Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences
Reconciliation Action Plan: A Progress Report About the artwork
The Wurundjeri people used fi re to manage the land and to promote new growth that would provide the right conditions for particular tuberous plants to grow, such as Myrnong (or yam daisy). As a principal part of the diet, Myrnong was intensely harvested and used as both a root vegetable and herb, which contributed to a good diet and good health.
But once European settlers arrived, heavy stock grazing marked the rapid decline of the Myrnong, among other plants, hinting at the health ramifi cations that were to come. Despite this decline, the Myrnong has survived under the harshest of conditions in selected areas or as seedlings in Indigenous nurseries.
This image depicts the Myrnong fl ower, which represents Aboriginal health, development and knowledge. The background design represents the intergenerational knowledge that forms our thinking about health and wellbeing. The fl ower is growing in a basket that is being embraced and nurtured, representing a renewal of culture and knowledge.
Shawana Andrews Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences
Reconciliation Action Plan: A Progress Report © Copyright is held by the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne.
ISBN 978 0 7340 4829 5
This work is copyright. It may be reproduced in whole or in part for study or training purposes, or by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community organisations subject to an acknowledgment of the source and no commercial use or sale. Reproduction for other purposes or by other organisations requires the written permission of the copyright holder.
For more information contact: Associate Professor Shaun Ewen Associate Dean (Indigenous Development) Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences The University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010 AUSTRALIA E: [email protected]
Ms Kristi Roberts Indigenous Development Offi cer Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences The University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010 AUSTRALIA T: +61 3 9035 7657 E: [email protected]
Managing Editor: Jane Yule Design and Print: Inprint | Design
Acknowledgments The Indigenous Development team would like to acknowledge the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences (MDHS) Advancement and Communications Unit and MDHS Human Resources for their valuable contribution both in assisting us with this publication and their ongoing support of our work.
Note on terminology Our contributors to this report have used various terms for Australia’s First Peoples – ‘Aboriginal’, ‘Koori’, ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’, and ‘Indigenous’ – all of which are particular to the context in which they are used. Welcome: Aunty Joan Vickery AO Patron, Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit
I have been involved for more than a decade with education as a pathway into a professional the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health career. I believe we should see our engagement Sciences (MDHS) through my work with Onemda, with the University as a place where our young along with my fellow Patrons – Uncle Kevin people can still be themselves but can learn and Coombs OAM and Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin AO work alongside others – integrated but NOT – whose contribution I would like to recognise. assimilated. What I mean by this is that we need to recognise and celebrate our culture and diversity, Community development has been the bedrock but we also need to retain our identity within that of Onemda’s work, and our staff there have been environment. educating others in the Faculty for a while now about our way of doing things. It’s great to see The building of strong partnerships ensures the Faculty, and the University more generally, positive outcomes for Indigenous students, and I embracing some of our protocols and processes commend the Faculty both for its work in this area, into the way they do business. and for its continuing commitment to the health and wellbeing of our people. The University’s Reconciliation Action Plan marks a new beginning for our people to look at higher
Aunty Joan Vickery AO is a Patron at Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit and a member of the Elders Panel at Murrup Barak. A Gunditjmara woman from the Western district of Victoria, she has worked for the Koori community for more than 40 years – particularly in health. Photo courtesy of Onemda
iii Foreword: Professor James Angus AO Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences
It gives me enormous pleasure to present the first Since the appointment of Associate Professor progress report on the Reconciliation Action Plan Shaun Ewen as our inaugural Associate Dean (RAP) for the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and (Indigenous Development), we have progressed Health Sciences. The purpose of the publication is the development and implementation of to highlight the work of our Faculty in the critical the Faculty’s own Reconciliation Action Plan. area of Indigenous development and how we are As the largest and most complex faculty in aligning with the broader University’s RAP, and the University, it is essential that our RAP is to encourage further action by drawing on the successfully implemented and embraced by all examples presented. our professional and academic staff.
The process of developing and implementing the Already, we are making a positive contribution to RAP has been an opportunity for the University Indigenous development through the exceptional as a whole to reflect upon its contribution to work achieved by various centres, departments, Indigenous development in Australia. The schools and institutes supported by the University’s coordinated approach to Indigenous Indigenous Development team, Human Resources development is overseen by Murrup Barak, and the Advancement and Communications team. Melbourne Institute for Indigenous Development, led by Professor Ian Anderson, the Faculty’s I hope that you will refer to this report and support inaugural Chair of Indigenous Health. The Faculty the University’s commitment to the Reconciliation has recently appointed its second Chair, Professor Action Plan. We are committed to making a Kerry Arabena, Australia’s first female Torres Strait positive contribution to the development of a Islander professor. robust Indigenous health workforce and improved health and wellbeing for all Australians.
Professor James Angus, Professor James Best, Professor Ian Anderson, Associate Professor Shaun Ewen, Professor Margaret Shiell (Provost) and Professor Marcia Langton at the ceremony to celebrate MDHS gifting the Possum Skin Cloak to the University, September 2012. Photo by Michael Silver
iv Introduction: Associate Professor Shaun Ewen Associate Dean (Indigenous Development), Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences
The Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences reached a significant milestone in its implementation of a Reconciliation Action Plan with the establishment of the first Associate Dean (Indigenous Development) position in Australia in 2010. Since taking up this position, I have been incredibly well supported by my fellow members of the Faculty Executive Committee, as well as my long-serving colleagues at the Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit. Specifically, day-to-day support in the implementation and development of initiatives of the RAP is Ms Kristi Roberts, Indigenous Development Officer whose contribution has been outstanding.
This report mirrors the six key action areas that make up the University’s RAP, and highlights the work of Faculty staff or students in each section. These action areas are: • Indigenous Student Recruitment and Kristi Roberts and Shaun Ewen Retention (pp. 5–8) • Teaching and Learning Strategies (pp. 9–13) • Research (pp. 14–20) shape and develop a Faculty vision on Indigenous • Indigenous Staff Employment (pp. 21–24) development. If we were to establish rankings • Partnerships (pp. 25–29) in regards to the Academy and Indigenous • Cultural Recognition (pp. 30–32) development, we want to be, like we are in so many other parts of our endeavour, at the top of Our Faculty is able to draw upon great diversity those rankings. of expertise and knowledge – which also presents us with great opportunity for further Much work has been done, but much remains development and innovation. Already so to do. We need to leverage the experience and much has been achieved, and this publication expertise of our Indigenous-specific programs, highlights the ground-breaking and ongoing work mentioned above, to the breadth of enterprise carried out within the Faculty, in particular, by undertaken by the Faculty. In so doing, we will not Onemda, the Centre for Excellence in Indigenous only be a great health precinct, but also a uniquely Tobacco Control, the Indigenous Eye Health Australian one. Unit, and the Australian Indigenous Studies Professorial Program – all situated in the School It is my hope that this document ages quickly, of Population and Global Health (MSPGH) – and and that our growth in all six ‘action areas’ of by the Melbourne Medical School’s Rural Health the Reconciliation Action Plan is such that our Academic Centre (see pp. 2–4). next progress report – while building upon this wonderful foundation – contains a plethora of This report aims to be informative, inspirational initiatives and innovations in this vital area of health. and part of an iterative process to help further
1 Indigenous Programs in the Faculty
Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit Aboriginal knowledge on health and wellbeing, Onemda adopts Aboriginal community values The Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit of consultation in its approach to research, (Onemda), originally named the VicHealth Koori community work, and teaching and learning. Health Research and Community Development Unit, was one of the first integrated Indigenous For more on Onemda’s activities go to: www. health research, teaching and learning, and onemda.unimelb.edu.au. community development units in Australia. Situated in the Faculty’s Centre for Health and Society (CHS) at the Melbourne School of Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Population and Global Health, Onemda has a Tobacco Control diverse, multidisciplinary team. Many of the staff The Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Tobacco have experience in the delivery of clinical and Control or CEITC has been based within the health services, community development or with CHS in the Melbourne School of Population direct experience in Aboriginal health policy and and Global Health since 2003, and is funded service delivery. by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. CEITC is a national tobacco Since its establishment in 1999, under the research, policy, advocacy and training program leadership of Professor Ian Anderson (now that connects Indigenous and non-Indigenous Director of the University’s Murrup Barak), tobacco control practitioners, advocates and Onemda has developed a national and organisations, both in the Aboriginal community international profile for research and teaching controlled health sector and the broader not-for- in Aboriginal health that is underpinned and profit and government sectors. informed by its key principles of: In the past decade, CEITC has firmly established • affirming Aboriginal knowledge, values and itself as a national node of knowledge exchange, processes bridging the gaps between practice, research • focusing on Aboriginal community priorities and policy by: developing the evidence base for • integrating Aboriginal community Indigenous tobacco control policy and practice; development into its principles in research identifying critical gaps and promoting research and teaching and evaluation activity to address these gaps; • developing meaningful consultative developing infrastructure and programs that processes with Aboriginal communities and support effective knowledge exchange; and people building the capacity of the Indigenous tobacco control workforce with a particular focus on • strengthening the skills, capacity and Aboriginal Health Workers (AHWs). leadership of Aboriginal people • collaborating to improve Aboriginal health CEITC has several research projects underway • striving to be ethical, innovative and including: rigorous, respecting social and cultural diversity. • Talking about the Smokes: this is the first- ever Indigenous arm of the International Talking with and listening to the concerns Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation project, an and issues of local Koori communities is international cohort study of tobacco use, the crucial to Onemda’s programs. Based on the overall objective of which is to measure the belief that improvements in health are best psychosocial and behavioural impact of key achieved by respecting and strengthening national level policies of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
2 Indigenous Programs in the Faculty
• Australian Secondary Schools Alcohol and • The ATNS Database: an online gateway Drug Survey (for more on this project see to a wealth of information relating to Research section). agreements between Indigenous people CEITC also serves a clearing-house function by and others in Australia and internationally. bringing together knowledge from Aboriginal • Alcohol Management Plans (for more on this and Torres Strait Islander and tobacco control project see Research section). organisations from around the country and • Food, Traditional Aboriginal Knowledge ensuring that such knowledge is processed and and the Expansion of the Settler Economy: disseminated appropriately. It also endeavours a study of Indigenous food systems and to take a leading role in policy reform by hosting relations with colonial settlers in Cape national roundtables for policy makers, health York, particularly focusing on Aboriginal professionals and researchers in the area with missions and reserves and the rapid change the aim of prioritising Indigenous tobacco from dependence on Aboriginal economic control research needs. systems to ration regimes. • Indigenous People, Climate Change and For more on CEITC’s activities go to: Adaptation: this project has generated a www.ceitc.org.au. web portal to assist Indigenous people to identify climate risks and the impacts of Australian Indigenous Studies climate change on their communities, as Professorial Program well as a major report to government on climate change adaptation issues. The Australian Indigenous Studies (AIS) Professorial Program is broad in scope and • Warmun Community Art Collection includes anthropological (social organisation, Conservation and Documentation: following cultural values), socio-economic, political and damaging floods in 2011, 189 historical cultural research with a focus on Australian land arts works from the collection were sent use agreements. This incorporates land tenure, to the Centre for Cultural Materials and land rights, native title, the resource extraction Conservation at the University for urgent industry and corporate social responsibility, as conservation and the creation of a digital well as anthropology (social organisation, cultural and hard copy catalogue. values) and Indigenous culture. The program also hosts several Indigenous postgraduate students (for more details see the Under the leadership of Professor Marcia Research section). Langton AM, the program is located in the MSPGH’s Centre for Health and Society and For more on Professor Langton’s program go to: contributes both to teaching and research www.chs.unimelb.edu.au. including the following projects:
• Agreements, Treaties and Negotiated Indigenous Eye Health Unit Settlements (ATNS) with Indigenous Established within the Melbourne School of Peoples in Settler States: Their Role and Population and Global Health in 2008, and led by Relevance for Indigenous and other the inaugural Harold Mitchell Chair of Indigenous Australians: an examination of the legal Eye Health, Professor Hugh Taylor AC, the Unit’s history and foundations of agreements and goal is to Close the Gap for Vision through world- treaties, an audit of current agreements, leading research, policy formation, advocacy and their purpose, status and outcomes, and implementation. The Roadmap to Close the Gap international comparative research on treaty for Vision was released in 2012 and comprises and agreement-making.
3 42 interlocked recommendations to improve RHAC has now achieved population parity Indigenous eye health over nine domains of in employment of Indigenous staff with six specific activity. The Roadmap has been costed Indigenous staff members, two in unreserved at $20m per year to be implemented over five positions. In regard to Indigenous development, years. It is estimated that the Roadmap will our staff’s work and focus is on engaging with the deliver a 7-times increase in cataract surgery, a local indigenous community (both formally and 5-times increase in diabetic eye examinations informally) through facilitating research, teaching and 2.5 times more pairs of glasses. cultural safety and competency, and contributing to the function of the RHAC as a whole. The Unit’s work currently focuses on service availability, exploring barriers and enablers to Other developments include: access eye health services, and developing a comprehensive policy framework that is supported • The enrolment, and continuing by both the Indigenous and mainstream health participation, of seven students from the sectors and government. Research activities within local community in a Master of Health Social IEHU include a series of reports and publications Sciences (MSPGH) (for more on this see the to establish the evidence base for developing the Teaching and Learning Strategies section). policy recommendations to Close the Gap for • The University of Melbourne’s Shepparton Vision, including: Medical Centre (SMC) adjacent to, and closely associated with, RHAC has been • National Indigenous Eye Health Survey nominated as a ‘Close the Gap’ Clinic by • Trachoma, Antibiotic Treatments of the local community and been involved in Trachoma: A Systematic Review training Aboriginal Health Workers. • Trachoma Resource Book • In Safe Hands, by Indigenous staff member • The Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision Ms Chana Orloff, provides brief biographies of local AHWs, outlines the often long and • A Critical History of Indigenous Eye Health difficult path to achieving their qualification Policy. and role. The Unit also undertakes several innovative • Involvement by some of RHAC’s long- health promotion and social marketing activities term students in tutoring disadvantaged including the ‘Clean Faces = Strong Eyes’ secondary school students, including campaign and football clinics, held in remote Indigenous students, through a Smith areas with the Melbourne Football Club, to Family program. eliminate trachoma (for more on these see the Partnerships section). It has been generously The RHAC plans to build on these achievements funded by the Harold Mitchell Foundation, the by seeking to provide support for Indigenous Potter Foundation, the Cybec Foundation, Greg students to complete secondary and tertiary Poche and a number of other individual donors. education. To achieve this will require collaboration with Murrup Barak, the Academy For more on the Indigenous Eye Health Unit’s of Sport, Health and Education (a joint initiative activities go to: www.iehu.unimelb.edu.au. between the University and Rumbalara Football and Netball Club), local secondary schools and La Trobe University (which offers Business Rural Health Academic Centre Studies and Nursing as undergraduate degrees The Rural Health Academic Centre (RHAC) is in Shepparton). located at the Melbourne Medical School’s Rural Health campus in Shepparton, central Victoria. For more on RHAC’s activities go to: A number of recent developments at the www.ruralhealth.unimelb.edu.au. Centre have combined to move RHAC towards an environment of greater cultural safety for Indigenous students and staff.
4 Indigenous Student Recruitment and Retention 5
Indigenous students are an asset to our Faculty, adding to what is an incredibly diverse, talented and visionary student body. They often bring a different perspective to their studies, particularly in relation to family, community engagement and related responsibility. However, like their non-Indigenous colleagues, they also bring a range of academic skills, intellect and passion. The Faculty Executive committed in 2012 to Indigenous student recruitment targets that aimed to double our current numbers by 2015. This commitment was underpinned by processes to support the students to graduate in a timely manner. Working closely with Murrup Barak, the Faculty is providing input to a comprehensive Student Recruitment and Retention Plan for 2013–17.
The Melbourne Model, with a focus on graduate schools and graduate entry, provides some particular challenges for Indigenous student recruitment. However, with the Faculty of Science and Murrup Barak taking the lead, our Faculty is supporting the implementation of a Bachelor of Science (Extended) course for commencement in 2015. This pathway for Indigenous students to enter Science – including the Health Sciences – provides flexibility, innovation and a realistic approach to the challenges of recruitment and retention of Indigenous students who may not have had the same opportunities or support as other students in their latter school years.
For me, Indigenous Development means… the nurturing and development of our future leaders… without losing our identity, and the right to express and participate in our culture.
Vicky Peters, Recruitment and Engagement Officer
[My University Intrain Scholarship means I am] able to study in my own community [and] that in fact I CAN study! I would be unable to study if I had to move away as I have a young family and work full-time.
Karyn Ferguson, Master of Health Social Sciences Student Profi le: Ms Vicky Peters
Recruitment and Engagement Offi cer
Vicky Peters is a Taunerong– Yorta Yorta woman from Victoria who recently joined the team at Murrup Barak as the Recruitment and Engagement Offi cer. Working collaboratively with the Faculty of MDHS, which co-funded this position, Vicky will be prioritising and undertaking key work to develop and establish effective partnerships with both the schools’ sector and existing national Indigenous health networks. Photo by Sarah Anderson Photography
Vicky brings more than 13 years experience to is easily available to Indigenous students and this position, including a stint at Queensland staff at the Faculty. In addition, she will continue Health working as a Senior Dental Assistant. to organise regular get-togethers for MDHS During this time, she was based at the Brisbane students to share ideas. Dental Hospital running all specialty areas, and then led her team to establish and run A priority for Vicky is to facilitate linkages with the Northern Travelling Dental Team, servicing national Indigenous networks with a view to remote Aboriginal communities in Cape York. increasing the opportunities for MDHS students Prior to this, Vicky worked as the Senior Clinical to tap into existing knowledge and to gain Coordinator for the Fixed Prosthetics Department mentor support to enhance their university at the Melbourne Dental Hospital. experience. She is also the fi rst point of contact for students if they require any assistance Upon returning to Victoria, Vicky took a position accessing scholarships and bursaries. as the Koorie Engagement Support Offi cer at the Victorian Government Department of Education When asked what Indigenous Development and Early Childhood Development (DEECD). In means to her, Vicky replied: this role, she supported the implementation of the Wannik Education Strategy and initiatives ‘It means that every Indigenous child has the in schools throughout the Eastern Metropolitan same access to educational and health outcomes Region. as the rest of the population. It means every Indigenous person has the ability and right Vicky was then successful in securing a study to economic participation. It means more grant to complete a Graduate Certifi cate in Indigenous people in leadership roles across all Career Education and Development and has sectors and the nurturing and development of recently qualifi ed as a Careers Practitioner. She our future leaders. And all this without losing our now plans to start a Graduate Diploma in Career identity and the right to express and participate Education and Development. in our culture.’
As Vicky’s work connects initiatives in both the Faculty of MDHS and Murrup Barak, she is co-located between the two to ensure that she
Vicky Peters can be contacted at Murrup Barak: www.murrupbarak.unimelb.edu.au.
6 Building an Indigenous Cohort
Indigenous student Indigenous Graduate Rural health initiatives numbers Students Association Seven Aboriginal students Numbers of Indigenous Formed by a small group of from the local Goulburn Valley students in the Faculty of MDHS Aboriginal and Torres Strait community are now enrolled have risen over the past few Islander students and their in, and nearing the completion years, and we currently have colleagues in March 2009, the of, a Master of Health Social nearly 30 enrolments. These Indigenous Graduate Students Sciences delivered through the enrolments span undergraduate Association or IGSA holds regular Melbourne School of Population Biomedicine, Medicine, Surgery forums for graduate students and Global Health. The students or Medical Science courses, to with an interest in Aboriginal and all have family, community students enrolled in the new Torres Strait Islander research. A and/or work commitments in Doctor of Medicine course. signifi cant proportion of the IGSA the region. The Rural Health Elsewhere in the Faculty, is made up of PhD students from Academic Centre and the Indigenous students are studying the Faculty of MDHS. MSPGH have established for their Doctorate and a number high-quality videoconferencing of Masters’ students are enrolled To date, IGSA has hosted two facilities between the two sites; in Health Social Sciences and in Indigenous Research Symposia teaching skills sessions to enable Social Work. Other Indigenous with more than 50 presentations distance learning; ‘Summer students are doing the Graduate showcasing the breadth and School’ intensives in Shepparton; Certifi cate in Sexual Health, excellence of Indigenous research and travel support for students Graduate Diploma in Psychology at the University – including to attend teaching sessions in and the Postgraduate Diploma in health, education, art, history and Parkville and for teachers from Nursing Practice. cultural studies. Professor Marcia Parkville to go to Shepparton. Langton gave the closing address at the 2012 Symposium, and A key factor has been the Student support this support for IGSA initiatives active involvement of Mr Peter For nearly a decade, the shown by Indigenous academics Ferguson, a Yorta Yorta Elder Faculty has provided support within the Faculty, as well as other and Lecturer in Indigenous to Indigenous Research Higher non-Indigenous leaders in the Rural Health Studies & Strategic Degree students in the form of fi eld, allows members to expand Development Research, who the Capacity Building Bursary. In their professional and collegiate provides academic and social 2012 MDHS further refi ned this networks. support for these students. support, creating an Indigenous Another has been the Graduate Scholarship for As IGSA Chair Graham Gee appointment of Senior Project coursework students who are comments: ‘IGSA promotes Offi cer Ms Chana Orloff who in fi nancial need. Through its Aboriginal and Torres will be working with schools to strong collaborative relationship Strait Islander research and promote health careers. This with Murrup Barak, Faculty supports both the professional includes tours of the medical students are eligible for development and wellbeing skills labs, attending career days opportunities such as Access of graduate students. Without and promoting the RHAC and Melbourne and the Indigenous such a forum, students miss the Rural Clinical School – such that Tutorial Assistance Scheme. opportunity to network and hear prospective students are given Murrup Barak and the Faculty about the experiences and issues the opportunity to imagine have also facilitated two ‘Yarn faced by other graduate students’ themselves in a career in the up’ sessions with students and (to read about Graham’s research, health sector. affi liated staff, which provide see Research section). for a collegiate and supportive environment for those students, For more on IGSA go to: www. staff and Elders able to attend. murrupbarak.unimelb.edu.au. 7 Profi le: Ms Karyn Ferguson
Master of Health Social Sciences Student
Karyn Ferguson grew up in Mooroopna, central Victoria and still lives on Yorta Yorta country, among the Dhungalla (Murray) and Kaiela (Goulburn) river lands. She received a University Intrain Scholarship to assist with her postgraduate study. Photo courtesy of Rural Health Academic Centre
What was your pathway into your Masters the readings and assessment, which are a range of course? essays and online blogs and discussions. My pathway into the Master of Health Social Sciences has not been the traditional route of Can you tell us a little about your research and VCE followed by an undergraduate degree and what you want to do after your Masters? postgraduate study. Nonetheless, my journey In Semester 2, I will be undertaking a minor still brings knowledge and skills, albeit from a thesis of 12,000 words – which is not so minor different paradigm. After leaving secondary to me! I’m hoping to do a quantitative study college halfway through Year 11, I worked across looking at maternal and birthing data from my different sectors including retail, education local Aboriginal Community Controlled Health and health. I was lucky enough to land a role at Organisation. After I’ve fi nished my Masters I the Rumbalara Birthing Program, and that lit a hope to continue work at the RHAC in a research passion for working with women and babies. I capacity. I’d love to focus on my own community also worked under an inspirational Indigenous and on issues that would be benefi cial to them. lady (Kaye Briggs) from whom I learnt so much. I’m particularly interested in Indigenous women My further studies now and my research have a and babies health; how the social determinants of strong focus on Indigenous women and babies. health, especially continual racism and exclusion, affect local Indigenous people; and the history of How important is it for you to have the health and health care in my area. After gaining opportunity to study in your own community? experience in research and publishing, I’d like to To be able to study in my own community means do my PhD. that in fact I CAN study! I would be unable to study if I had to move away as I have a young What does Indigenous development mean to family and work full-time. you? The benefi t of Indigenous development in the What does an average week look like? research paradigm is that research will be led This semester I am undertaking three units, so by local Traditional Owners. It will provide the it’s pretty full-on. I have video-conferencing tutes opportunity for an Indigenous lens to be cast on Mondays 10am–12pm for Social Research over the research protocol and provide a context Methods, four by day-long (Fridays) Health Policy within which the outcomes of the analysis can be tutes at Parkville, and I have already completed the translated. This represents a vital step in enabling Principles of Social Research Design unit, which was our local community to be the leaders in self- six face-to-face days broken up over two weeks. determining the re-telling of our own stories, And, of course, in between that I am required to do history and culture – on our terms.
Karyn Ferguson can be contacted at: www.ruralhealth.unimelb.edu.au.
8 Teaching and Learning Strategies 9
Our current MDHS students will become members of the future health workforce. Teaching and learning about Indigenous health and related issues is driven by a desire to ensure that students from our Faculty graduate as skilled professionals, who are prepared and able to refl ect upon their contribution to improving the state of Aboriginal people’s health, both individually and at a population level.
The Faculty has implemented teaching, learning and workforce development initiatives within the Faculty and University, and also in the local, national and international spheres. These not only provide our students with high-quality learning opportunities, but also infl uence national workforce development initiatives in medicine and public health.
Aboriginal development is really about creating a space that enables and legitimises our culture; that doesn’t expect us to conform to different ways of thinking about bodies of knowledge; and that allows us to pursue the areas that are important for our community at an academic level.
Shawana Andrews, Lecturer in Aboriginal Health
Onemda is the link between the University and our communities in developing those areas of teaching and research that they see as important, and to ensure this happens appropriately and safely.
Paul Stewart, Research and Community Development Offi cer Profi le: Ms Shawana Andrews
Lecturer in Aboriginal Health, Melbourne School of Health Sciences
Shawana Andrews was appointed Lecturer in ShawanaAboriginal Andrews Health was at appointed the Lecturer in Aboriginal HealthMelbourne at the Melbourne School of SchoolHealth of Health Sciences in 2012. In additionSciences to in teaching, 2012. She Shawana also is tasked with developing a frameworkled the developmentfor an Indigenous of curriculum across the School. Billibellary’s Walk on the Parkville campus. Photo courtesy of Onemda Photo courtesy of Onemda
What is your professional background? perspective and use my Aboriginal knowledge to I’ve been involved in Indigenous health, frame theories and areas of thoughts. education and access programs since the beginning of my professional career in social How important is community feedback to the work and public health. As part of my social work work you do? degree I had to do several placements, and my It’s essential. My colleagues and I consult regularly fi rst was at the Royal Children’s Hospital in the with Aboriginal community leaders, since their Aboriginal Family Support Unit. It was there input is vital to the process of teaching, research that I found two mentors who helped shape and engagement. There’s a view within Aboriginal my thinking about Aboriginal health within the communities that university is inaccessible or health system, and was fi rst introduced to some not available, and it’s very important that we of the ideas surrounding Aboriginal access to demonstrate that university – and in our case, health care. The institutional racism that exists the University of Melbourne – is available to the within our health care system was one of the most Aboriginal community. confronting issues I had to deal with. One of the biggest challenges we face is actually What was your pathway to teaching at the de-mystifying what university is. There are many University of Melbourne? people in Aboriginal communities who have I took up a role as a Project Offi cer at Onemda never stepped onto a university campus, have for two years, working with Aboriginal community never sat in a university lecture, and are unsure organisations to build their clinical capacity for about how it could be relevant to them – so medical and health science students. This role our job is to build a curriculum that is ethical, proved to be a valuable stepping stone for my culturally safe and relevant to Aboriginal people. current position. What does Indigenous development mean to you? Tell us about your current role. The most important thing in this area is the need In this role, I’m committed to developing a to create a visible and engaging space for an strategic approach for teaching and research that Aboriginal ‘voice’ – a space to highlight the good will lead to long-term improvements in the way work that the Aboriginal workforce is doing, both Aboriginal health is taught across the School. within the University and in the community. To me, My teaching is uniquely shaped by my own that’s what Aboriginal development is really about: experiences and expertise – both as an Indigenous about creating a space that enables and legitimises woman, where my cultural perspectives have our culture; that doesn’t expect us to conform often differed from those of my colleagues in to different ways of thinking about knowledge; female-dominated fi elds, and as an Indigenous and that allows us to pursue the areas that are person more broadly. I teach from an Aboriginal important for our community at an academic level.
Shawana Andrews can be contacted at: www.healthsciences.unimelb.edu.au.
10 Indigenous Teaching and Learning
Faculty and University will provide incentives for both signifi cance and infl uence: students and staff to engage Capacity Building in Indigenous Quality Indigenous health in and champion the area of Public Health and Leaders in curricula is critical, particularly Indigenous health; and working Indigenous Medical Education. as we grapple with how best towards a range of teaching and to deliver the content at a learning resources that are at a Capacity Building in Indigenous more advanced Masters level. AQF 9 level and operationalise Public Health project In December 2012, MDHS them across the Faculty. Funded in partnership with the held the fi rst Faculty-wide Institute for Koorie Education Indigenous Health Teaching at Deakin University, this and Learning Colloquium with Melbourne and Victoria project has been providing the aim of discussing a collegial Indigenous health teaching leadership in the development approach to Indigenous health at the Faculty draws upon of Indigenous public health teaching and learning. More urban Melbourne and regional curricula nationally since its specifi c objectives of this Victoria for its contexts and inception in 2006. Originally landmark event, attended by subject matter. It is mostly funded by the Australian representatives from all graduate led by Aboriginal academics Government Department of Schools in the Faculty, were to: from within the University, Health and Ageing’s (DoHA) as well as drawing upon the Public Health Education and • highlight Indigenous health expertise of local Elders and Research Program, the project teaching and learning other community members. aim is to build capacity in resources within the Faculty Curriculum development for our Australia’s Indigenous health • disseminate the fi ndings of professional entry to practice workforce. a Faculty-wide Curriculum courses – in particular Medicine, Mapping project that Nursing, Dentistry and Oral Our own Indigenous public provided a detailed Health – relies on a range of health specialisation in the understanding of current staff from across the Faculty, with MPH includes three subjects: Indigenous health curricula particular expertise coming from ‘Indigenous Health and History’, • share the preliminary the Onemda VicHealth Koori ‘Indigenous Health: From Data fi ndings of ‘Raising the Health Unit. to Practice’ and ‘Indigenous Standards – Meeting Level Health Management and 9 Australian Qualifi cations One example of note is the work Leadership’. The specialisation Framework (AQF) Criteria in done at Rumbalara Aboriginal has been developed as part Indigenous Health Curricula Co-operative Ltd, near of a nationally accessible project’ Shepparton, by students from curriculum in Indigenous Health • develop solutions and the Dental School. The School for MPH programs, which is co- recommendations to assist has had an ongoing relationship managed by the University of the Faculty to access and in this area for more than fi ve Melbourne and the University of deliver optimum curricula. years involving both dental and Queensland. oral health therapists. There is The colloquium identifi ed several also potential to expand this In partnership with other initiatives that would progress a program into the Gippsland subject and specialisation commitment to implementing region. coordinators, Onemda staff also a Faculty-wide approach to contribute to the delivery of an teaching and learning excellence integrated Indigenous health in Indigenous health, including National core curriculum within the MPH. incorporating Billibellary’s The Faculty, through Onemda, This will ensure that all MPH walking tour of the University hosts two Indigenous health students, and not just those into the Faculty orientation and curricula development and undertaking the specialisation, curricula; developing awards that networking projects of national are exposed to content that 11 incorporates the Indigenous Building the evidence base acknowledge successes in the public health competencies. of the effi cacy of Indigenous fi eld. In 2011, the LIME team This curriculum is being health and medical education is was awarded the inaugural Rio designed so that modules can an important part of our work. Tinto Award for Excellence and be delivered within existing The Network’s publications, Innovation in Higher Education subjects, but collectively will which include the Good Practice (see photo). form a stand-alone subject Case Studies Booklet and the that can be offered online Special Edition of the ANZAHPE For more information go to: or for delivery through Focus on Health Professional www.limenetwork.net.au. partner institutions within the Education Journal, contribute to collaborative MPH Indigenous the development of Indigenous health specialisation program. health as a discipline in its own International right. Quality review tools such Our teaching and learning For more information go to: as the Critical Refl ection Tool and extends to the international www.onemda.unimelb.edu.au/ Tools for Reviewing and Mapping domain, working with our teaching-and-learning. Indigenous Health Initiatives colleagues in New Zealand, the ensure that approaches to United States (in particular Hawaii) Leaders in Indigenous Medical teaching and learning remain and Canada. For example, the Education (LIME) Network dynamic and evolving. LIME Network includes New This is a dynamic network Zealand medical schools, and dedicated to supporting the The LIME Network website the LIME Connection attracts development of quality and and newsletters have become delegates from around the world. effective teaching and learning important information-sharing There is also a co-developed, of Indigenous medical education platforms, but it is at the LIME co-taught, online subject – ‘Is the in Australia and Aotearoa / New Connection conference that the Past Present? An International Zealand, as well as best practice broader membership base is Comparative Indigenous in the recruitment and retention able to share leading practice Health and History’ – delivered of Indigenous medical students. approaches to integrating in partnership with Canada’s Funded by DoHA, the Network Indigenous health into medical University of British Columbia. is a Medical Deans Australia and education and workplace This subject was an outcome of a New Zealand Program. training, and to celebrate and Universitas 21 Fellowship.
LIME Network team receiving their award: Ms Caitlin Ryan, Ms Odette Mazel, Ms Margo Collins (L–R centre front) and Associate Professor Shaun Ewen (far right) with (L–R) Professor James Angus (The University of Melbourne and MDANZ), Professor Ian Anderson (Murrup Barak), Mr Frank Fell (Rio Tinto), Ms Mary Solomon (MDANZ) and Professor Richard James (The University of Melbourne). Photo by Casamento Photography
12 Research andCommunityDevelopmentOffi cer, OnemdaVicHealth KooriHealthUnit Profi le:Mr Paul Stewart the researchthe are ourcommunities in; investing ourcurrentwisdom with students; strengthening of ourcoursesandtoshare knowledge and their giving our Elders an opportunity to teach into some community:forexample, about developingthe ensure happensappropriately this andsafely. It’s and research seeasimportant,andto they that areas indevelopingthose communities of teaching Universityandour betweenthe link Onemda isthe youdoatOnemda? teaching that areHow critical community partnershipstothe future University. the with linkages supportaroundwith research projects andpossible Organisation) team health public their assisting (Victorian AboriginalCommunityControlled Health spendadayatVACCHOwork, Iwouldtypically community. Inourformalcommunitydevelopment todoresearchor aboutwanting our with lotsofstudentqueriesreI dealwith assessment MPH. andHistory’subjectforthe Health ‘Indigenous preparation, day’s byafull followed teachingofthe teaching then Development teammeeting, aCommunity startswith My weekgenerally Tell usaboutyourcurrent role. in 2004–05IcompletedmyMPHatDeakin. PromotionHealth from UniversityofSydneyand the in SocialSciencefrom Preston TAFE, aGradDipin project.on anethics IhaveanAssociateDiploma In 2002IstartedatOnemdaasaresearch assistant promotion Young onthe andthen People’s Project. Victorian Serviceworkinginhealth AboriginalHealth as afamilysupportworker, before movingtothe AboriginesAdvancementLeague I startedatthe toworkingatOnemda? What wasyourpathway teaching ofAboriginalhealth. development andthe betweencommunity link heretalks vital aboutthe from Paul centralVictoria, decade. ATaungurung man Onemda formore a than Development Offi cer at Research andCommunity Paul Stewarthasbeenthe Paul Stewart can becontactedat:www.onemda.unimelb.edu.au. between the communityandUniversity.between the divide happen,andtobridgethe to makethings andability Universitybecauseofourskills the within Wewith. [Onemda]are nowbeingmore valued organisations Aboriginalpeoplecollaborate that everyonefrom andconnecting health; various the incommunity priorities level toworkouttheir communityatalocalgovernment the mobilising people can better access itsrichresources.people canbetter more think still creatively abouthowIndigenous Universitycould Butthe colleagues. Indigenous curriculumalongsideournon- Aboriginal health opportunity todevelopan by givingusthe Kooricommunity, ofthe contribution forexample, Universityaresociety andthe fi valuingthe nally in acommunitywhichyoufeelvalued.Our It’s workandprosper aboutbeing abletolive, developmentmeantoyou? What doesIndigenous research project isgoingtowork. peopleifasubjectyou’retrust with teachingora andyouhavetobuildup toassist them, skills the communitytoproveget testedbythe youhave community.– and/oragoodstoryforthe You Service (www.onemda.unimelb.edu.au/multimedia) Fitzroyabout the VAHS Starsandthe MentalHealth KnowledgeTransfer Faculty the made with team have achievedaproduct –forexample,afi lm we for everybody, people andleavingalegacythat areensuring they providing experience apositive arekey elementsofthem around acommitmentto modelsareBest-practice hard tosingleoutbutthe teaching andresearch? togoodoutcomesfor partnerships leading examplesofcommunity Any best-practice
Photo by Sarah Anderson Photography Photo by Sarah Anderson Photography 13 14 Research
Staff and students in the Faculty of MDHS are currently undertaking much important research on Indigenous topics, particularly as it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander health outcomes. The period 2005–10 produced hundreds of refereed publications, millions of research dollars in grants and more than 20 funding partners.
There are many different research approaches, and many questions to answer, in relation to Indigenous health. Some of the approaches applied to Indigenous health research within the Faculty include: translational; epidemiological; historical demography; clinical; workforce; population health; ethics; and sociology. A great deal of the research has a community development focus, thereby ensuring that community not only benefits from the findings, but also from the research approach and process.
The following snapshot is not a comprehensive compendium, but rather a selection of the wide variety of research being undertaken in Indigenous health by staff and students in MDHS.
By insisting on creating the opportunity for Indigenous students to excel we have brought a culture of excellence, rather than of low expectations, to the Faculty.
Marcia Langton, Foundation Chair of Australian Indigenous Studies
… it hit home for me how complex the relationship really is between history and culture, community and family, and developing personal resources to maintain wellbeing.
Graham Gee, PhD Candidate and Chair of Indigenous Graduate Students Association Foundation ChairofAustralianIndigenousStudies Profi le:ProfessorMarciaLangton AM who completedherPhDunder NobelLaureate students. Onesuchstudent isDrMistyJenkins, calibre staff Indigenous andpostgraduate academics, andare high- toattract continuing already havemanywell-regarded Indigenous Faculty. tothe expectations, we Becauseofthis a culture of low than rather ofexcellence, studentstoexcelwehavebroughtIndigenous oncreatingBy insisting opportunityfor the ‘culture students? forIndigenous ofexcellence’ a Can youexplainwhatmeanbywanting approach. through asystemicandstrategicUniversity-wide as acertifi ed program –and itismore integrated Professional Certifi Researchcate inIndigenous we havepostgraduatecourses–forexample,the is–across studies Indigenous Now faculties. all brought itagreater with astowhat sophistication postgraduate studentsfrom ArtstoMDHS has ofmyresearchThe migration program and programStudies brought interests those together. Indigenous Australian the topics –soestablishing found there were Indigenous 90studentswith doing interesting work–asurveyofPhDstudies throughoutacademics andothers University the forstudyingit.Theremotivation were, infact, wasaboutandanevenpoorer studies Indigenous there ofwhat wasaverypoorunderstanding undergraduateteaching intothe program and A hugeshift.WhenIfi rst startedhere Iwas staffIndigenous andstudents? regardwith andto studies, toIndigenous andpriorities ashiftinattitudes you noticed Universityin2000have Since youstartedatthe of Social Sciences in Australia in 2001. in2001. of SocialSciencesinAustralia Academy ofthe ShebecameaFellow of Australia. Order1993 whenshewasmadeaMemberofthe advocacy ofAboriginalrightswasrecognised in MDHS. Herworkinanthropology andthe of Faculty ago, andsheisnowbasedinthe program Studies Indigenous more adecade than Marcia Australian the Langtonestablished Marcia Langton canbecontactedatthe Centre forHealth andSociety:www.chs.unimelb.edu.au schools andfaculties. can cutacross departments, siloeddisciplines, the programUniversity hasalateralIndigenous that Rather, it’s importantbecauseitensures the that that’s it’s although critical, great asafocalpoint. Barak. It’s physical‘space’ notsomuchthe It’s Murrup importanttohaveaspacelike vitally University? the space’ within How importantisittohavean‘Indigenous and capacity. awardof Melbourne itsuniquevalues,skills –with a core componentofwhatmakesupaUniversity not justaboutcharityorreconciliation, buttobe approach understandthis Senior Executive tobe University.back atthe TheVice-Chancellor and Immunology atCambridgeUniversityandisnow careera distinguished asaResearch in Fellow Professor PeterDoherty, andhasgoneonto improve people’s lives. weareto knowthat will ideasthat comingupwith have tobeofaneconomic value, butit’s important wayifthat’sin somepractical appropriate. Itdoesn’t to AboriginalandTorres StraitIslandercommunities, we are society, toAustralian both contributing and and ourindustrypartnersthere mustbeasensethat University, investmentputinbythis the government someone’s righttodopure research. However, with research, casewith not alwaysthe andIrespect and Torres is StraitIslanderpeople.Iknowthis improvement circumstances inthe ofAboriginal outcomes ofourworkshouldincludean the that We asresearchers havetobemindful andscholars developmentmeantoyou? What doesIndigenous
Photo by Peter Casamento, courtesy of ABC Photo by Sarah Anderson Photography 15 Faculty Indigenous Health Research
Translational invitation has been developed ‘Learning on Country’ program, into a multi-disciplinary project, itself a partnership with the Sharing Place, Learning which links the AVRU, the Maningrida Djelk Rangers. Together: ‘Closing the Gap’ Melbourne Graduate School School attendance and student through Education and of Education and the Faculty literacy data suggest that Research of Science with Maningrida student involvement in the In 2010, the Australian Venom College in north-eastern program has impacted positively Research Unit (AVRU), in the Arnhem Land around two focus on attendance, retention rates Department of Pharmacology, priorities: a literacy intensive and literacy outcomes. was invited to be part of program where students ‘Learning on Country’, an are supported to develop The program also has the innovative program based in curriculum resources on their potential to inform teacher Arnhem Land. This program knowledge of Country; and a candidates and science connects education, research, fi eldwork program to engage graduates to benefi t the new Indigenous knowledge and students with diverse science national school curriculum, non-Indigenous scientifi c knowledge and practices. and could positively infl uence practices with community, remote teacher engagement, culture and Country. The ‘Trail’ connects with attrition and retention rates. partner institutions such as With support from an the Melbourne Museum and For more on this project go to: anonymous donor, this Zoo, and intersects with the www.avru.org.
Fieldwork ‘Learning on Country’. Photo by Jessie Webb
16 Faculty Indigenous Health Research
Social Determinants NSW hospitals to implement only included the mother’s a culturally appropriate quality Indigenous status. Creating Healthy Environments improvement process. The team working out of In collaboration with data Onemda has collaborated with Evidence-based tools and custodians – the Consultative three Aboriginal Community- guidelines will be drawn upon to Council on Obstetric and Controlled Organisations in facilitate a sustainable approach Paediatric Mortality and the Goulburn–Murray Rivers to Aboriginal health and make it Morbidity (Victorian Perinatal region since 2001, on a series a quality issue. This can help to Data Collection) and the of research projects examining build the capacity of hospitals Registrar of Births Deaths and cardiovascular disease risk, social to improve both their response Marriages – information on determinants of Indigenous to Aboriginal communities and the 1.4 million Victorian births health, and the complexity of their effectiveness in engaging collected over the past 20 years community health promotion with a range of other patients has been matched. Preliminary initiatives. The current work seeks with complex needs. analyses have identifi ed to identify the social, clinical and an extra 120% of births to behavioural aims of Aboriginal The project will provide a Indigenous mothers and/or health promotion, and the systematic approach for local fathers in the years 1999–2008, strategies used to infl uence the Aboriginal communities to inclusive. The project is social and physical environment develop strategies in partnership preparing a report describing for enabling better wellbeing. with the hospital in their area the maternal and perinatal Also under investigation is the to make a difference to the outcomes and geographical utility of partnerships to more health outcomes of community distribution for all Victorian effectively implement health members. Working with hospital births, but with a specifi c focus promotion activities, through the personnel, it will also build on Indigenous births. establishment of the Goulburn– capacity to establish a CQI Murray Health Promotion Alliance. process for cultural reform in Concurrently, every death in selected NSW hospitals. Victoria (ages 0–18 years) over For more on this project go to: the past 20 years is being www.onemda.unimelb.edu.au/ For more on this project go to: reviewed and its cause coded research. www.onemda.unimelb.edu.au. and classifi ed. The data will inform a comprehensive report Health Care Systems Epidemiology describing cause-specifi c mortality for all Victorian Aboriginal Identifi cation in Victorian Aboriginal Child children, while describing the Hospitals Quality Improvement Mortality Study (VACMS) patterns and trends of mortality Project The VACMS – a fi ve-year study for Indigenous compared This project assists acute funded by the Australian with non-Indigenous children hospitals in New South Wales Research Council, Victorian who die before their eleventh to improve the way they Department of Aboriginal birthday. Births and deaths provide services for Aboriginal Health and the Lowitja Institute datasets will be linked to better and Torres Strait Islander – is addressing the current understand the antecedents to patients within a continuous signifi cant under-ascertainment preventable/avoidable deaths quality improvement (CQI) of Victorian births to Indigenous and to evaluate the effi cacy of framework. Led by Onemda, mothers and/or fathers. Until previous initiatives to ‘Close the St Vincent’s Hospital and the recently, information used to Gap’ on poor health outcomes Lowitja Institute, with support determine maternal and infant for Indigenous children. from the Aboriginal Health health policies, interventions and Medical Research Council and strategies for Victoria’s For more on this project go to: NSW, the project will assist Indigenous populations www.vacms.net.au. 17 Drug and Alcohol Housing, Community Services are complex and involve and Indigenous Affairs. climate, hygiene, lifestyle and Alcohol Management Plans other factors. Medical treatment This project aims to develop Workforce often fails, with Ear Nose and the theoretical and evidential Throat surgeons then called base for Alcohol Management Educating for Equity upon to provide surgical care. Plans (AMPs) in Indigenous This International Collaborative communities and remote area Indigenous Health Research However, the current evidence towns, and develop a framework Partnership (ICIHRP) Grant is a base as to which intervention to inform policy in responding collaboration between the peak is most effective in the to the harms associated with health research funding bodies treatment of OM is weak. alcohol misuse. Qualitative in Australia (NHMRC), Canada Thus, this NHMRC-funded, research, fi eldwork and (Canadian Institutes of Health randomised trial compares the investigation of four case study Research) and New Zealand long-term outcomes of three sites in northern Australia will (Health Research Council). current treatments – medical, contribute to an understanding The project is investigating grommets/adenoidectomy and of ‘best practices’, to provide how health professional myringotomy/adenoidectomy. a sound basis for the future training can improve health The project will be recruiting development of AMPs by care outcomes for Indigenous 480 Aboriginal children aged communities and government people with chronic disease. 3–10 years across Western agencies. It aims to enhance the The focus of the research is Australia, Northern Territory potential of AMPs as vehicles educational interventions and north Queensland, and for: (a) pathways for community and, with Australian partners follow them for 12 months participation in the design, at the University of Western after intervention to determine implementation and evaluation Australia and University of which procedure has the of AMPs; and (b) building the Queensland, there is scope for most effective outcomes on capacity of community leaders investigating a wide range of recurrence of ear disease and to establish specifi c goals training and educational tools hearing improvement. to limit the harms caused by and interventions to support the alcohol consumption. The attainment of specifi c learning Long-term hearing loss affects research will identify indicators outcomes of health professional language learning, speech, as part of a more sophisticated, students. education and socialisation strategic management of AMP skills, so improving the policy in the community context For more on this project go to: outcomes of ear disease in the and at all levels of government. www.educating4equity.net. future will also improve the general health of individual This research, part of the Clinical Indigenous children and the Australian Government’s overall health and potential ‘Stronger Futures in the Surgery for the Treatment of of their communities. The Northern Territory – Tackling Otitis Media in Indigenous project is being undertaken in Alcohol Abuse Measures’, Children collaboration with the Darwin will review both the minimum Otitis media (OM) is a major Base Hospital, Menzies School standards for AMPs and the problem among Aboriginal of Health Research and the way that community alcohol children living in remote Universities of New South and other substance plans have Australian communities. Up Wales, Queensland, Sydney and been used to date, and propose to 70% of these children Western Australia. guidelines and frameworks experience early, persistent and for the future. It is being severe ear infections compared For more on this project go to: conducted in collaboration with with only 4% of non-Indigenous http://medicine.unimelb.edu. the Lowitja Institute and the children living in urban areas. au/ehac/otolaryngology. federal Department of Families, The reasons for this difference
18 Survey (Preservative Cognition and Government Students’ Attitude Aboriginal Australians) from Survey, which measures school Australian Secondary Schools the Melbourne School of connectedness, and the Teacher Alcohol and Drug Survey Population and Global Health. Judgement Survey measuring The Centre for Excellence in Lyndon Ormond-Parker, academic achievement. The Indigenous Tobacco Control who is undertaking his PhD results demonstrate that the collaborated with QUIT Victoria with Australian Indigenous more engaged and connected a to conduct a pilot project which Studies, spoke on his topic of student feels to the school, the trialled a methodology to Digitisation and Indigenous better their academic results. recruit and survey Indigenous Communities: A Study of The qualitative component secondary school students the Development of Online applied the method of photo- (aged 12–17 years) using an Collections, which focuses on voice to investigate what factors adapted Australian Secondary the changing nature and impact were important for Aboriginal Schools Alcohol & Drug of information technology primary schoolchildren to (ASSAD) Survey. The ASSAD in Indigenous communities. engage with school. The main survey is conducted nationally (Lyndon has recently been themes that emerged were: with random samples of awarded an ARC Discovery activities, bullying, racism, secondary students, but in Indigenous Award entitled Local culture, friends, leadership and the past has failed to attract a Aboriginal Community Archives: learning. signifi cant Indigenous sample. The Use of Information Technology and the National The Community Network: An This pilot tested a methodology Broadband Network in Disaster Aboriginal Community Football that utilises purposive sampling Preparedness and Recovery.) Club Bringing People Together: and a specifi c community This project by Faculty staffer engagement strategy to recruit Other AIS Indigenous Alister Thorpe, supervised by an Indigenous sample. This postgraduate students staff at Onemda as part of a was trialled in Victoria and include Kerry Mudge, with a MPH at the Institute of Koorie Queensland in Semester 1 PhD entitled Poverty in the Education, is being undertaken of 2012, and it is funded by Midst of Poverty: Economic with Melbourne’s Fitzroy Stars the Victorian Department of and Institutional Reform Football (FSF) Club. It aims to Health and Queensland Health for Sustainable Indigenous fi nd out the social, physical respectively. The pilot is being Communities; and James and emotional impact on the conducted with the prospect Rose, whose topic is Social health and wellbeing of young of rolling it out nationally in the Stability, Family Networks and Aboriginal men participating in future. Land Tenure in Northern NSW an Aboriginal community sports Indigenous Communities. club and to identify some of the For more on this project go to: barriers and motivators to their www.ceitc.org.au. Other Indigenous postgraduate participation. Semi-structured projects currently being interviews and small focus Graduate research carried out include two at groups with current and past Onemda. The Impact of players have identifi ed common At the second Aboriginal and School Connectedness on themes around community Torres Strait Islander Research Victorian Aboriginal Primary and social connections, the Symposium in October School Children in Relation to importance of cultural values, 2012, the Faculty was well their Educational and Social and identity and the impact of represented. Presentations Outcomes: The quantitative racism and discrimination. included those from Fiona research component of this Lange (Trachoma Elimination PhD thesis by Scott Winch in Remote Indigenous NT applies structural equation Communities) and Terry James modelling to the Victorian
19 Profi le: Mr Graham Gee
PhD Candidate and Chair of Indigenous Graduate Students Association
Graham Gee, a descendant of the Garawa nation through his father’s family, is in the fi nal stages of his PhD on trauma recovery in urban Aboriginal communities. He is also a provisional psychologist who has worked for fi ve years as a counsellor at the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS).
Graham grew up in Darwin and started teaching relationship between such strengths and the in 1992. He worked for eight years in a variety of kinds of outcomes that we hope to see in roles, including as a physical education teacher in counselling, for instance, increased wellbeing and the UK and as a remote community lecturer for even post-traumatic growth.’ the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Education in the NT. It was his time spent living and working ‘Having been raised in an urban/rural cultural in remote communities that led to a growing context, and then spending time in more interest in social and emotional wellbeing. traditionally oriented communities, I think it hit home for me how complex the relationship really ‘Basically I’m trying to understand the processes is between history and culture, community and involved in healing from trauma, or trauma family, and developing personal resources to recovery. As a starting point I’ve interviewed a maintain wellbeing,’ he says. number of Koori workers with experience in this area to talk about their experiences in supporting Graham also helped establish the Australian community members to heal. In the later Indigenous Psychologists Association and was on studies I’ve examined whether different types of the inaugural board of the Aboriginal and Torres traumatic experiences and cultural and historical Strait Islander Healing Foundation from 2009–12. loss are associated with particular types of health outcomes, including physical health, depression, ‘I’m pretty passionate about the community- alcohol and substance abuse, as well some driven healing projects and the trauma-related specifi c types of post-traumatic responses that we training and education projects that the see frequently at VAHS,’ he says. Foundation is able to support around the country, particularly those projects designed and driven At age 30, Graham enrolled at the University to by members of the Stolen Generation,’ he says. do a Graduate Diploma in Psychology, which led on to a combined Masters and PhD degree in ‘I’m a counsellor/clinician at heart, so working Clinical Psychology beginning in 2008 (he fi nished directly with people and groups around social the Masters component in 2010). and emotional wellbeing and mental health will probably always be my core work,’ he says. ‘My ‘My research focuses on investigating whether interest in research is primarily about fi nding out particular personal, relational, community and how to improve our practices.’ cultural strengths and resources are associated with better post-traumatic outcomes in help- From Wangka Pul_ka newsletter, April 2012, seeking clients who have experienced trauma. courtesy of The Lowitja Institute I want to gain a better understanding of the
Graham Gee can be contacted through IGSA at Murrup Barak: www.murrupbarak.unimelb.edu.au.
20 Indigenous Staff Employment 21
Increasing Indigenous staff numbers across the Faculty is another key priority of our RAP. Currently, most Indigenous staff at the Faculty are employed in Indigenous-specific programs, in particular at Onemda. However, with the plans outlined below, and with a Faculty as big and as diverse as MDHS, opportunities to employ Indigenous staff across all Schools are emerging – and being targeted.
Indigenous staff members, and the perspectives they bring, are a wonderful asset to the Faculty in a range of ways. The possibility of being a (sometimes) unwitting mentor to Indigenous students, or at least a familiar face with an understanding of a shared experience, is of enormous value to students. The Faculty not only expects excellence of its Indigenous staff but, in that expectation, also nurtures their career paths, thus in turn providing an avenue to share knowledge and expertise across a range of areas.
For me personally, I wouldn’t have got to where I am today without the undergraduate entry scheme pathway available to Indigenous students at the time, plus the assistance of the Admissions Office.
Shayne Bellingham,Inaugural Bellberry Indigenous Health Research Fellow 2013
The MDHS HR team… is committed to the University’s Reconciliation Action Plan and the Faculty’s Indigenous Employment strategies to develop knowledge and processes to support Indigenous development and employment opportunities.
Jessie Macintyre, HR Manager, Faculty of MDHS Profi le: Ms Jessie Macintyre
HR Manager, Faculty of MDHS
The MDHS Human Resources team works with all departments across the Faculty to attract, retain and develop high-quality staff and maintain satisfying and productive workplaces. We are committed to the University’s Reconciliation Action Plan and the Faculty’s Indigenous Employment strategies to develop knowledge and processes to support Indigenous development and employment opportunities. Photo by Sarah Anderson Photography
As the Faculty’s nominated Indigenous Australian On appointment, I can continue to support Applicant Support Person, my role is to work with managers and Indigenous staff members and will: both departments and with potential Indigenous • support Indigenous Australian staff through Australian applicants to: the induction process • target and exempt positions for Indigenous • work closely with staff across the Faculty people and University to ensure the retention of • develop networks and pathways for Indigenous employees employment opportunities for Indigenous • ensure there are opportunities for ongoing people professional development for Indigenous • reduce barriers in our recruitment practices for Australian staff at the University. Indigenous people • provide strategies for managers in recruiting There have recently been some fundamental and retaining Indigenous people changes to University policy and HR practice that will directly support achieving the RAP targets for • ensure cultural safety in the workplace. Indigenous employment. These include: During the recruitment process, I can support • a provision that the University can identify at Indigenous Australian applicants, specifi cally in its discretion positions that are suitable for the areas of: exemption • applying for a position in the Faculty, including • a continual advertisement in the Koori Mail meeting with the applicants personally and • an Indigenous Australian Career Webpage. reviewing written applications prior to them being formally submitted I would welcome the opportunity to talk further • interview preparation, including advice about about these and other opportunities to work interview skills and techniques together to achieve the Faculty targets for • general advice about the Department they Indigenous employment. are applying for a position in, as well as advice more generally about the Faculty and the University.
Jessie Macintyre can be contacted by email: [email protected].
22 Indigenous Employment Initiatives
A new partnership for Bellberry – Building Faculty The Bellberry Postdoctoral employment: Indigenous research opportunities for Medical Research Fellowship Australian TAFE entry Indigenous staff is awarded to a talented PhD graduate who is passionate about employment pathway Bellberry Limited is a national a career in medical research A new pathway into employment not-for-profi t organisation that and will assist in our collective at the University for Indigenous provides a streamlined scientifi c endeavours to develop Australia’s Australians has been made and ethical review of human Indigenous health workforce. possible through an innovative research projects and donates The Fellowship also includes partnership between the Faculty, funds back into the research the option of accommodation Murrup Barak and local TAFEs community. In 2012, a submission at Ormond (see Partnerships (Technical and Further Education). to Bellberry from the Faculty and section). The relationship with Indigenous TAFE graduates Ormond College outlined how Bellberry will have a signifi cant with qualifi cations in areas such the organisation could contribute impact on the Faculty’s as administration or technical, to our goal of building a robust Indigenous Development research and laboratory support Indigenous health workforce. program and create more will be encouraged to apply for The Faculty was delighted that opportunities for Indigenous suitable Faculty positions. Bellberry made a generous gift to researchers. The 2013 Bellberry support an Indigenous medical Fellow is Dr Shayne Bellingham, All emerging vacant HEW 3 and researcher. profi led overleaf. 4 positions within the Faculty will be open only to Indigenous applicants for an initial period of three weeks, before opening up to others. The aim is to fi ll a minimum of six existing professional employment positions in 2013, with a view to increase these numbers in 2014 and 2015. The commitment will include opportunities for existing ongoing, fi xed term, casual and work experience positions.
The partnership is aligned with targets for Indigenous employment within the University’s RAP. However, for the Faculty to achieve these target commitments it needs to enhance an approach that encompasses community development, mutual respect and developing partnerships. Recognising TAFE qualifi cations as entry into the Faculty workforce is one such approach. Charles O’Leary, General Manager, Indigenous Student and Staff Programs at Murrup Barak, with Faculty Indigenous Development For more information go to: Offi cer Kristi Roberts who have been working together on the TAFE www.mdhs.unimelb.edu.au/ entry employment pathway initiative. indigenousdevelopment. Photo by Sarah Anderson Photography 23 Profi le: Dr Shayne Bellingham
Bellberry Fellow 2013
Shayne Bellingham’s family are Wotjobaluk people now located in the Horsham region. His journey towards his recent appointment of inaugural Bellberry Indigenous Health Research Fellow has been a testament to his unrelenting persistence in the fi eld of Genetics.
Shayne grew up in a large family in Ballarat, so capturing the signatures is to try and utilise this large he has to stop and count how many uncles, information from a diagnostic point of view – as aunties and cousins he has. He currently resides in early detection leads to better health outcomes. Melbourne with his two young children and wife My ultimate goal is to incorporate this diagnostic Nicole, a relationship that blossomed when they approach within the Aboriginal community. were undergraduates together in a genetics lab at the University of Melbourne. ‘I know within my community the conversation regarding Alzheimer’s has not really begun. I In 2005 Shayne completed his PhD in Genetics at would like to be able to begin this conversation Melbourne and was then awarded an ARC Discovery with my family, Wotjobaluk people, to then Indigenous Research Cadetship, which was followed translate this into positive outcomes for Aboriginal by a joint appointment as the Peters Bequest Fellow people suffering from dementia in Australia. (in the Science Faculty). This was later relinquished for a NHMRC Early Career Training Fellowship ‘I’ve been involved with the University as both currently held until June this year, at which time he a student and an employee for more than 20 will begin the Bellberry Fellowship. years now and during this time I have noticed mostly cultural changes regarding Indigenous Shayne’s research straddles both Alzheimer’s and Development and employment. Prions research (one commonly known Prions disease is Mad Cow disease). The reason for ‘For me personally, I wouldn’t have got to where this focus comes down to exosomes – bubble- I am today without the undergraduate entry like sacs that can be released from cells. These scheme pathway available to Indigenous students exosomes can house toxic proteins that play a at the time, plus the assistance of the Admissions role in both Alzheimer’s and Prion diseases. As Offi ce. they also contain genetic material, they have the potential to transfer both toxin proteins ‘While I’m not heavily involved with Indigenous and genetic material that can progress disease. Development programs or initiatives within the Shayne tells us more about his research: University, there are some stand-outs. I see how Indigenous Development is closely related to ‘My research currently involves the process improving Indigenous health, and programs such of capturing exosomes from diseased cells, as the Residential Indigenous Science Experience to eventually identify a genetic signature. It (RISE) are extremely important. Trying to get incorporates deep sequencing technology that kids involved in Science and then support them gradually amplifi es RNA into multiple copies of through to a PhD will lead to more Aboriginal readable sequences, in a process that is similar students with Aboriginal supervisors addressing to the Human Genome Project. My focus on issues regarding health.’
Contact Shayne Bellingham at: www.biochemistry.unimelb.edu.au/research/res_hill-personnel.html.
24 Partnerships 25
Leading our community engagement work over more than a decade is Angela Clarke, long-time Deputy Director of Onemda. She and the other members of the Unit’s Community Development team have ensured that our teaching and research are focused on the core concerns of: Aboriginal community development and health; Aboriginal needs and services in a social context; and capacity building for Aboriginal health research.
Partnerships are central to almost every endeavour in relation to Indigenous health – be it research, teaching and learning or community engagement. They have underpinned and supported our teaching and research in a range of ways. The University’s residential colleges, for example, are important enablers to Indigenous development, as they can provide Indigenous students with a supportive environment on campus in which to both learn and live.
We have a diverse range of funding partners, some of whom – like the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation – have provided us with the long-term support and funding needed to institute real change in Indigenous health. However, it is our community partners, often enabled by our funders, who ground our work in community needs. A good example of this sort of partnership is the Indigenous Eye Health Unit’s teaming up with the Melbourne Football Club.
Our new Chair of Indigenous Health and Director of Onemda, Kerry Arabena, also has a strong commitment to partnering with community organisations, for example, the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO). Such an approach leads to a greater acceptance by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people that working in an equal partnership with researchers can lead to improvements in health outcomes for their community.
I believe at Onemda we really understand community development and partnerships: it’s all about building trust and respect while working together in an honest collaborative way.
Angela Clarke, Deputy Director, Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit
Partnerships are opportunities to extend development processes and joint learning.
Kerry Arabena, Chair of Indigenous health Profi le: Ms Angela Clarke
Deputy Director, Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit
Angela Clarke is a Gunditjmara woman from western Victoria and the longest standing Aboriginal staff member at the Faculty of MDHS. She has been at Onemda since 1999, and talks here about how community development is fundamental to improving Aboriginal health outcomes. Photo courtesy of Onemda
What was your pathway to working at Onemda? workshop We Don’t Like Research, the name for I started at the Royal Children’s Hospital in the early which came from an Elder who said, ‘You know 1990s as the Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Offi cer we don’t like research’. We only had Aboriginal and, as the program expanded, I became the presenters – which was a fi rst that we knew of – but manager. We knew and understood that community all were welcome to attend. The workshop helped engagement was vital and it didn’t matter if it was people to realise that their work – evaluation, with local Aboriginal communities or with those projects, health promotion – was, in fact, research further afi eld: the principles and protocols to by another name. engage with communities, in our experience, are essentially the same throughout Australia. This was Our community development team – which includes our community development framework. Nicole Shanahan and Paul Stewart – repeated the workshop a few years ago and there had been a How critical is community development to big shift in attitude. Elders had noticed that more securing better health outcomes? Aboriginal people were prepared to say they were It’s fundamental. Everything needs to be grounded doing research – the ‘shame’ factor had gone – so in community. This means working step-by-step we renamed the workshop ‘We Can Like Research’. with community, ensuring informed decisions are I feel really good about that as it showed the work made while discussing different options, pathways we do does in fact make a difference to community. and possible outcomes. There’s no use working on issues if community is not involved as they know the What does Indigenous development mean problems so need to be involved in the solutions. to you? I believe at Onemda we understand community It’s about listening and working with the Aboriginal development and partnerships: it’s all about community to understand their priorities and then building trust and respect while working together to create better health outcomes. We also involve in an honest collaborative way. As Aboriginal community Elders in our work and have our Patrons people, we are totally immersed professionally and at Onemda who oversee our broader vision. How personally and are accountable to our communities. lucky are we to have Aunty Joan, Aunty Joy and We’ll always be the fi rst to hear the complaints! Uncle Kevin as it says a lot about our community’s faith in us to deliver, to be authentic. It’s also Any best practice examples of how Onemda’s about being able to work with non-Indigenous community development team engages with people who ‘get it’, and who have worked with Koori communities? Aboriginal people for a long time. What they have There has been a long history of non-Indigenous is a sense of social justice, empathy and their own people coming and asking us questions and then lived experiences. Everybody’s stories are valued, giving the community nothing – no solutions, no and from that you build and develop under strong outcomes and no feedback. So we organised the Aboriginal leadership.
Angela Clarke can be contacted at: www.onemda.unimelb.edu.au.
26 Building Sustainable Partnerships
Victorian Aboriginal VicHealth through its funding These partnerships and Community Controlled and support of both Onemda initiatives refl ect the aims of Health Organisation and the McCaughey VicHealth the OCIP and the building of Centre for Community Wellbeing. collaborations with the Faculty The Victorian Aboriginal Onemda was established in 1999 of MDHS and other faculties. Community Controlled Health with fi ve years of core funding Such opportunities encourage Organisation or VACCHO is from VicHealth and the Australian our undergraduates to consider a the peak body representing Government Department of career in medicine, allied health Aboriginal community controlled Health and Ageing. The decision care and teaching in Indigenous health organisations around to fund this new initiative, under communities through Teach for Victoria. A centre of expertise, the leadership of Ian Anderson Australia Programs. policy advice, training and and Angela Clarke, followed a leadership in Aboriginal health, period of consultation with the For more on OCIP go to: VACCHO advocates for the Victorian Aboriginal community. www.ormond.unimelb.edu.au. health equality of all Aboriginal VicHealth has always seen the people in Victoria. value of community engagement, Trinity College has around and its funding of core positions 300 students, of whom 22 are VACCHO has been a key partner in this area has enabled Onemda Indigenous, a number that of Onemda’s for more than a to build and develop its doubled in 2013. Trinity’s active decade, a link formalised in community development focus. Indigenous engagement policy 2005 with a Memorandum of aims to increase access for Understanding. Many of our staff For more on VicHealth go to: Indigenous students to study and students have worked closely www.vichealth.vic.gov.au. at the University and to foster with VACCHO on community knowledge about Indigenous development, teaching and Australians for all Trinity residents. research initiatives. One of Residential colleges: these led to models that ensure Supporting transition Trinity is currently involved in Aboriginal people have input into Ormond College, home to nearly developing the BSc (Extended) the ethics of any research that is 400 students, is committed course, based on the Arts model, carried out in, or impacts upon, to fostering educational to start in 2015 as a pathway for their communities. Currently, an opportunities for Indigenous Indigenous students to enter Onemda staff member is based students to study at the University, Science and Health Sciences. at VACCHO one day a week through the Ormond College Every year, Indigenous students supporting the public health team Indigenous Program (OCIP). This enter Trinity both through a around research projects and provides Ormond’s 10 Indigenous series of Indigenous and Medical possible links with the University. students with both academic scholarships (e.g. the Yorta Yorta and fi nancial support. This Scholarship for an Indigenous For more on VACCHO go to: includes tutoring and supervising student preferably studying www.vaccho.org.au. Indigenous students, while Medicine), as well as through fi nancial support is given through regular undergraduate admissions. bursaries: the Hugh Taylor Helen Approximately fi ve of these Victorian Health Keller Award for an Indigenous students are enrolled in the Faculty Promotion Foundation undergraduate resident in a of MDHS, and they are actively The Victorian Health Promotion bio-medical or health sciences- supported in their transition to Foundation, or VicHealth, works related degree; the Freemantle University life both by our staff in partnership with organisations, Fellowship for an Indigenous and students through the Trinity communities and individuals to doctoral candidate; and the College Activities Committee. make health a central part of our Sir Andrew and Lady Fairley daily lives. The Faculty has had a Scholarship for an undergraduate For more on Trinity go to: long-standing relationship with from the Goulburn–Murray area. www.trinity.unimelb.edu.au. 27 Melbourne Football Club: remote communities and the Strong Eyes’ campaign, which Eliminating trachoma Melbourne Football Club (MFC) engages with community groups, to run football clinics. Each schools and health clinics to A series of football clinics held in clinic involves a day of hygiene- teach children, teachers and clinic remote Indigenous communities and health-inspired activities staff about the most effective form part of a health promotion combined with a football clinic way to prevent the spread of and social marketing strategy to run by MFC players. Three clinics disease – through maintaining eliminate trachoma and Close have so far been held in the NT: clean faces by regular face the Gap for Vision. These clinics, the fi rst in 2010 at Yuendumu, the washing. A mascot, Milpa the an initiative of the Indigenous second in Katherine in 2011 and Trachoma Goanna, now joins Eye Health Unit, highlight the the most recent in Alice Springs popular children’s television importance of community in 2012. character Yamba the Honey Ant engagement for improved health to promote the campaign with and wellbeing, and encourage MFC Senior Coach Mark Neeld young children and families. young Indigenous Australians to says that the clinic has been a participate in sport. hugely positive experience for The program has built on everyone taking part. ‘The club opportunities to create new Australia is the only developed is proud to partner and support partnerships and bring together country in the world where this public health initiative as an increasing number of diverse trachoma is still prevalent, it reinforces our commitment Indigenous stakeholders. The although the condition was to the Territory and provides 2012 Alice Springs event had eliminated in the non-Indigenous incredible personal development more than 200 attendees – an Australian population more than opportunities for our playing incredible show of support from 100 years ago. In a bid to also group’. the local community. rid the Indigenous population of trachoma, the Unit works The 2011 clinic was followed by For more on the football clinics with both local services in the launch of the ‘Clean Faces = go to: www.iehu.unimelb.edu.au.
Youngsters don Demons footy jumpers at Yipirinya School, Alice Springs, July 2012. Photo courtesy of IEHU
28 Chair ofIndigenousHealth,MelbourneSchoolPopulationandGlobalHealth Profi le:Professor Kerry Arabena worked incommunityorganisations formostof development processes andjointlearning.I’ve Partnerships are toextend opportunities work youdo? areHow critical community partnershipstothe researchAboriginal health andpolicy. Leadership Network(VILN)–towriteabout partners –VACCHO, Oxfam,Victorian Indigenous and retreats, aspaceforstudents,staff and fi workshops isaseriesofwriting rst initiatives knowledgeexchange. Oneofmy facilitating impactand ensuringpolicy capacity building, as itrelates Universitythrough tothe developing Plan AboriginalHealth aNational implementing efforts andon Gapinitiatives onClosethe both Chair’sI seethe role Faculty’s asfocusingthe andDirector Health Indigenous ofOnemda? How doyouenvisageyourrole asChairof andsexualhealth. policy research, andheldseniorroles inIndigenous communitydevelopmentand administration, have anextensivebackground health, inpublic University’s Ialso Health. SchoolofIndigenous Professor andDirector ofResearch atMonash and Institute, Lowitja First Peoples,CEOofthe Congress National co-chair ofthe ofAustralia’s as appointment,Iheldpositions Prior tothis University ofMelbourne? toworkingatthe What wasyourpathway the Australia National University. National Australia the a doctorateinhumanecologyfrom has abackground insocial workand TorresMurray Islandinthe Strait,she Meriampeopleof descendant ofthe Torres StraitIslanderprofessor. A andAustralia’sHealth fi rst female Kerry ArabenaisChairofIndigenous Kerry Arabena canbecontactedat:www.onemda.unimelb.edu.au. to developpeoplebemiserable, wouldyou? Youcommunity inwhichyoulive. wouldn’t want enrichthe personal happiness,inwaysthat predominantly aboutpursuing andachieving tomanypeople,butformeit’smany things development canbe conclusionthat to the now, youcango:we’re happy’.Thisleadsme saidtohim,‘That’sone pointavillager enough At hadlosteverything. that communities those tsunami waspartofateamworkingtoredevelop workinSriLankaafterthe A friendwhodid to you? developmentmean What doesIndigenous servicedelivery. impactuponhealth all will isworkingon,andthese Commonwealth the locals. There are formulasthat alsonewfunding through andMedicare Aboriginalcooperatives Stateandbeingrolledgoing oninthe out workrequired policy the with bigreforms onthe VACCHO economistswith place health toassist community here. We are currently helpingto I amlookingforward local the toworkingwith be meaningful. andthereforethem, workwedowon’t tous,the andlearnaboutwhat’scommunities, importantto agenda, unlessyouhavearelationship with ourresearch Intermsofsetting life. my adult
Photo courtesy of MDHS Advancement and Communications Unit Photo by Sarah Anderson Photography 29 30 Cultural Recognition
A final but critical plank in our Reconciliation Action Plan is the element of Cultural Recognition. How do we work to ensure that both our built and natural environment, as well as our protocols and ceremonies, incorporate and embed appropriate cultural recognition of the ancestors on whose land we now occupy and work, and the Indigenous people who we now serve?
We have made some fundamental gains in this area, which are outlined here, but many more opportunities remain for both the Faculty and the University to mark their respect for the contribution of Indigenous peoples to this institution.
[The Possum Skin Cloak] honours the Wurunderji tradition, their high formal culture and their countrymen, the Bunerorong, Waudawurrung, Dja Dja Wurrung, and Tungwurrung…
Ian Anderson, Director of Murrup Barak
Consider your place here on this land today. What does it mean or represent to you? How do you interact with it? How do you connect with its history and how will you contribute to its memories?
Commentary from Billibellary’s Walk, The University of Melbourne narrative fromnarrative anAboriginalperspective. through University’s the siteusinga Parkville HeritageCounciltodevelopawalk Cultural Wurundjerithe Tribe LandandCompensation and UniversityofMelbourne atthe Institutes Centres, other with collaborated and Faculties Onemda VicHealth Unithas KooriHealth its memories?’ youcontributeto itshistoryandhowwill with Howdoyouconnect it? do youinteractwith What doesitmeanorrepresent toyou?How ‘Consider yourplacehere landtoday. onthis Wurundjeriland, the people,before colonisation. ofthe custodians traditional have beenforthe experienceof‘place’asitmay ofthe exploration interpretation urbanlandscapeandan ofthe Billibellary’s Walk andhistorical isacultural Profi le:‘Billibellary’s Walk’ go to:www.murrupbarak.unimelb.edu.au. For more onBillibellary’s Walk, protocols Possum SkinCloak(seeoverleaf)andAboriginalcultural the • • Tour highlights had intimate knowledge. had intimate andhispeople ofwhichBillibellary patterns ancientmigration –maintainingtheir and buildings Today, tomigrateupBouverieStreet, eelscontinue the road the drainpipesbeneath usingthe Wurundjeri people,commonlyspeared industrialmethods. ortrappedusingsophisticated fresh water. juvenile yearsinsalt wateraftertheir Eelswere ofthe diet astaplepart ofthe The creek inBouverieStreet washometoshort-fi would migrate upstreamnned eelthat to Birrarung.’ of the Billibellary’s –andhere time bankofacreek, onthe youwouldhavebeenstanding atributary area. ofthe waterways,riversandwetlands the Take backto1830onceagain– yourself ‘Looking around, oncesupported youmaynotseeanyevidenceofalandscapethat Eel migrationpatterns(cornerofBouverieandGrattanStreets) people. ofthe patterns lifestyle Summer andLate–governedthe do today. Thesixseasonalcycles–EarlyWinter, DeepWinter, Pre-Spring, True Spring,High The Wurundjeri differentiation peoplemarkedthe ofseasonsdifferently from waywe the Wurundjeri placeandbelongingforthe understanding people.’ ‘Feel, know, imagineMelbourne’s are sixcyclesasthey reconstructed subtly contextfor asthe The sixcycles leader William Barak. leader William visionaryAboriginal memoryofthe honour the meaning ‘SpiritofBarak’,anamechosento programs, MurrupBarak is aWoiwurung term increase University’s impactofthe the Indigenous in2009to Murrup Barakwebsite.Established downloadable podcast)canbeaccessedonthe formofa inthe tournarrative forthcoming tourandresourcesThe walking the (including andcommunity. education tohealth, connection by different groups and, importantly, itsbroader meaningsandrelationshipsthe toit attached of‘place.’Thisincludes constructions cultural across socialand aboutthe thinking time, explore Universitylandscape andimaginethe students, staff Universityto andvisitorstothe guideandenable tourwill The self-guided
Photo by Sarah Anderson Photography 31 Profi le: The Possum Skin Cloak
Professors Marcia Langton and Ian Anderson share a lighter moment with the possum skin cloak prior to the Special Conferring of Degree Ceremony celebrating 150 years of the Melbourne Medical School. Photo by Michael Silver
As part of the Melbourne Medical School’s In accepting the gift of the cloak, Professor sesquicentenary celebrations in 2012, a solemn Anderson asked guests to cast their minds back handover ceremony was held in the University 150 years. The timeframe is signifi cant, marking of Melbourne’s Raymond Priestley Building to as it does the opening of the Melbourne Medical recognise the signifi cant Indigenous contribution School and pointing to a period of catastrophic to the School’s long and distinguished history. impact on Melbourne’s Aboriginal population.
The gift of a possum skin cloak, commissioned ‘For the Wurundjeri the situation was dire,’ by the Faculty of MDHS and fashioned by local Professor Anderson says. ‘Colonisation had Wurundjeri artist Mandy Nicholson (formerly been rapid and cataclysmic, with the Aboriginal Thomas), was presented to Murrup Barak’s Director, peoples of Victoria reduced to a tiny number. The Professor Ian Anderson. Later that day, Professor Wurundjeri were dying of starvation in the streets of Anderson, the University’s fi rst Aboriginal medical Melbourne. And for nearly 20 years no Aboriginal graduate, was conferred the degree of Doctor of babies were born who survived to leave family. Medical Science (honoris causa). ‘It was at this moment that a number of Professor Anderson donned the cloak for an inspirational men and women, including academic procession which included nine nurungaeta (leaders, elders) Simon Wonga and other Melbourne graduates honoured for their William Barak made a profound contribution to remarkable achievements, and whose lives and the futures of their people. They were nurungaeta careers have, in the University of Melbourne profoundly rooted in their cultural tradition who Chancellor Elizabeth Alexander’s estimation, had a vision for their people as settled farmers.’ ‘generated enduring improvements in the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities This vision resulted in the Coranderrk settlement across the world’. The conferral ceremony was near Healesville, which ran a successful enterprise the fi rst of such formal University occasions at selling wheat, hops and crafts, winning fi rst prize which the cloak will feature. at the Melbourne International Exhibition.
‘The cloak is a rare and signifi cant cultural gift,’ It is signifi cant that, in the 150th anniversary year says Professor Anderson. ‘It is also a gift to the of the Melbourne Medical School’s establishment, University of the Wurundjeri. It honours the population parity was achieved for Aboriginal and Wurunderji tradition, their high formal culture and Torres Strait Islander students going into the fi rst their countrymen, the Bunerorong, Waudawurrung, year of medicine in universities across Australia. Dja Dja Wurrung, and Tungwurrung.’ 32 From the creator of the Possum Skin Cloak – Mandy Nicholson (formerly Thomas)
I have always loved drawing and creating things The swirl throughout the design depicts two with my hands. I was taught all types of craft things. Firstly, it represents the smoke of a skills from my grandmother and mother, and welcoming fi re (by way of a traditional Wurundjeri I copied my teenage sisters drawings when I Welcoming Ceremony). This welcomes all students was young. Eventually I worked on murals and from the local area to all over the world. large-scale collaborative works such as the large rock carving at Birrarung Marr. I also do Secondly, the smoke swirls depict the learning and works for government agencies and community personal journeys of students and the connections organisations. that they make personally and professionally while at university. This can be on a small scale (the The Melbourne Medical School at the University University/Parkville), and on a larger scale as once of Melbourne asked me to create a cloak with they have completed their courses they can share this traditional Wurundjeri designs, and which also knowledge with their own, and the wider, community. refl ected a student’s life at university. I was This is shown in the design by the swirls that go in all delighted to create the cloak for the University, directions, but at the same time never swaying too as I feel more awareness of Victorian Aboriginal far away from their main goal of attaining a degree. culture is very important and what better way to do it than on a cloak as the designs are distinctly The lines within the swirls show on more of a Victorian. The use of traditional Wurundjeri macro scale the obstacles that may present symbology is respecting the fact that Parkville is themselves throughout study life. These smaller, on Wurundjeri Country and as a sign of respect to wavy lines all remain connected to the support my ancestors. structure of friendships and the University itself. Photo by Michael Silver ‘This Progress Report represents a substantial and inspirational body of work, and I am extremely proud to be part of a Faculty that is so supportive of our Indigenous development agenda. There are many colleagues throughout the Faculty who contribute to this agenda, and I would like to thank you all. Let’s use this body of work as a foundation upon which to further develop and continue to contribute to Indigenous, and Australian, development.’
Associate Professor Shaun Ewen Associate Dean (Indigenous Development), Faculty of MDHS
Indigenous Development Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences The University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010 AUSTRALIA W: www.mdhs.unimelb.edu.au/indigenousdevelopment