Newsletter date: 9 November 2013
Contents:
* NACCHO Aboriginal health news: Aboriginal organisations to put communities back in control
* Tracker: Aboriginal organisations to lead the way
* SNAICC Campaign: Early Years Postcard - Make your voice heard
* SBS Living Black Radio: Panyappi - Your Brother Your Sister
* SNAICC News: Launch of Knowledge Circle - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child and Family Resources Portal
* SNAICC News: The challenges and benefits of kinship care
* Background to 'Keeping Them Home': Campaign against Forced Aboriginal Adoption in the NT
* The Wire: Sharing the education challenge for Indigenous communities
* Greg Dickson, Fully (sic) - Crikey's language blog: How cuts to the NT Education Department could widen the gap
* ABC News: 71 jobs to be cut from education department
* ABC AM: Indigenous high school attendance drops in NT
* Background to the use of Aboriginal languages in NT schools
* NACCHO Aboriginal health: Culture is an important determinant of health: Professor Ngiare Brown at NACCHO Summit
* Lucy Carroll, Brisbane Times: Indigenous women take hands-on role in health
* NACCHO Aboriginal Health News: Aboriginal health groups express concern over cholesterol and statins debate
* Samia O'Keefe, ABC News: The Tomorrow's Dream campaign hopes to bring down the rate of smoking by Aboriginal people
* NACCHO Aboriginal health: Coalition's focus on improving Aboriginal health service access for regional Australians
* NACCHO Aboriginal Health News: Evaluation of the Federal Indigenous chronic disease Package
* NACCHO ABORIGINAL HEALTH NEWS: ABORIGINAL ORGANISATIONS TO PUT COMMUNITIES BACK IN CONTROL
- Media Release
NACCHO Aboriginal health news: Aboriginal organisations to put communities back in control
[NACCHO: National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation]
http://nacchocommunique.com/2013/10/31/naccho-aboriginal-health-news-abo...
31 Oct 13: "An alliance of Aboriginal organisations and non-Aboriginal NGOs will today launch a set of principles aimed at empowering Aboriginal organisations and communities in the NT to take control of their futures. DOWNLOAD THE PRINCIPLES HERE
"Today a number of local, national and international NGOs have publically endorsed a set of principles which will guide partnership centred approaches for NGOs working in Aboriginal communities” said Ms Priscilla Collins, spokesperson for Aboriginal Peak Organisations NT (APO NT). ...
"These non-Aboriginal NGOs have agreed to work together with Aboriginal organisations and communities to promote Aboriginal community-control of service delivery. It’s about putting Aboriginal people back in the driver’s seat", said Mr John Paterson, spokesperson for APO NT.
Organisations endorsing the principles include national and international NGOs engaged in delivery of health and community services in the Northern Territory. A full list of NGOs that have endorsed the principles is below. ... "
* TRACKER: ABORIGINAL ORGANISATIONS TO LEAD THE WAY
- News
newsTracker: Aboriginal organisations to lead the way
http://tracker.org.au/2013/11/aboriginal-organisations-to-lead-the-way/
1 Nov 13: "NT: Aboriginal organisations in the Northern Territory want non-indigenous NGOs to step back and let them lead delivery of services to Aboriginal communities. Eighteen non-Aboriginal NGOs operating in the Territory have agreed to partner with an alliance of Aboriginal social service providers to help them take control of their futures. It’s disappointing that the number of Aboriginal organisations delivering social services to their communities has declined, with non-indigenous groups stepping in, says Priscilla Collins, CEO of the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency."
* SNAICC CAMPAIGN: EARLY YEARS POSTCARD - MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD
- Campaign
SNAICC: Early Years Postcard - Make your voice heard!!
[SNAICC: Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care]
http://www.snaicc.org.au//news-events/dsp-early-years-postcard.cfm?loadr...
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1252
1 Nov 13: "Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander integrated early years and family support services help to grow up strong kids and create stronger communities. From June 2014, they face an uncertain funding future. Do you want to take action to make sure they get the funding support they need? If so, we've got an easy way you can take your voice straight to the top!!"
* SBS LIVING BLACK RADIO: PANYAPPI - YOUR BROTHER YOUR SISTER
- Audio Interview
SBS Living Black Radio: Panyappi - Your Brother Your Sister
By Marc Tong
http://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/aboriginal/highlight/page/id/298159/t...
1 Nov 13: "A South Australian mentoring program with practical solutions to get kids off the streets. ... What started out as a transport service for Aboriginal youth on the weekends has become a mentoring program with a difference. ... Panyappi is Kaurna language for Your Brother, Your Sister - a fitting name for a program that looks at practical ways to address Adelaide's at risk Aboriginal youth. Manager of the Metropolitan Aboriginal Youth and Family Services, Ngarrindjeri/Narungga woman Sharen Letton says the program has changed not just the lives of the kids, but also their families."
* SNAICC NEWS: LAUNCH OF KNOWLEDGE CIRCLE - ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER CHILD AND FAMILY RESOURCES PORTAL
- News
SNAICC News: Launch of Knowledge Circle - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child and Family Resources Portal
[SNAICC: Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care]
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1253
1 Nov 13: "The Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) has recently launched a new resource for workers supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Knowledge Circle - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child and Family Resources Portal provides workers with resources that promote keeping children safe and happy in community. ... The information provided in this online tool promotes the principles of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination, empowerment and connection to spirit, country and culture."
* SNAICC NEWS: THE CHALLENGES AND BENEFITS OF KINSHIP CARE
- News
SNAICC News: The challenges and benefits of kinship care
[SNAICC: Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care]
4 Nov 13: "Child Family Community Australia (CFCA) has released a summary of a presentation from the 2013 Australian Social Policy Conference, detailing some of the challenges and benefits of kinship care. The summary, written by Research Fellow Meredith Kiraly and Professor Cathy Humphreys from the University of Melbourne, examines the growing number of formal and informal kinship care arrangements in Australia, and calls for more support for family members providing kinship care."
* BACKGROUND TO 'KEEPING THEM HOME': CAMPAIGN AGAINST FORCED ABORIGINAL ADOPTION IN THE NT
Last updated: 9 October 2013
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/07/03/background-to-keeping-them-home-campa...
* THE WIRE: SHARING THE EDUCATION CHALLENGE FOR INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
- Audio Interviews
The Wire: Sharing the education challenge for Indigenous communities
Produced by Ellen Leabeater
http://www.thewire.org.au/storyDetail.aspx?ID=11006
5 Nov 13: "There are many challenges associated with educating Indigenous people in a western system, and we often only hear about what’s going wrong. This year’s National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Conference hopes to change this, and share some of the success stories from Indigenous communities. Many groups from across the nation have come together in Sydney for the next three days to discuss different approaches to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education, and how they can be adopted across Australia.
Featured in story:
* Lillian Gordon- Manager, Aboriginal Education & Training at TAFE Hunter Institute
* Daniel Fusi- Senior Community Engagement Leader"
* GREG DICKDON, FULLY (sic) - CRIKEY'S LANGUAGE BLOG: HOW CUTS TO THE NT EDUCATION DEPARTMENT COULD WIDEN THE GAP
- Analysis / Opinion
Fully (sic) - Crikey's language blog: How cuts to the NT Education Department could widen the gap
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/fullysic/2013/10/31/how-cuts-to-the-nt-educat...
31 Oct 13: "First, they rejected Gonski because too much funding would go to remote community schools. Now, the NT Education department is cutting positions that are key in supporting Aboriginal students who don’t speak English at home. Greg Dickson demonstrates the benefit that such support positions can bring and argues that the NT Government’s handling of education could easily cause the much-discussed "gap" to widen rather than narrow." wamut AKA Greg Dickson
* ABC NEWS: 71 JOBS TO BE CUT FROM EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
- News
ABC News: 71 jobs to be cut from education department
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-28/education-cuts/5050570
28 Oct 13: "The Northern Territory Government has confirmed it will cut 71 positions across the Department of Education. The positions will include class support roles, such as English-Second-Language teachers and behavioural support staff. Education Minister Peter Chandler said a further 85 jobs will be regionalised. That means support staff in the regions will report to local managers, instead of the Department of Education office in Darwin."
* ABC AM: INDIGENOUS HIGH SCHOOL ATTENDANCE DROPS IN NT
- Audio
ABC AM: Indigenous high school attendance drops in NT
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2013/s3879825.htm
30 Oct 13: "It appears that a significant drop in high school attendance rates in remote schools in the Northern Territory isn't going to stop the Territory Government axing dozens of education jobs. In the Council of Australian Governments report it reveals the Territory consistently scores the lowest literacy and numeracy rates in the country, partly due to the high proportion of Indigenous students struggling to actually attend school. With more, here's Michael Coggan."
* BACKGROUND TO THE USE OF ABORIGINAL LANGUAGES IN NT SCHOOLS:
Last updated: 4 October 2013
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/05/05/background-to-the-use-of-aboriginal-l...
* NACCHO ABORIGINAL HEALTH: CULTURE IS AN IMPORTANT DETERMINANT OF HEALTH: PROFESSOR NGIARE BROWN AT NACCHO SUMMIT
- Analysis / Opinion
NACCHO Aboriginal health: Culture is an important determinant of health: Professor Ngiare Brown at NACCHO Summit
[NACCHO: National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation]
http://nacchocommunique.com/2013/11/08/naccho-aboriginal-health-culture-...
8 Nov 13: "It’s time to move away from the deficit model that is implicit in much discussion about the social determinants of health, and instead take a strengths-based cultural determinants approach to improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This is one of the messages from Ngiare Brown, Professor of Indigenous Health and Education at the University of Wollongong. Professor Brown also stresses the importance of a focus on resilience, and the value of the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health sector as a national network for promoting cultural revitalisation and sustainable intergenerational change."
* LUCY CARROLL, BRISBANE TIMES: INDIGENOUS WOMEN TAKE HANDS-ON ROLE IN HEALTH
- News
Brisbane Times: Indigenous women take hands-on role in health
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/education/indigenous-women-take...
6 Nov 13: "Now, 30 years later, Ms Delaney-Theile is one of six Aboriginal women - all of them the first in their families to gain a university qualification - to graduate with public health degrees from the University of NSW this week. It is the largest group of Aboriginal people to graduate from a university medical faculty at one time." Lucy Carroll, a Reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald
* NACCHO ABORIGINAL HEALTH NEWS: ABORIGINAL HEALTH GROUPS EXPRESS CONCERN OVER CHOLESTEROL AND STATINS DEBATE
- News
NACCHO Aboriginal Health News: Aboriginal health groups express concern over cholesterol and statins debate
[NACCHO: National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation]
http://nacchocommunique.com/2013/11/07/naccho-aboriginal-health-news-abo...
7 Nov 13: "Indigenous health groups are expressing concerns that the ABC’s Catalyst program into cholesterol and statins will hurt Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. As a genetic group, Indigenous Australians are at a high risk of heart disease. And health experts say statins are a tool which can dramatically help the condition. The Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association is urging people to keep taking their prescribed drugs, and talk to their GPs if they’re worried. Will Ockenden has our report."
* SAMIA O'KEEFE, ABC NEWS: THE TOMORROW'S DREAM CAMPAIGN HOPES TO BRING DOWN THE RATE OF SMOKING BY ABORIGINAL PEOPLE
- News
ABC News: The Tomorrow's Dream campaign hopes to bring down the rate of smoking by Aboriginal people
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-05/tomorrow27s-dream-smoking-campaign...
5 Nov 13: "Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2008) showed 23 per cent of the male population smoked, along with 19 per cent of the female population. But, when you factor race into the equation, the data shows almost 50 per cent of Aboriginal males smoke and about 45 per cent of Aboriginal women. It's a damning statistic but one that a small band of health workers are hoping to change with a new campaign aimed at encouraging Indigenous Australians to quit smoking. The Tomorrow's Dream radio and television campaign stars two popular Indigenous personalities; ... " By Samia O'Keefe, a cross media reporter and producer based in the Perth newsroom
* NACCHO ABORIGINAL HEALTH: COALITION'S FOCUS ON IMPROVING ABORIGINAL HEALTH SERVICE ACCESS FOR REGIONAL AUSTRALIANS
- News
NACCHO Aboriginal health: Coalition’s focus on improving Aboriginal health service access for regional Australians
[NACCHO: National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation]
http://nacchocommunique.com/2013/11/01/naccho-aboriginal-health-coalitio...
1 Nov 13: "Our vision is for a sustainable system that delivers quality health outcomes for all Australians, including indigenous Australians whose health and well-being are a key priority for this government." Assistant Minister for Health, Senator Fiona Nash pictured above
* NACCHO ABORIGINAL HEALTH NEWS: EVALUATION OF THE FEDERAL INDIGENOUS CHRONIC DISEASE PACKAGE
- News
NACCHO Aboriginal Health News: Evaluation of the Federal Indigenous chronic disease Package
Menzies delivers evaluation of Federal Indigenous chronic disease Package
[NACCHO: National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation]
http://nacchocommunique.com/2013/10/30/naccho-aboriginal-health-news-eva...
30 Oct 13: "Primary healthcare policy and planning experts from the Menzies School of Health Research (Menzies) have welcomed the release of the report into the landscape of chronic disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. DOWNLOAD THE REPORT HERE Chronic disease contributes to two thirds of the health gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Commissioned by the federal Department of Health and Ageing, the Sentinel Sites Evaluation (SSE) is a holistic evaluation of the $805 m Indigenous Chronic Disease Package (ICDP) ; ... "
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WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)
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WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)