newsletter - aboriginal health council sa · 2019. 4. 3. · newsletter december 2016 celebrating...

Aboriginal Health Councilof South Australia Inc.

newsletter

December 2016

celebrating our nation’s living narrative

culture workshops for GP registrars

family support services achieve positive outcomes

cook off for a healthy lifestyle

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our health, our choice, our way

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Firstly, I’d like to thank our AHCSA Board and staff for their continued commitment and support to our organisation. I would also like to acknowledge our Members and key stakeholders as we continue our journey towards improving Aboriginal health outcomes.

Thank you to all those who attended our Annual NAIDOC Week Open Day on 6 July, to celebrate the living narrative of our nation through stories, art and songs. We were very fortunate to have some amazing artists and speakers attend on the day, to share their culturally rich talents with us. We were especially honoured to include our 2016 AHCSA Health Awards as part of this special event, and in particular the launch of the Inaugural Mary Buckskin Aboriginal Health Worker Female and Male Awards.

I’d like to take this opportunity to again congratulate all of our AHCSA Health Award recipients:

• Outstanding Leadership Excellence Award Uncle Harold Stewart

• Inaugural Mary Buckskin Aboriginal Health Worker Award Female Kerryn Dadleh

• Inaugural Mary Buckskin Aboriginal Health Worker Award Male Damian Rigney

• Outstanding Health Program/ Project Award Rosemary Wanganeen

I would like to welcome everybody to this edition of the AHCSA newsletter. It has been another very busy few months for AHCSA.

message from theCHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Our Board and Member Service CEOs have undertaken a number of key Governance training modules with the Australian Institute of Company of Directors, which have been very well received and keenly attended.

AHCSA continues to maintain relationships with key stakeholders and in particular, this year, the Wardliparingga Aboriginal Research Unit from the SA Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Cancer Council SA, Cancer Australia, both Primary Health Networks Country and Adelaide, Rural Doctors Workforce Agency, Drug and Alcohol Services SA, Mental Health Coalition of SA, GPEx and the Health Performance Council.

AHCSA has liaised closely over several months with representatives from both State and Commonwealth funding bodies to secure funding agreements to ensure that we can continue to support our Members in their delivery of comprehensive primary healthcare to the Aboriginal Community.

The National Peak Body Review is now complete and The Nous Group have provided a Final Report to the Commonwealth Department of Health. We are awaiting the final outcome to be made public shortly. Other noteworthy activities being covered by both the Deputy CEO, Amanda Mitchell and myself have been:

• Our successful Quality Innovation Performance (QIP) accreditation process in June.

• AHCSA’s successful Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations

(ORIC) exemption and our transition to ASIC. This also included Special General Meeting in August where our new AHCSA Constitution as Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia Limited was endorsed.

• Meetings with Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council, Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council and the Institute of Urban Indigenous Health.

• As a NACCHO Board Member, I have attended several Board and strategy meetings since July.

• We have restructured our Finance and the Education, Training and Workforce teams.

• We secured ASQA accreditation 18 months ago and have now successfully completed the AHPRA accreditation process. We are awaiting the outcome of this shortly.

• The Tackling Indigenous Smoking Grant and DSS Grant (Building Safe Communities – research space) have been confirmed.

• National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health Forum held in Brisbane.

• South Australian Aboriginal Health Partnership meetings continue.

• Roundtable with Federal Shadow Health Minister Catherine King and Shadow Assistant Health Minister Tony Zappia; Meeting with Hon Stephen Wade.

• Meeting with Mental Health Commissioner, Chris Burns.

• Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation Manager Projects, Brendan Moran.

• We are really excited about the continuing emergence of new partnership opportunities e.g. Adelaide to Outback General Practice services.

• AHCSA is also busy with its Enterprise Agreement discussions.

In closing, it has been very busy and AHCSA continues to face and overcome many challenges in an ever-changing political environment. Our staff continue to be passionate about their roles and supporting our Members, in any way they can.

I hope you enjoy this edition of the AHCSA newsletter and may I take this opportunity to wish all of our readers a very happy and safe Christmas and New Year period.

Shane MohorChief Executive Officer

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newsletter | December 2016

The Aboriginal Family Support Services (AFSS) program is committed to community safety and wellbeing for Aboriginal people across South Australia, focusing on early intervention and prevention.

It aims to ensure that families are able to deal with life’s challenges, kept safe from violence and harm, and that parents are assisted to make sure children go to school. It provides families with the skills and knowledge they need to grow happy and strong in a safe and healthy environment.

AFSS facilitators are a professional, dedicated and enthusiastic team, delivering established education, awareness and training programs to Aboriginal individuals, groups, families and organisations in Adelaide, Ceduna, Coober Pedy, the Murray Mallee, Port Augusta, Port Lincoln and the Riverland, and in outlying communities across all regions.

So far, three programs have been rolled out and feedback from participants has been really encouraging:

Circle of Security – Parenting

Designed to help parents and carers become more aware of their children’s needs and work out if their responses to their children are meeting those needs.

‘A fantastic program that enables you to really reflect on your child and yourself to create connection and wellbeing.’

‘This helps parents who struggle to be bigger, stronger, wiser.’

The new Aboriginal Family Support Services Community Safety and Wellbeing (CSW) program has only been up and running for a year but is already achieving positive outcomes for the Aboriginal community members who have taken part in the various programs.

Community Safety and WellbeingOFF TO A FLYING START

Get in touch with the team to find out more about how CSW can help your clients, or if you would like to take part in programs yourself, to gain practical life skills to help you grow as a parent and be of benefit to your family and your community.

For more information, please contact, The Aboriginal Family Support ServicesSmithfield 08 8254 1077 Port Augusta 08 8641 0907 Port Lincoln 08 8683 1909or email [email protected].

We look forward to hearing from you!

In good hands...The Smithfield Community and Safety Wellbeing team, from left: Charmayne Stenhouse (Coordinator),

Cara O’Donnell, Arnold Bonilla, Joy Makepeace and Jasila Jehangir.

Seasons for Healing

An awareness and education program to help communities to manage grief and loss. The program has been specially adapted for AFSS, in consultation with Good Grief Ltd and the Healing Foundation.

Healthy Homes and Resilient Families

Communities learn about budgeting, nutrition and cooking. This program aims to give participants and their families practical ways to manage money and to ensure that they are making healthy food choices.

‘We all learnt from each other and Jasila and Joy as Facilitators explained things well. The group was comfortable, easy to get along with and I totally enjoyed the DVD (That Sugar Film).’


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The Open Day committee worked very hard to ensure that the day would be filled with fun and educational activities with stories, artwork, basket weaving and singing that reflected the National NAIDOC week theme of Songlines: The living narrative of our nation. It was a wonderful experience for all of the visitors to AHCSA.

The Committee also organised for special shirts to be printed for the occasion and staff on the day and since the event, have been seen in the bright blue shirts. These were inspired by the colours from the 2016 NAIDOC Week posters, which were blue, green and white.

Once everyone in attendance was seated, the event began with Taylor Power welcoming everyone to Country on behalf of her mother, Aunty Katrina Power. Our resident MC, Garry Goldsmith was able to keep everyone entertained between welcoming our guests to the stage and keeping us on schedule. In between, we had an address from our CEO Shane Mohor, our storytellers and the Award Ceremony.

On Wednesday 6 July AHCSA held its first NAIDOC Open Day in their new building at 220 Franklin Street in Adelaide.

AHCSA NAIDOC Open DayPresenters

• Allan Sumner Story and Song

• Eddie Peters Dance and Song

• Aunty Stephanie Gollan Story and Artwork

Artist Lani Balzan Artwork Songlines Tie all Aboriginal People together

Songlines – The living narrative of our nationFor Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the Dreamtime describes a time when the earth, people and animals were created by our ancestral spiritual beings. They created the rivers, lakes, plants, land formations and living creatures. Dreaming tracks crisscross Australia and trace the journeys of our ancestral spirits as they created the land, animals and lores. These dreaming tracks are sometimes called ‘Songlines’ as they record the travels of these ancestral spirits who ‘sang’ the land into life.

These Songlines are recorded in traditional songs, stories, dance and art. They carry significant spiritual and cultural connection to knowledge, customs, ceremony and lore of many Aboriginal nations and Torres Strait Islander language groups. Songlines are intricate maps of land, sea and country. They describe travel and trade routes, the location of waterholes and the presence of food. In many cases, Songlines on the earth are mirrored by sky Songlines, which allowed people to navigate vast distances of this nation and its waters.

Outstanding achievement... Kerryn Dadleh, Jacinta McKenzie on behalf of Damian Rigney, Uncle Harold Stewart and Rosemary Wanganeen.

ARTISTS showcase their workAs part of the festivities, we

were fortunate to have an artists’

showcase, featuring work from

Felicia Wilson, Audrey Brumby,

Allan Sumner, and jewellery from

Aunty Stephanie Gollan.

Vicki Hartman was available

to provide some weaving

demonstrations for everyone and

Miraede Bhatia entertained the

children with face painting.


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AHCSA NAIDOC Awards Ceremony

This year, we decided it was timely to continue with the AHCSA NAIDOC Awards, which began in 2013. It was also an opportunity to honour our former CEO, Mary Buckskin with two awards bearing her name: the Inaugural Mary Buckskin Aboriginal Health Worker Award Female and Male Awards. There were a total of four categories and awards presented:

2016 AHCSA Health Awards

• Outstanding Leadership Excellence Award Uncle Harold Stewart Sponsored by NDA Law

• Inaugural Mary Buckskin Aboriginal Health Worker Award Female Kerryn Dadleh Sponsored by Adelaide PHN

• Inaugural Mary Buckskin Aboriginal Health Worker Award Male Damian Rigney Sponsored by Adelaide PHN

• Outstanding Health Program/ Project Award Rosemary Wanganeen Sponsored by Rural Doctors Workforce Agency

After the formalities and presentations, guests were invited to stay on for informal networking and activities and to visit the various artists as well as have a health check in the Simulated Learning Environment with staff and Aboriginal Health Worker students.

We would like to thank and acknowledge the Buckskin family, Professor Peter Buckskin, Peter Buckskin Junior, Lorraine Buckskin,

Denise Karpany and Haymish Smith, for attending our Open Day and for presenting the Inaugural Mary Buckskin Aboriginal Health Worker Female and Male Health Awards. These honour our former leader, mentor and close friend, the late Mrs Mary Buckskin, for her contribution to AHCSA, our Members and Aboriginal health. These Awards recognise and continue the legacy that Mary started as a nurse, midwife and leader in Aboriginal health.

For the first time, the event was filmed to showcase the wonderful day and we were fortunate to have Edoardo Crismani work with our staff to create a memento which is now featured on our website and facebook pages. Thank you to Ed and Mary-Anne Williams for capturing the people, sounds and rooms for us to view as well as interviews with Shane and our Chairperson, John Singer. It wonderfully captures our building so everyone can see where we make it all happen. We also acknowledge the extended time it takes to edit two day’s worth of filming to produce a short video too. Thank you also to Elisa Cordova for taking photos on the day. These are featured with this article.

We would like to thank everyone for attending this fantastic day and thank you to staff for their contribution and support as well as our Award sponsors for their continued support of AHCSA. Our final thanks goes to the Department of Premier and Cabinet, particularly to Julie Gregory for their contribution to the event.

We look forward to our next AHCSA NAIDOC Open Day and we hope to see you there.


Over the past year, GPEx has held four Aboriginal Health and Culture workshops in semester one and a fifth in semester two. All workshops were held in Adelaide at the Living Kaurna Cultural Centre and Warriparinga Wetlands in Bedford Park, Tauondi College in Port Adelaide and Nunkuwarrin Yunti Incorporated. These venues offered the ideal platform for GPEx to provide cultural immersion sessions to the GP registrars, equipping them with specific Aboriginal health information and tools to take back to their practices.

At each Aboriginal Health and Culture workshop, GPEx covered various topics from a cultural perspective to a clinical perspective. Aboriginal guest speakers were invited to present on a range of topics from grief and loss, Stolen Generation and other topics that will assist the registrars when working with Aboriginal patients.

As part of our ongoing commitment to Aboriginal Health, GPEx facilitated two-day Aboriginal Health and Culture workshops for all new registrars undertaking the General Practice (GP) training program in South Australia.

ONGOING COMMITMENT to Aboriginal Health

Workshop Structure

On day one of the workshop, registrars participate in a variety of cultural activities, which include:

• Nature walks, during which the guide informs registrars about bush tucker and bush medicines used pre-colonisation.

• Basket weaving, with an excellent presentation from the Southern Women’s Elders Group about the techniques and history of basket weaving.

• Spear and boomerang throwing demonstrations, with discussions around the purpose of these practices.

• Talking circles to encourage participants to discuss their own cultures with their peers.

Day two of the workshop focuses on the clinical aspects of Aboriginal health and the complexities that the registrars can encounter during their careers. The registrars participate in group discussions about Aboriginal health statistics, social determinants of health and take part in a registrar challenge.

For the registrar challenge, participants are given Aboriginal health case scenarios to work through to determine short and long term patient management plans using the information and resources provided.

Workshops Well Received

The registrars are encouraged to evaluate the activities undertaken and provide feedback. The overall feedback has been very positive with registrars feeling that the workshops provided more than they expected:

‘How inclusive it was – great feel to the days and very constructive.’

‘I have been to many cultural awareness workshops over the past 10 years in the fields of health and education. This was the best. It was the first workshop that I thought was inclusive and welcoming rather than creating a divide or us and them mentality. I have come away with a sense of shared history.’

‘Getting to know more about the background, cultural aspect of Aboriginal People. Understanding the bigger picture and developing better medical practice to cater to Aboriginal People.’

The Plan for Next Year

The GPEx Aboriginal Health team will now be reviewing the workshops undertaken this year, with the aim of delivering a more comprehensive and interactive Aboriginal Health and Culture Workshop experience for the 2017 cohort of GP registrars.

Unfortunately, a two-day workshop is not enough to cover off the many important topics and resources that the registrars could benefit from in their working careers. From these workshops GPEx hopes that the registrars seek further education and information that will help contribute to better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Cultural enrichment... Basket weaving provides the perfect opportunity for registrars to share their stories.

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It is also clear that children who endure stressful experiences during childhood can also do very well, despite having these challenges.

The Childhood Resilience Study is a five year study that aims to develop a clearer understanding of how and why this happens, and in particular, how children can grow up to be strong and resilient, in spite of any trauma experienced early on.

The study is being conducted by researchers in the Healthy Mothers Healthy Families Research Group at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute in Melbourne, in partnership with AHCSA, and the Wadja Aboriginal Family Place at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.

In the first stage of the study, the research group asked health workers, parents,

carers and children in Aboriginal and other families what they think contributes towards children growing up to be strong and resilient.

They spoke to Aboriginal families in South Australia and Victoria, families of refugee backgrounds, and families with a sick child attending the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne.

This information has been used to develop a questionnaire that asks about a variety of different factors that might contribute towards children growing up strong and resilient.

The questionnaire explores strengths and vulnerabilities within the child themselves, as well as in their family, friends and community. It also delves into the child’s connections to their culture.

There is significant evidence to show that trauma and stress impact on children’s health and wellbeing, and can have enduring consequences throughout their lives.

A SOCIAL IMPACT ON CHILDREN’S Health and Wellbeing The research group is currently testing

the Childhood Resilience Questionnaire with over 400 parents, carers, children and teachers – including Aboriginal children and families, refugee families and those with a sick child.

In the final phase of the study, the research group will develop and test the questionnaire in a digital or tablet format, to make it more accessible and allow for a wider test group.

The Childhood Resilience Questionnaire will have many practical applications. Importantly, it will help Aboriginal health workers to understand more about how children can grow up strong.

It could also be used by services, schools and other community organisations running programs to support children and families to test whether or not their programs are working and making a positive contribution towards helping children to grow up strong and resilient.

To find out more about the study, please contact Karen Glover at SAHMRI e: [email protected]

The families and workers the research group spoke to had no trouble revealing the contributing factors that they believe help children to grow up strong. Some of the things they talked about were:

• Learning from Elders, family and friends

• Teaching kids that it’s okay to make mistakes

• Telling and sharing stories

• Respecting where people come from and that there are different ways of doing things

• Having a cultural identity

• Education

• Strong communities

• Being a ‘little fighter’ (inner strength)

• Kids being able to speak for themselves.

feedback

We can all be ‘Puyu Blasters’. Each of us has the capacity to make a difference towards improving the lives of the people around us.

Over the last several months, AHCSA’s Puyu Blaster representatives have been meeting with various mobs to plan and undertake tackling smoking activities. We have also been busy developing resources and planning for networking across the state.

Key activities have included:

• Meeting with the Aboriginal Sobriety Group (ASG) and Country Health SA Local Health Network (CHSALHN) staff in the Riverland to plan future opportunities.

• Attending the Barmera Family Fun Run to deliver anti-smoking messages to kids.

• Supporting the Umoona Tjutagku Health Service Aboriginal Corporation’s COBRA bike ride around Kangaroo Island.

• Meeting with CHSALHN staff on the Yorke Peninsula to discuss future opportunities.

• Engaging with CHSALHN staff in Oodnadatta to plan support for youth programs there and plan for opportunities to work with the community around tackling smoking.

• Attending the SA Aboriginal Football and Netball carnival in Port Augusta.

Building on the BRANDThe AHCSA Tackling Indigenous Smoking programme has new branding: Puyu Blasters - Don’t make smokes our story. This branding builds upon the previous Puyu Blaster hero character to recognise that we can all be heroes in our community, when it comes to tackling smoking.

Keeping track... The Tackling Smoking Magazine celebrates the road we have travelled from the early days to our current Tackling Indigenous Smoking Programme.

Leading from the front... TIS Youth Project Officer, Trent Wingard, sets a good example.

Tackling Indigenous Smoking Programme


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The Puyu Blasters team has also been working on its skills development with 4WD training, Quitskills training, monitoring and evaluation training and ‘Training’ training!

Recruitment for the regional TIS positions is also advancing with new positions taken up in Whyalla, Yalata and Port Lincoln. We welcome Zena Wingfield from Nunyara Aboriginal Health Service, Walter Champion at Tullawon Health Service, and Ky Miller from Port Lincoln Aboriginal Health Service.

To assist with communication, the team is using the Puyu Blaster Facebook page to provide updates on activity and general information. The Puyu blasters website will be up and running shortly, and you can currently register interest by visiting the site and subscribing via email.

This website will provide information for smokers, family and friends of smokers, and people working with those who are seeking to stop smoking. As it develops, we will be looking to use the website to help plan events and further meet the needs of the community.

Nunyara Aboriginal Health Service Inc. had a recruitment drive for a Tackling Indigenous Smoking Project Officer during the month of August. The position is one of a handful throughout the state being funded by AHCSA. The Nunyara Board are happy to announce that Zena Wingfield was appointed in the position, and she commenced with Nunyara at the end of September.

Previously, Zena has acted in the Manager Aboriginal Health CHSALHN position, undertaken Project /Promotions and Aboriginal Liaison work for Whyalla Hospital, been a Project Facilitator for UniSA in the Shape Up for LIFE Program, and worked for five years as an Aboriginal Community Education Officer within DECD.

Zena has completed her Cert III in Aboriginal Primary Health Care and has undertaken both the Flinders and Stanford Models of Chronic Disease Self Management. Zena is currently the SA Aboriginal Education and Training Consultative Council Director, and the Chair of the Whyalla High School Governing Committee in voluntary capacities.

Zena is responsible for delivering a culturally appropriate smoking cessation and referral program to individuals, promote smoke free workplaces and homes, and to work in conjunction with local, regional and statewide stakeholders to advocate and promote community understanding of the benefits of smoke-free environments. Zena will provide a high standard of care for individuals, and network across organisations to implement, promote, and improve on existing smoke- free strategies.

Zena can be contacted at Nunyara Aboriginal Health Service Inc, located in Tully Street, Whyalla, call her on 8649 9900, or email: [email protected]

In late October, there was a State workshop facilitated by the National Best Practice Unit, a mob set up to support all the Tackling Indigenous Smoking Programmes across the country. This brought together the three programmes funded in South Australia, AHCSA, Nunkuwarrin Yunti Incorporated and Pangula Mannamurrna Aboriginal Corporation, to share stories and build upon the previous work undertaken.

Prior to this workshop, AHCSA brought its programme together to undertake regional planning of activities, resources and networking. Both these events should help strengthen the programme over time.

If you would like to contact the AHCSA Puyu Blasters you can find us by these means: Phone: 08 8273 7200 (ask for the TIS team)Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PuyuBlastersAHCSA/

New TIS Officer APPOINTED

Sense of achievement... Our team completes the COBRA bike ride around Kangaroo Island.

Follow us... Keep up-to-date with all the latest Puyu Blaster news and activities on our

dedicated Facebook page.


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Not only do they know how to make food taste great, but they know why it’s good for you too. Certificate III and IV Primary Health Care students put their nutrition theory knowledge to the test recently during a parody of the popular television cooking competition My Kitchen Rules (MKR). Three teams had two hours to prepare two recipes from AHCSA’s Keep It Corka - 20 Healthy Feeds Cook Book.

AHCSA staff got to taste and judge these delicious recipes. Educators, Mary-Anne Williams and Christine Fraser from AHCSA might not have Manu Feidel’s French charm, or Colin Fassnidge’s gorgeous Irish accent but their palates are just as discerning as they sampled the offerings and coaxed their students along.

Creations were marked on nutritional value, presentation, taste, team work and hygiene. The work-weary chefs were pushed to the same extremes as the real

‘My Kitchen Rules’ INAUGURAL COOK OFF Move over all you reality-show celebrity chefs, because the AHCSA Certificate III and IV Primary Health care students are now the kings and queens of cuisine.

No pressure, no diamonds.... Primary healthcare students demonstrate excellent

practical use of their nutrition theory.

MKR stars as they were grilled on information about their dishes such as whether their meals were affordable, achievable, accessible, nutritious and healthy.

The competition was tough and with just a one-vote lead, the red team won the cook off. Congratulations to Raymond Wanganeen, Kinglsey Bilney and Ella Weetra.

Unfortunately for the proud winners, the similarities to MKR diverged at the end for there was no $250,000 cash prize. Just a big pat on the back and some great cooking resources!

URBAN NATURE connecting us to countryAHCSA’s gardens in and around our Franklin street building have really started to flourish. The nature areas were designed and installed by Programmed Property Services earlier this year. The objective of the garden was to provide a connection to country by the use of native plants that not only looked appealing but also had special significance.

Landscape theme and symbolism

These plants have been used throughout Aboriginal culture for making medicine, food and art. The plants also have contrasting foliage and flowers to attract bird life, and the introduction of some natural elements, such as rocks, logs and pebbles further assists with the storytelling of the landscape.

Some of the plants found in the garden include:

• Aussie Flat Bush Rhagodia Spinescans

• Kangaroo Grass Themeda Triandra

• Emu Bush Eremophila

• Sweet Apple Berry Billardiera Cymosa

• Purple Coral Pea Hardenbergia Violacea

• Cape Barren Tea Correa Alba

• Pale Flax Lily Dianella Longifolia

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Cancer has become the second leading cause of mortality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations. Around 55% of our people are under 25 years old and this population is increasing. Yet, until now little has been done to engage young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the conversation about how best to address this disparity.

Adolescence and young adulthood are critical developmental periods where our young people often present with unique challenges. Without adequate education and support, a diagnosis of cancer can lead to high levels of distress and unmet needs. The Cancer Data and Aboriginal Disparities project (CanDAD) collected stories in South Australia from Aboriginal people with experience of cancer, family members and health service providers.

These stories highlighted that young people sharing details of their cancer experiences with family and community was uncommon, and concerns about access, inflexibility and institutionalised racism in mainstream health systems were common. Young survivors faced similar challenges to non-Indigenous peers, though experienced the added strain of isolation from country/community and the use of traditional healing/medicines. Challenges of parenting young children while managing cancer were also raised. Parents also reported a lack of accessible information and support when their adolescent or young adult child was diagnosed.

Kyran Dixon (23), is a proud Narungga and Kaurna man from Adelaide, South Australia and is the youngest member of the CanDAD Aboriginal Community Reference Group and a founding member of the Aboriginal Youth Cancer Advisory Group. He is a recent graduate of the University of Adelaide, where for four

years, he studied International Politics. Kyran is also a passionate sportsman, currently representing the Port Adelaide Football Club in the SANFL. In 2014, Kyran was diagnosed with an aggressive form of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), for which he underwent eight months of intense treatment. He responded well to treatment, and just eight months after being diagnosed with cancer, he returned to playing football.

This December, cancer researchers and service providers from the UK, Australia and the USA are meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland for the Teenage Cancer Trust’s 9th International Conference and first Global Adolescents and Young Adults Cancer Congress. One of the aims of this Congress is to create the first ‘Global Adolescents and Young Adults Cancer Accord’.

Disparities have been found around the world in the cancer experiences and outcomes of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. When compared to other Australians, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are entering the health system with more advanced and more severe types of cancers.

ADDRESSING CANCER DISPARITIES IN OUR POPULATION

Time to listen to the VOICES OF OUR YOUTH

This gathering presents a rare opportunity for Aboriginal voices to be heard in a global context, both through sharing learnings from the CanDAD project stories and through Kyran sharing his firsthand experiences. Senior members of the CanDAD Aboriginal Community Reference Group have been raising funds for Kyran to attend this conference and would like to sincerely thank the Port Adelaide Football Club and other individuals who made this possible through their generous donations.

If you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait person living in SA or the NT, aged between 12 and 24 years old, and you or a close family member have experienced cancer, we would love to hear from you. For more information about joining the Aboriginal Youth Cancer Advisory Group please contact Bec from CanTeen on 8122 6496 or email her at [email protected].

Young cancer survivor... Kyran Dixon is a passionate advocate working towards improving the experiences of Aboriginal people affected by cancer.

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Wardliparingga Aboriginal Research Unit has developed a suite of Master Classes for policy makers, managers and practitioners working within the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health sector.

One of the primary aims of these Master Classes is to ensure that research contributes to improving healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The informal two day face-to-face format encourages participants to ask questions specific to their particular needs as well as develop practical skills which can be used within their organisation. All Master Classes are supported by study guides and links to further electronic resources, and are delivered on site.

The following Master Classes are currently available:

• Understanding Research

• Undertaking Research

• Evaluation

If you think your ACCHO may be interested in participating in a Case Study or in one of our Research Master Classes, please email [email protected] or call Karen Laverty on 08 8128 4251 to find out more.

Aboriginal Health Councilof South Australia Inc. newsletter | December 2016


220 Franklin Street, Adelaide South Australia 5061

T 08 8273 7200 F 08 8273 7299 E [email protected]

www.ahcsa.org.au

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Are you proud of what your Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation is achieving and would you like to share this with others in the sector?

AHCSA is currently inviting Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, who believe that their service excels in any of the following areas, to participate in a case study:

• Service delivery

• Sustainable funding

• Health promotion

• Governance

• Workforce

• Accreditation

• Defining outcomes

• Quality improvement

• Aged care services

• Social determinants of health

Each case study site will be provided with a tailored report, evidence briefs and information brochures that could be used to advocate for and promote their work more broadly. Findings from these case studies will in turn contribute to the development of ‘A Framework to assist Aboriginal Health Services to develop Best Practice Models of primary healthcare service delivery’.

creative research opportunities BEST PRACTICE CASE STUDY

This Framework could then be used as an advocacy tool when discussing the unique and important ways in which ACCHOs contribute to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal people.

This study is being conducted by the Centre of Research Excellence in Aboriginal Chronic Disease Knowledge Translation and Exchange (CREATE), based at Wardliparingga Aboriginal Research Unit.

If you would like to find out more information, please email [email protected] or, call Karen Laverty 08 8128 4251.

RESEARCH Master Classes

newsletter - aboriginal health council sa · 2019. 4. 3. · newsletter december 2016 celebrating...

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