda VicHealth Koori Health UnitCentre for Health and SocietyMelbourne School of Population HealthLevel 4, 207 Bouverie StreetThe University of MelbourneVictoria 3010 AUSTRALIATel: + 61 3 8344 0813Fax: +61 3 8344 0824Web: www.onemda.unimelb.edu.auEmail: onemda-info@unimelb.edu.auMelways Map Reference: 2B D8