Wellness Dreaming Project - A Koolin Balit Initiative

Wellness Dreaming – Artwork by Ngardarb Riches

Project Aims

• build capacity of Indigenous and non-Indigenous workforce in the North West

Metropolitan Region (NWMR) to work in inter-sectoral partnerships to improve

outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community

• Foster the strengths of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to enable

local, community-led, culturally appropriate action for wellbeing

• Develop, train and promote a strengths based approach with all stakeholders

Background

Koolin Balit means healthy people in Boonwurrung language and is the name given to the whole of

Victorian Government’s strategic directions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people until 2022 and

underpins the health objectives of the Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Framework (2013 – 2018). The

Wellness Dreaming Project is a Koolin Balit initiative, developed and implemented by cohealth.

Capitalising on cohealth’s leadership of the Healthy Together Victoria (HTV) Health Champions Project - a

Department of Health prevention initiative – the Wellness Dreaming Project will draw upon this experience

and other strength based models and work in partnership with communities, local agencies and the

Aboriginal Community Controlled sector to adapt and create initiatives to improve wellbeing within

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Long Term

Outcomes

GoalLocal Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the North West Metropolitan Region are supported

to become active in the holistic health and well-being of their communities.

Maximum community

participation and control

Wellness Dreaming Project Step-by-StepMay 2015

Intermediate

Outcomes

Activities

Principles

2 Project officersInputs

Works in partnershipSupports existing and

developing leadership Enables change Strengths focussed

Short Term

Outcomes

Outputs

WDMs identify opportunities to facilitate

Wellness Dreaming sessions in community

and workplaces

Inter-sectoral

relationships

developed

between

agency staff

Agency staff trained as

Wellness Dreaming

Messengers (WDM)

Form

advisory

group

Recruit agency staff

to participate in

Wellness Dreaming

Deliver 1-2 iterations

of Wellness Dreaming

Messenger training

DHHS Funding

Develop Wellness

Dreaming materials

and resources

Commitment from

agencies

Advisory group

oversees model

development

Wellness Dreaming model determined

and training developed

Wellness Dreaming materials, resources and

branding developed

Agency staff time

Increase in agencies

working together

inter-sectorally

WDMs have

increased

knowledge

of and skills

in strength

based

approaches

Cross sector

networks formed

& strengthened

WDMs have

understanding

of the impact

of sectoral

service

provision on the

community

WDMs have

increased

knowledge &

understanding of

the Aboriginal

and Torres Strait

Islander

community in

the NWMR

Advisory Group

Support Wellness

Dreaming

Messengers

Connections

are made

between

WDMs and

community

members

WDMs have

greater

understanding

& connection

to land and

culture

WDMs influence change in

their home agencies

Participating agencies have increased commitment and capacity to use strength based and

empowerment approaches to:• Support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to become active in the holistic health and well-

being of their communities.• Provide culturally responsive services to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

Short-term

outcomes

TBC

based on

learning

outcomes

from

training

WELLNESS DREAMING PROJECT TEAM (Located at cohealth, 72 Paisley Street, Footscray)

Karen Ingram joined Doutta Galla Community Health (DGCH) in 2007 as Health

Promotion Officer and was a founding member of the DGCH Reconciliation Working

Group and has been passionate and pro-active in her contributions in developing

Reconciliation Action Plans for DGCH and cohealth. As a member of the Inner North

West Primary Care Partnership (INWPCP) Close the Health Gap Wellbeing Partnership

Karen collaborated with partners to develop the Collecting Indigenous Status Training

Package, now a key resource for Koolin Balit initiatives across NWMR. Last year she

presented ‘Pathway to Reconciliation – reconciling attitudes and approaches of inner-

urban community health to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’

at the Australian Health Promotion Association conference Equity in the Centre.

Ph: 8398 4151 Karen.Ingram@cohealth.org.au

Nellie Flagg (nee Taylor /Charles) is a descendant and Traditional landowner of Wemba

Wemba, Dja Wurrung and Boonwurrung. Nellie has worked for and with Aboriginal

people for over 30 years in many different roles within State and Commonwealth

government agencies as well as community organisations. These include the

Department of Health, Health and Family Services, the Department of Education,

VACCHO, Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative (Administrator), the Department of

Justice and the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service. During this time, Nellie has had the

opportunity to meet people from all walks of life and has built up a great, respectful

relationship with people all over Australia. Nellie is proud of who she is and where she

has come from. Ph: 8398 4114 Nellie.Flagg@cohealth.org.au

WELLNESS DREAMING ADVISORY GROUP (WDAG)

An enthusiastic group of thirteen Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal staff from agencies and

community members are members of the WDAG. Agencies represented include; cohealth,

Care Connect, Dianella Community Health, Western Health, Sunshine Hospital, Australian

College of Opteometry, Health West, Victoria University, City of Whittlesea, Brimbank City

Council and Dept Environment, Land, Water & Planning. The group will oversee the the

development of the project’s training program and development of resources in a series of

workshops and meetings held between April and October 2015.

AGENCY PARTNERS

Agencies from health, justice, education, sport, community and Aboriginal controlled

sectors will be engaged in the Wellness Dreaming Project to improve their reach and

outcomes with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the North West Metro

Region, specifically Wyndham, Melton, Sunbury, Hume and Whittlesea. Agencies will

commit to resourcing selected staff who have a self-determined level of cultural

competence to attend Wellness Dreaming Messenger training and for same staff to be

enabled to conduct Deadly Dreaming Circles with clients and community members.

WELLNESS DREAMING MESSENGERS

Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff from mainstream and Aboriginal controlled

organisations will be trained as Wellness Dreaming Messengers which will equip them with

knowledge and skills to facilitate Deadly Dreaming Circles in community settings for clients

and community members. Wellness Dreaming’s strenth-based principles can also inform

workplace practice beyond Deadely Dreaming Circles.

DEADLY DREAMING CIRCLES

Deadly Dreaming Circles will be held within existing groups and networks in community

based settings in the NWMR. Trained Wellness Dreaming Messengers will support

community members to explore and improve holistic wellbeing of themselves and their

families by drawing upon their culture, knowledge and experiences.

If you are interested in training as a Wellness Dreaming Messenger and/or if you would like more information,

contact Karen or Nellie.

contact Karen or Nellie.

ADVISORY GROUP

cohealth

Koolin Balit

Project Lead

cohealth

Koolin Balit

Project Officer

A

G

E

N C

I

E

S

Staff trained as Wellness Dreaming Messengers

WDM Training WDM Training WDM Training

Wellness Dreaming Project Framework

Deadly

Dreaming

Circles

Deadly

Dreaming

Circles

Deadly

Dreaming

Circles

Deadly

Dreaming

Circles