<p>TABLE OF CONTENTS</p><p>2 Strong spirit, strong culture, strong people</p><p>The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healing Foundation is an independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation with a focus on healing our community. </p><p>Established on the anniversary of the Apology to Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples the Healing Foundation addresses the profound legacy of pain and hurt in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s lives caused by colonisation and other past government policies such as removing children from their families.</p><p>The Aboriginal & and Torres Strait Islander Global Mental Health: Trauma and Recovery Training Program feasibility study is driven by the importance of developing and sustaining the healing workforce in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.</p><p>In the past 12 months we have funded 21 programs across Australia providing healing services to our communities. Data generated from these programs contributes to the beginnings of an evidence base for effective Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healing strategies. This data demonstrates a need to support our people to meet their own healing needs.</p><p>However, there has been limited work undertaken to date in how to develop and harness Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and expertise that will be necessary to provide quality healing work nationally. </p><p>Ensuring that healing processes can be sustained within our communities is important so that we can continue to direct our healing our way. This feasibility study will contribute to our knowledge and thinking in how to achieve this and is therefore, a very significant project for the Healing Foundation.</p><p>We look forward to receiving your proposals. </p><p>Richard Weston CEO</p><p>3 Following the Apology to Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in 2008 $26.6 million was provided in the 2009-10 budget for the establishment of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healing foundation to address the profound legacy of pain and hurt in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s lives caused by past government policies. </p><p>From May to August 2009 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people around Australia were consulted on the structure and role of a healing foundation and as a result the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healing Foundation was established as a national independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation on 30 October 2009. </p><p>The Healing Foundation is governed by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Board whose members have strong connections to community and provide a dynamic mix of experience including members of the Stolen Generations and people working in the areas of youth affairs, health, justice, healing and trauma. </p><p>The Healing Foundation is improving the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by:  developing the healing story through funding healing programs;  raising the profile and documenting the importance of culturally strong healing programs through research and evaluation;  building capacity and leadership of communities and workers to deal with trauma through Training and Education</p><p>4 Background The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healing Foundation want to explore the feasibility for developing a trauma training program for existing workers in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. </p><p>Whilst there are a number of higher education institutions and training establishments providing courses in Social Emotional Wellbeing there are no programs designed to grow and support existing workers to provide a quality service. A variety of indicators and the experiential feedback suggests that health and social emotional wellbeing workers in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities experience significant distress resulting from the secondary trauma they experience and the lack of support to work with the trauma. Within communities there is a strong sense that workers come and go, and there are long gaps between replacing the workers.</p><p>The impact of trauma on our communities is widespread and ubiquitous. </p><p>‘Trauma’ is the consequence of individuals, families or communities experiencing fearful events. How people show their trauma varies according to the: event itself; age; gender; relationship to the person; and whether it is a single overwhelming event or a series of events. The immediate physical effects are often minor or healed relatively quickly; the longer-term effects may not even be linked to the past events by the person or workers. A traumatic event can affect wellbeing including a sense of meaning and purpose in life. Trauma may also impact lifestyle choices including alcohol, diet, smoking and physical activity. The psychological impacts of trauma combined with these lifestyle choices increase the chances of diabetes, renal disease, hypertension, asthma, heart disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, and many other illnesses. The more traumatic experiences in a person’s life, the greater the impact on their lives. For example, children who experience a number of adverse events, very typical in abused children, are nearly 4 times more likely to experience heart disease than those who have not experienced trauma. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience substantial historical, collective and individual trauma including loss of community, culture and purpose. They have substantial chronic health issues with all the chronic diseases they experience known to have a substantial trauma component. Those working with vulnerable people need to be aware of the important research emerging in the area of trauma and its diverse effects and reflect on its impact in their work and on them.</p><p>‘Secondary Trauma’ is an outcome for individuals working with traumatised people. Each Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander worker has their personal stories and when working with a client group who share similar experiences it is very possible to trigger a strong emotional response in the worker. Workers who have not healed from their trauma are particularly vulnerable and may experience substantial trauma like symptoms and if severe enough become a less effective worker. Workers with a clear model of trauma and how to intervene are less likely to experience secondary trauma. Similarly workers with positive support systems are less likely to experience secondary trauma. Clearly, from the above consequences of trauma on people, all health workers will be working with people who have experienced trauma.</p><p>5 Below is an outline of the current thinking about the purpose and goals Global Mental Health Trauma & Recovery program.</p><p>Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Global Mental Health Trauma & Recovery: The Program will... - enhance existing workers capacity to work with trauma affected clients - enhance existing workers self care and survival skills in part through developing a strong sup- portive network - be linked to the international mental health movement through Harvard Program for Refugee Trauma http://hprt-cambridge.org/ - be modelled on the Global Mental Health Trauma & Recovery Certificate http://hprt- cambridge.org/?page_id=31 - have educational pathway opportunities - need to be self funding - have a network of contributing partners</p><p>This feasibility study will have the following key outcomes: 1. Identification of the need for a trauma training program aimed specifically at existing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers 2. Identify if there is support from Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander organisations and workers for this program 3. From 1 & 2 if potential for development and implementation of such a program is identified  Identify potential education partners  Explore the option of regional involvement (i.e. Timor Leste, PNG, Solomon Islands, NZ)  Identify potential charitable partners for providing support in the development of the pro- gram 4. Provide an estimate of costs of conducting such a program 5. Identify risks to the Healing Foundation and potential solutions </p><p>6 Purpose and Audience This feasibility study will inform the development of an ongoing training program, linked to the global mental health movement, around working in trauma. This tender will have two major components. After part one, if the feasibility is assessed as minimal, the tender (with discussion) may finish.</p><p>Part 1 Determine the need for a program for existing workers within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities based on the Global Mental Health Trauma and Recovery Program. There is potential to include Timor Leste, PNG, Solomon Islands and New Zealand. </p><p>As part of determining the need also estimate the interest and likely uptake of the program by Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander workers and organisations.</p><p>Part 2 If it is determined that a substantial need and interest exists, identify models for building, conducting and the ongoing development of the course including indentifying potential educational and charity partners. From this information develop an initial implementation plan including:  Suggested model and options  Identification of and methods of recruiting participants  Educational pathways for participants after the program  Costs of conducting program  Staffing options  Program frequency  Model for managing the program  Infrastructure needed to support the program and the Alumni  Funding options (e.g. scholarships, fee for service, foundations, government) and recom- mendations</p><p>Audience: </p><p>The feasibility paper has been commissioned by the Healing Foundation Board. It may be used to seek support from government business and/or charitable partners for implementation if appropriate.</p><p>7 Healing Foundation Training and Education Program Logic</p><p>Delivery (Intermediate Outcomes) </p><p>Implementation (Immediate Outcomes)</p><p>Foundations</p><p>4. Specifications Aim & Output As the aim of this report is to inform the Healing Foundation on what will work best in developing a skilled and competent workforce in healing the priority of the report is addressing the items listed below.</p><p>The additional content and structure of the report will be open to negotiation with the successful tenderers.</p><p>Below is an outline of the key chapters for inclusion in the project</p><p>1. Need and Scope a. How this was established b. Magnitude of need c. Gaps in current programs d. Perceived interest and importance (is there sufficient need/gap to justify continuing)</p><p>2. Potential Partners a. Educational partners a.i. University 8 a.ii. TAFE a.iii. Other b. Charitable partners c. Corporate partners</p><p>3. Develop and critically examine the implementation models</p><p>4. Outline a possible implementation process a. Initial plan b. Outcomes from meeting c. Final plan</p><p>5. Full cost analysis a. Establishment b. Maintenance c. Course conduct</p><p>6. Potential funding models a. Government (identified sources and degree of support) b. Charitable foundations (interest and capacity) c. Scholarships (e.g. DFAT for overseas participants, others) d. Fee for service (full fee costs)</p><p>7. Summary of relevant Indigenous trauma and treatment models</p><p>8. Risk analysis </p><p>9. Recommendations </p><p>9 Other considerations What is current educational environment for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples?</p><p>1. Healing qualifications that exist from certificate level to doctorate level. 2. The current training environment and courses available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Social and Emotional Wellbeing. 3. The incorporation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge on healing in current courses and education available. 4. The current impediments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander gaining qualifications in Healing and Social and Emotional Wellbeing. 5. International and national context of what has worked in healing and supporting the development of a workforce.</p><p>10 Governance </p><p>The Training and Education Advisory Committee in conjunction with the Research Advisory Committee will provide oversight for the development of this project.</p><p>Additional advice and input will be provided by the Stolen Generations Reference Committee within the Healing Foundation.</p><p>The project will be reporting to and supported by the Research Team within the Healing Foundation. The final report will be submitted to the Healing Foundation Board for their consideration.</p><p>Consultation Ongoing discussions with the contractor on the most effective and efficient processes to achieve our goals are anticipated. </p><p>The following are key starting points in any consultation process:</p><p> The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healing Foundation Board  Literature Review on healing that has been completed by the Healing Foundation  Training and Education Advisory Committee  Research Advisory Committee  Stolen Generations Reference Committee  Training Institutes in existence nationally  Indigenous units within university, faculties and research units with Social and Emotional Wellbeing field of study</p><p>Deliverables</p><p>1. A workshop with key informants (participants to be determined in consultation with the Healing Foundation) to inform the development of the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Global Mental Health Trauma & Recovery program. 2. A progress report at the end of initial feasibility (part 1). 3. A progress report at the end of the second feasibility (part 2). 4. Otherwise a progress report at least every three months 5. A draft report three weeks before the end of contract. 6. Final report on completion</p><p>11 The tenderers are required to submit a proposal by Monday 27th February 2012.</p><p>The proposal should outline the following:</p><p> A proposed outline of how you will meet the specifications identified in this document.</p><p> Experience of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and knowledge of the Train- ing and Education field.</p><p> Outline of the team involved with the preparation of the feasibility study.</p><p> Evidence of the capacity to produce a report of the nature specified.</p><p> Timeline and methodology for the proposed feasibility study.</p><p> A well developed budget.</p><p> 2 external referees </p><p>The maximum contract amount is $70,000. Additionally one workshop cost will be met by the Healing Foundation in consultation with the successful contractor.</p><p>Additional Information:</p><p>1) The Healing Foundation will not contribute to the development of the proposals financially or intellectually.</p><p>2) At the conclusion of the project all reports and materials developed will become the prop- erty of the Healing Foundation.</p><p>3) The Healing Foundation will pay the initial 25% on commencement of the contract 25% on approval of acceptance of the first progress report and 50% on acceptance of the final re- port.</p><p>ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:</p><p> The quality of the proposal including the appropriateness of the approach and demonstration of un- derstanding of the key tasks.  Track record of proponents in performing similar projects,  The demonstrated ability to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communit- ies and incorporation of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander world view.</p><p> Demonstrate the ability to produce quality reports on time and within the budget.</p><p> Value for money.</p><p>12 Additional information for contractors 1. The Healing Foundation reserves the right to cancel or withdraw a request for services on evidence of poor performance. 2. The Healing Foundation, through the Research Director, will work closely with the contractors to ensure desired outcomes are achieved. 3. The Healing Foundation will not contribute to the development of the proposals, financially or intellec- tually. 4. At the conclusion of the project, all materials developed by the project team will become the property of the Healing Foundation. 5. A payment schedule will be established based on the different stages of the project.</p><p>Any questions should be directed to Dr Robert Brooks Research Director on 02 6124 4400 </p><p>1. Any questions should be directed to the Programs Director.</p><p>2. Proposals can be submitted via post or email.</p><p>Tenderers will be advised of the outcomes of the selection process by March 9th 2012.</p><p>A timeline will be developed for completion of the project 6 to 9 months from signing the agreement with the Healing Foundation</p><p>13</p>