West news Connecting and partnering with Aboriginal communities Issue 4 – Winter/Spring 2018 Contents Welcome to West news 2 Deputy Secretary’s message 2 Culturally safe medical centre nears completion 3 Marcus Clarke message 3 NAIDOC Week Celebrations 2018 4 – Courage takes to the streets 4 – Anti-violence game a slam dunk 4 – Because of her, they did 5 Deadly stories 5 Keeping families together 6 YES to launch careers 7 Making his Country proud 8 Twelve Apostles, Contact details 8 Kirrae Whurrong Country. West news Welcome to Deputy Secretary’s message I’d like to take this • manage service delivery West news opportunity to tell you support at an area level about the great work and strengthen the focus The Department of taking place both within on quality and practice Health and Human the Department of Health improvement Services respectfully and Human Services, and • focus Child Protection acknowledges the the broader sector. operations on delivering Traditional Owners of After many months of statutory services with children and families Country throughout consultation, changes increased executive 4. capture, build and share Victoria and pays its to the organisational leadership at the area Aboriginal knowledge, respect to the ongoing structure of West Division level learning and evidence operations ‘went live’ on living cultures of • strengthen the to inform practice Aboriginal peoples. 25 June, 2018. department’s capacity 5. prioritise Aboriginal The critical changes for responsive, risk- workforce capability. across the divisional informed regulatory In this edition of level of the operational compliance, investigation There has also been West news, we share boundary, and within the and enforcement across a flurry of significant some of the diverse five distinct divisional specified regulatory capital investment ways our community areas of Barwon, Wimmera schemes. across West Division celebrated NAIDOC South West, Central The game changing with several Aboriginal in 2018. Highlands, Brimbank Wungurilwil Gapgapduir: Controlled Community Melton and Western Aboriginal Children and Organisations undergoing Melbourne, will: Families Agreement and renovations or building We learn how a new infrastructure. • provide greater focus Strategic Action Plan was Victorian Aboriginal on continuous quality officially launched on This includes an exciting Child Care Agency- improvement and safety 26 April, 2018 at Parliament new build for the led collaboration for our clients House. Wyndham Aboriginal with community and Community Centre, • increase capacity to Wungurilwil Gapgapduir government is keeping extensions to Ballarat respond at a local level means ‘strong families’ Aboriginal children and District Aboriginal with an integrated in Latji Latji Aboriginal in Out of Home Care Cooperative (see page 3), approach across health, language, which in touch with their a $1m Aboriginal Victoria human services and the appropriately sets the culture through the Community Infrastructure broader service sector, tone and galvanizes the creation of a deadly new grant for Budja Budja including universal principle intent of the plan. resource. Aboriginal Cooperative’s services Co-designed by Aboriginal We hear how an capital works and services and key innovative project is • Improve planning, upgrades, as well as mainstream child service improving the mental performance, a grant of $41,000 for organisations, Wungurilwil health of parents – and program and reform Worn Gundidj Aboriginal Gapgapduir includes five bringing families back implementation and Cooperative for minor central objectives aimed together. agency performance works and upgrades. We at helping to ensure Aboriginal trainees who • bring together functions will keep you updated young people are safe, have been given an that support the delivery on the progress of these resilient and can thrive in opportunity to expand of services and provide works in future editions. culturally-rich Aboriginal their skills, explore strategic oversight families and communities. Finally, the department their employment and management of has launched a new These are: options and, potentially, key processes and and improved public begin a career in the performance 1. encourage Aboriginal website. The visually department, talk about • improve opportunities children and families to appealing site offers their experiences. for clients to provide be strong in culture and visitors a greatly enhanced Finally, Jason Kanoa, feedback to the be proud of their unique experience with a more CEO of Gunditjmara department and ensure identity easily navigable platform Aboriginal Cooperative, responsive, resolution- 2. resource and support that makes it easier to speaks of the rewards of focused processes Aboriginal organisations learn about the services returning to Country in • strengthen the focus on to care for Aboriginal the department delivers. a leadership role. population health and children, families and I recommend you check it We trust you enjoy wellbeing and community communities out at dhhs.vic.gov.au this edition of capacity building efforts 3. commit to culturally Paul Smith West news. at a local or place-based competent and culturally Deputy Secretary, (area) level safe services for staff, West Division 2 Culturally safe medical centre nears completion Ballarat’s expanded service Ballarat for many state-of-the-art, years to come. culturally-appropriate ‘I can’t wait for the opening and safe medical centre and I am looking forward facilities are due to open to inviting the entire before the end of the community, local, state year. wide and beyond, to check The Ballarat and District out the new facilities and Aboriginal Co-operative’s the services that it will be (BADAC) two-storey able to provide,’ Ms Heap medical centre, built says. with the support of the The expanded BADAC Department of Health medical centre facilities and Human Services, are expected to be fully will adjoin the existing operational by late BADAC building in the February, 2019. heart of Ballarat’s CBD. BADAC CEO Karen Heap The centre will oversees the build. continue to provide the community with a wide variety of urgently Marcus Clarke message needed services and Now that West Division’s and its practical programs, including Aboriginal Engagement application, and the some new initiatives. Unit is operating within the philosophy of Aboriginal The expanded facilities new Department of Health community control. will also allow for the and Human Services co-location of programs • Supporting, promoting organisational structure, delivered from other and advising on best it is an opportune time office locations, while practice engagement to provide you with an still serving as a approaches to improve overview of what the unit our connection, to better respond to the culturally-appropriate does. needs and aspirations of and safe space for the accountability and Our unit’s work sits under cultural responsiveness the various communities community to gather within the division. and socialise. the overarching vision and to Aboriginal direction of Korin Korin Organisations and the Overall, the breadth Prominent Aboriginal Balit-Djak: Aboriginal Aboriginal community. of work of the unit is artworks and accents health, wellbeing and • Facilitating a co- quite varied, but the will be featured safety strategic plan outcomes achieved are throughout the building designed approach 2017–2027, and has both with the department’s always grounded in and a large community an internal focus within making a difference in area will have the Aboriginal staff in the the department and West to develop an the communities that capability to be opened an external focus to we serve. on three sides for warm enhanced Aboriginal our stakeholders and Staff Network. The aim The unit, which formally summer days or closed community. is to foster a strong and began in September on all four sides on chilly Internally, the unit’s six- supportive environment 2016, now sits within the winter days. Alongside member team provides for Aboriginal staff to department’s new West the community area will expertise and support to share their experiences Division Population Health, be an outdoor meeting the business areas across of working in the Planning and Aboriginal area, complete with built West Division on such department, and provide Engagement Branch. in seating, fire pit and things as: them with professional The location and contact barbeque. • Building an development details of each team BADAC CEO Karen understanding of opportunities. member can be found Heap says staff and the Aboriginal concepts Externally, the unit works on the back page of this community are taking a and ways of operating in partnership with local newsletter. great deal of interest as to tackle entrenched Aboriginal Community Marcus Clarke the building takes shape disadvantage. This Controlled Organisations, Manager, Aboriginal and begins to become includes the philosophy Aboriginal communities, Engagement Unit, a key centre that will of self-determination and mainstream providers West Division 3 West news NAIDOC Week Celebrations 2018 Courage takes to the streets Grannie Bessie Rawlings, To celebrate this who lived at Framlingham year’s NAIDOC theme, Mission, fought for the Because of her, we can, rights of Aboriginal the council’s Youth people for more than Development Unit 40 years from her kitchen collaborated with Strong table; writing to welfare, Brother Strong Sister on politicians and newspapers