Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association Inc.
ABN 79 450 431 271
1 Badger Creek Rd
PO Box 597
Healesville Vic 3777
Phone 03 5962 2940
Email: [email protected] www.hicsa.org.au
Edited by Stephanie Grubb
.
HICSA NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER
Acknowledgement of Country
The Board of the Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association Incorporated would
like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land, the Wurundjeri, and pay respects to
their Elders past and present. We would also like to acknowledge those peoples, including
Elders, who came to live on Wurundjeri land from all over Australia as a result of dispossession
from their homelands, and in more recent times through choice. We will strive to uphold a
cultural respect model that further includes and strengthens all our people, stories, traditions
and culture for now and future generations
What an exciting few months it’s been with lots of things happening!!! We have been so
busy and apologise for this newsletter being a little late. We look forward to sharing all our
news in the following pages!!
COMMUNITY LUNCHES
HICSA held a Community Lunch on Thursday
26h April in recognition of Anzac Day and in
honour of Aboriginal Service men and
women. Aunty Dot Peters has worked
passionately for the recognition of Aboriginal
service men and women, and gave a beautiful
talk about the impact of war and loss on
families.
For Mabo day, we held a Community
Lunch on June 5th. On the third of June
1992 the High Court of Australia rejected
the ridiculous notion of "Terra Nullius",
that this land was not occupied before
European colonisation. Eddie Mabo a
Torres Strait man conducted a ten year
battle through the courts that led to this
historic judgement. The Mabo Judgement
states in law that Indigenous Australians
have by prior occupation, ownership of
land where native title has not been
extinguished.
Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association Inc.
ABN 79 450 431 271
1 Badger Creek Rd
PO Box 597
Healesville Vic 3777
Phone 03 5962 2940
Email: [email protected] www.hicsa.org.au
We also held a Community lunch on the 3rd
July where we celebrated Naidoc Week.
They dared to challenge – this year’s theme
celebrated the champions who lived to renew
the spirit of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples through the establishment
of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in 1972.
At our next community lunch on 31st July, we
were honoured to host the MAV and Councillor
Ken Saunders from Glenelg Shire Council who
encouraged Aboriginal people to consider
running for council and the positive impact they
could have for community. We’d also like to
thank Councillor Noel Cliff from Yarra Ranges
Council who also attended. If you’d like any
more information on running for council please
contact us at HICSA.
Our next community lunch was held on
Tuesday 11th September. We were lucky
to have beautiful weather for our ‘Spring
into Spring’ bbq and our community
members did a fantastic job preparing for
the lunch, helping to cook up a storm, and
planting the seedlings which look
amazing. We filled 4 veggie garden beds
with heaps of veggies like different
varieties of tomatoes, beans, capsicum,
zucchini, cucumber, lettuce etc and we
will finish planting the bush tucker plants
next week.
Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association Inc.
ABN 79 450 431 271
1 Badger Creek Rd
PO Box 597
Healesville Vic 3777
Phone 03 5962 2940
Email: [email protected] www.hicsa.org.au
New Staff Members
PROGRAM UPDATES
We are really excited to have two more staff
members on board at HICSA.
Hi, my name is Brooke Collins. I am a
Wurundjeri woman and have lived in
Healesville my entire life. I started
employment at HICSA about a month ago.
My role here is Cultural Strengthening Youth
Worker. It is my first time in a role specific to
youth work. I am really enjoying this new
position. It is great to see many meaningful
programs and opportunities for our
Indigenous Youth! We all need to support
and encourage our youth, they are our future!
DEADLY AND SAFE DRIVING PROGRAM
HICSA organised a METEC course on Saturday
4th August. We had 4 participants and all said
they learnt a lot from the day. We now have 4
volunteer drivers/instructors, and we’d just
like to say a big thank you to them for
donating their time for lessons!! We are also
excited to announce a grant from RACV
of $10,000 to further develop our Deadly
and Safe Driving Program. This grant will
enable us to employ a dedicated Deadly and
Safe Driving Volunteer coordinator to work
with the Yarra Ranges Council L 2 P program.
The coordinator will write policies,
procedures and forms to induct, train and
support volunteer drivers. It will include
liaising, networking and supporting
volunteers. Our program also includes
development of a web site with Koori specific
message about safe and ‘deadly’ driving.
Young drivers will also be able to access
private driving lessons to prepare them for
independent driving. This is a fantastic
outcome for community. If you would like to
volunteer as a driver, or join the program as a
learner driver please contact Brooke.
My name is Kirsty Savage. I am Aboriginal, a
Wiradjuri women from NSW. I have lived in
Healesville for 6 years and have 2 children;
one at Healesville Primary in Grade 1 and the
other at Haig Ave Preschool. I have a Bachelor
of Business in Human Resource Management
& Marketing and I came to HICSA from
Monash University, HR. At HICSA I have
worked on Community Engagement for the
Healesville Reconciliation Project, which is
now called the ‘Wurun Child and Family Place’
and I am now working in Business
Administration for HICSA.
One of our volunteer drivers Russell, and Daniel’s first
cruise in the car
Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association Inc.
ABN 79 450 431 271
1 Badger Creek Rd
PO Box 597
Healesville Vic 3777
Phone 03 5962 2940
Email: [email protected] www.hicsa.org.au
The Women’s Health, Healing and
Leadership Circle program concluded on
the 13th June. Fifteen women enjoyed a
‘pampering day’ at One Spa – Healesville
Country Club. The women either enjoyed a
facial or a massage and a yummy lunch. We
‘unveiled’ our beautiful silk Creation Story
banner created by the women. (please see
picture and description attached). Below are
some photos from the program.
A grass basket made as part of the program, lemon myrtle
tea and some bush tucker collected by Michelle Monk. The
most popular part of the program for the women was
learning about various bush tucker plants and also cooking
them up and tasting them. We also gave everyone a plant to
take home for their garden.
Having an informal chat to dietician Stacey from
Yarra Valley Community Health and counsellor
Debbie from Relationships Australia.
Some of the women enjoying lunch at the RACV Country Club
Michelle holding up the silk banner and telling the story!!
Aurore cooking up some kangaroo and chicken
for lunch (with a nice healthy salad)!!
Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association Inc.
ABN 79 450 431 271
1 Badger Creek Rd
PO Box 597
Healesville Vic 3777
Phone 03 5962 2940
Email: [email protected] www.hicsa.org.au
Due to the positive feedback from the
women’s program, Eastern Melbourne
Medicare Local are working in partnership with
HICSA to continue running weekly gatherings
on Wednesdays.
Women Living Strong, Living
Healthy
started in August and will continue every
Wednesday until December (except school
holidays). This program is also about healthy
living, and 3 volunteers have already built 5
wonderful raised garden beds for us to grow
some native bush tucker and vegetables.
We’d just like to say thank you to Daniel, Jimmy and
Steve for working so hard and doing such an amazing
job creating our veggie patches. If anyone wants
details of how they were constructed for their own
garden please contact Steph.
Melissa Lock from Medicare Local is
helping to run the program, and
community member Michelle Monk is also
doing a fantastic job supporting with the
program. So far we have done a lot of
yarning, started painting some pavers for
outside, talked about family histories,
provided gym memberships, and enjoyed
visits from various women including Tanja
from The Eastern Community Legal Centre
who offered free appointments on the day
(see more info below).
On Wednesday 10th October, we will be
hosting an Aboriginal Women’s Healing
day at HICSA and in the Meeting Place
Garden next door. We are looking forward
to Welcoming an Elder from Queensland Aunty Jenny Thomson to facilitate the day.
Some ladies have also asked some local
hunters to catch a roo for us to cook up in
a pit on the day. If you would like to join us
please call Steph on 59622 940.
The Towards a Just Society education
Bursary is designed to provide financial
assistance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people for education expenses.
Examples of expenses can include, but are
not limited to Education and course fees
(primary, secondary, tertiary), Text books
and stationary, Uniforms and equipment ,
Excursions and camps,
Travel and accommodation to access
education interstate or out of the region
If you would like to make an application
for help with education expenses please
contact HICSA on 59622940.
Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association Inc.
ABN 79 450 431 271
1 Badger Creek Rd
PO Box 597
Healesville Vic 3777
J
Phone 03 5962 2940
Email: [email protected] www.hicsa.org.au
o
b
Dental Health Check Day
f
HICSA would like to thank Sam and Penny i
from Ranges Community Health for coming n
out and providing dental checkups. 17 a
children and adults had their teeth checked inl
a relaxed environment and most were very l
proud and surprised when they were told y
their teeth were sparkling!! HICSA will be
c
hosting another dental health check day o
th
on Thursday 4 October at 1pm
m
All are Welcome including non-health care p
card holders for the checkup. Afternoon tea l
will be provided and we hope to see you e
t
there.
e
d
w
i
t
h
Wadamba Barring (Renew the Path)
This youth program will be commencing at
Healesville High school on the 8th October.
There are 10 places for girls and 10 for boys
from Grade 6 to Year 9. Facilitated by
Boorndawan Aboriginal Healing Service,
different issues about health and respectful
relationships will be discussed every week
and each group will produce a Possum Skin
Cloak where messages of Respect, Caring and
Sharing will be burnt into the skins. We are
excited to announce that Aunty Joy Wandin
will be the Elder supporting the girls, and
Uncle Percy Hobson (the first Aboriginal male
to win a Gold Medal at a Commonwealth
Games) will by the Elder and mentor for the
boys. Please contact Brooke at HICSA on 59
622 940 to discuss more and if you would like
your child to participate.
5
Jamie with his mum Jacki having a checkup!!
THANK YOU’S!!
n
e
w
HICSA would like to say a big thank you to
v
Michael Corr – principal of Chum Creek
e
Primary for being so generous with the use ofg
the school bus for outings with the choir and g
women’s group. We are very grateful for the i
e
support!!
We invite you to join the HICSA Friends
p Network which will meet every 4 – 6 moths
Also thank to all our wonderful volunteers a (or more if needed) to talk informally about
t HICSA, how we can support the community,
who are passionate about having a
c health promotion ideas etc. Please call us for
community controlled organisation in
h the form!!
Healesville!!
e
s
.
N
Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association Inc.
ABN 79 450 431 271
1 Badger Creek Rd
PO Box 597
Healesville Vic 3777
Phone 03 5962 2940
Email: [email protected] www.hicsa.org.au
Healesville Cultural Strengthening Project
The choir have had the opportunity to perform
at a few amazing events in the past few
months. They performed as requested by
Aunty Dot at the Shrine in Melbourne in
remembrance of indigenous service men and
women that have served in wars. They were so
excited about the performance, with the
audience joining in, and loved meeting all the
men in uniform!! They were in awe and
humbled when they saw all the names of
people that have been lost due to war.
some amazing artwork that was displayed
on the screens as they sang. Thank you to
Michelle Monk for going to the schools and
supporting the kids in their artwork.
The State School Spectacular will be shown
on Chanel 7 over the school holidays on a
Sunday afternoon if you’d like to see their
performance.
(Artwork –Cindy Mills, Healesville High School)
Their next performance was to Welcome
people at the Australia/New Zealand
Psychology conference with Allan Wandin.
The girls loved the experience as a Maori choir
also sang back to them in response and
Welcomed them.
The choir have also just performed as part of
the Welcome with Aunty Joy for the State
Schools Spectacular at HiSense Arena. They
were a bit nervous at first performing in front
of such a huge crowd, and of the tv cameras,
but did an amazing job for the two
performances. They sang a beautiful Welcome
song and were joined by the 1500 mass choir
so it sounded amazing!! Healesville Primary
and Healesville High school students also did
The choir are performing as part of the
Welcome at the opening of the Memo Hall
in Healesville on the 21st September. We are
getting more and more calls all the time for
the choir/hip hop to perform, and have
even had to say no a couple of times due to
timing constraints. The kids are gaining
invaluable experience getting out there and
performing and singing in language.
Congratulations to the kids for such an
amazing job and thank you to Aurore,
Rowena and Brooke for doing such a great
job organising all of these performances!!
Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association Inc.
ABN 79 450 431 271
1 Badger Creek Rd
PO Box 597
Healesville Vic 3777
Phone 03 5962 2940
Email: [email protected] www.hicsa.org.au
Drumbeat
The Drumbeat program at Healesville Primary
School has been a great success. The first
group performed in front of the entire school
and we were so proud of them. Respect,
Caring and Sharing are important values that
the group follows and we have a lot of fun. A
second group started in term 3 with special
‘mentor’ drummers from the first group
joining. Our next school performance was on
the 17th of September. Every participant
received a ‘Respect Caring and Sharing
Drumbeat’ T-Shirt and Achievement
Certificate. Congratulations to Courtney
Luscombe, Courtney Cuthbertson, Claire
Garvey, Ellie Stevens, Lillian Jackway, Rebecca
Stevens, Gabriella Latin.
Fiona performing with the kids at Healesville Primary
School Assembly in July
School Holiday Program
HICSA is running a few activities over the
school holidays, including horse riding lessons
for 24 kids over 3 days. We will also be
hosting an App Making workshop for
interested young people, and the choir will be
painting/burning their beautiful clap sticks to
be used in performances.
Please contact Steph or Brooke for more
information.
Sheltering Our Youth
We are excited that HICSA is supporting
Uncle Roddy Briggs to build 2 traditional
humpies with some young men/youth
including one at Healesville Primary School.
Photos will be in next newsletter!!
Wurun Child and Family Place
In partnership with Yarra Ranges Council,
HICSA has secured a grant from the
Department of the Prime Minister and
Cabinet – Office of the Arts in the Indigenous
Cultural Support (ICS) stream. We are
currently consulting with Elders and artists
on ideas to engage the services with
activities that share culture between
generations
through
language,
arts,
storytelling and dance with the children and
families. We are also awaiting eagerly a new
logo and artwork representing our
Reconciliation model created by Wurundjeri
artist Mandy Thomas.
Sharing our Journeys - Then and Now
Is a project supported through funding
from the Australian Government's Your
Community Heritage Program. The project
will involve a partnership with HICSA, Yarra
Ranges Council and the Healesville Library.
The project aims to:1)Creatively
raise the
profile
and
understanding of Aboriginal community
cultural heritage through the development
of a DVD expressing the cultural living history
of the Healesville Aboriginal Community and;
2)Develop important cultural inclusion tools
for “Bagung Djarlind” the new Healesville
Library facility, through the installation of a
creative Aboriginal historical artistic piece.
Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association Inc.
ABN 79 450 431 271
1 Badger Creek Rd
PO Box 597
Healesville Vic 3777
Phone 03 5962 2940
Email: [email protected] www.hicsa.org.au
Fiona was successful in gaining funding from
The Yarra Ranges Council for two projects.
Paving Our Way involves creating and
laying clay pavers at Oonah to finish the
outdoor sitting area. The clay pavers will
have Aboriginal themes about people and
environment. The women’s groups have
already started working on them and we will
also be involving schools, the choir and hip
hop groups etc to help make up to 500
pavers. The theme of reconciliation and
cultural awareness will be explored. Please
contact Steph for more information or if
you’d like to help out.
Exploring and Discovering our Local
Aboriginal Stories project will develop a
local pamphlet about Aboriginal sites of
interest in the Healesville area. In particular
Coranderrk will be featured. The pamphlet is
being developed in consultation with
Swinburne University, Wurundjeri Council,
Wandoon Estate and HICSA. The Tourism
and Business sectors of Healesville are also
involved. The pamphlet will be used by
schools and tourism to learn about local
Aboriginal sites of interest and the story of
Coranderrk. Cultural Strengthening Youth
Worker – Brooke Collins will lead this
project.
Fiona was also successful in gaining funding
from The Victorian Women’s Benevolent
Trust and the Grosvenor Foundation,
administered by Equity Trustees for a
Young Women’s Youth Advisory Group
and Leadership Circle. This program will
focus on fostering partnerships between
Aboriginal and non Aboriginal women and
girls and will be guided by an Elder. The
participants will learn how to develop
community based activities including how
to manage a program, run a committee,
develop and review budgets. The program
has a focus on empowering young women
to be leaders for the future. Participants
will develop their own cultural program
and it could anything from makeup classes,
to exercise and fitness, outings and social
events, to skills building for example how
to use the internet.
The Way Bunjil Flies by Aunty Dot Peters
Thank you to Louise Netherway from Yarra
Ranges Council for organising for a large
number of Aunty Dot’s book to be
reprinted and distributed free to Grade 5
and 6 students in Healesville and
surrounding schools. They have been
distributed to 5 schools so far with more to
come. Thank you to Aunty Dot and the
council for working together with us to
create an early years version of the book
for kindergartens etc. We are very excited
about so many kids learning about local
Aboriginal culture.
Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association Inc.
ABN 79 450 431 271
1 Badger Creek Rd
PO Box 597
Healesville Vic 3777
Phone 03 5962 2940
Email: [email protected] www.hicsa.org.au
NEWS FROM SERVICE DEVELOPMENT
AND GOVERNENCE
EVENTS AND SPECIAL OCCASSIONS
(Aunty Dot Peters with Cindy McLeish and Chair of
HICSA Robynne White)
HICSA staff and Board met with Liberal State
Member for Seymour Cindy Mcleish on the
25th June. Cindy was very interested in the
establishment of HICSA and its vision for a
Belonging Place in Healesville.
Fiona and Robynne presented at the
conference. We told the story of HICSA and
talked about the communities’ hopes for a
Belonging Place.
‘We both agreed that Robynne is much
more comfortable at public speaking than I
am’ (Fiona).
HICSA aims are to:
“To establish a welcoming and culturally
affirming place in Healesville that provides a
central point of contact for community
members, both Indigenous and nonIndigenous, for information, services and
programs that are focused on building a
healthy, strong and skilled community”
Partnership with Eastern Health
Robynne and Aboriginal Affairs Minister
Jeanette Powell had a great night at the
Department of Health ‘Close the Health Gap’
Aboriginal Health conference in May.
Messages of hope were written on the twigs
which were added to Bunjil’s Nest.
We are very pleased to announce that
Eastern Health has been working closely
with us to develop a partnership. Neth
Hinton, Executive Director Continuing Care,
Community & Mental Health (Chief Allied
Health Officer) is a strong advocate for the
partnership. She acknowledged our
inaugural partnership meeting as ‘historic’.
The meeting explored issues and concerns,
and decided on partnership principles with a
view to working closely together to improve
Aboriginal health outcomes. Thank you
Neth!
Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association Inc.
ABN 79 450 431 271
1 Badger Creek Rd
PO Box 597
Healesville Vic 3777
Phone 03 5962 2940
Email: [email protected] www.hicsa.org.au
Primary Health Care Conference
We received a sponsorship to attend the
Primary Health Care Research Conference in
Canberra in July. The conference was full of
new and emerging ways to improve health
outcomes and the latest primary health care
research. Research into health promotion that
reduces smoking continues to be an important
area of interest because of smoking impact on
health and wellbeing.
Whilst in Canberra Fiona visited the Aboriginal
Tent Embassy and the Aboriginal Memorial at
the National War Memorial. The fire was
burning at the Tent Embassy and the flag was
flying! The Aboriginal Memorial is in a lovely,
peaceful place on the hill behind the main
building. It has a small gathering circle and
rocks to sit on. Unfortunately, there is no
signage to memorial and so we wondered
around for about 1 hour before finding it.
Kirsty attended VACCHO’s launch of the
Adapted Workforce Capability Framework for
Aboriginal controlled community
organisations. This framework was launched
by the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and was
attended by 14 other Aboriginal
organisations. The framework will help us to
manage our workforce needs. This will
complement our Workforce Development
Plan.
HICSA will undertake a series of quality
assurance activities, supported by VACCHO,
over the next month. This is a very involved
process which will give us an idea of how
close we are to ‘best practice’ in service
delivery for a health organisation.
Garry, Steph and Daphne Yarram (Manager, Yoowinna
Wurnalung Healing Service and VACCHO board member at
VACCHO members meeting)
Woor Dungin
ANHLC and VACCHO
Partnering is an important feature of our
organisation. We recently became members
of the Association of Neighbourhood Houses
and Learning Centres (ANHLC) and associate
members of Victorian Aboriginal Community
Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO).
Steph and Garry attended the VACCHO
Members meeting and Fiona attended the
CEO’s meeting.
Fiona and Gail presented to the Woor Dungin
meeting in August. Woor Dungin is an
organisation set up to assist Aboriginal
organisations to access philanthropy
(funding). Our new car, donated by the Alice
Sloan Trust for the Deadly and Safe Driving
program was a result of the work of Woor
Dungin. They will also support us to source
funding for building our ‘Belonging Place’.
Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association Inc.
ABN 79 450 431 271
1 Badger Creek Rd
PO Box 597
Healesville Vic 3777
Phone 03 5962 2940
Email: [email protected] www.hicsa.org.au
Closing the Health Gap Search Conference
Steph attended the Closing the Health Gap
Search Conference in June. We talked about
current positive things happening in
Aboriginal health as well as issues that we
are still addressing. We also talked about
future directions and commitments. Mark
Stracey (formally Regional Director of
Department of Health and now Acting
Director of the Aboriginal Health Branch)
drew a ‘blind’ picture of Steph as part of an
activity and added some words that are
always really important to remember when
working for positive change!!
CORANDERRK FESTIVAL MARCH 16TH 2013
March 2013 marks the 150th anniversary of
the Coranderrk Station’s opening. Our aim is
to celebrate the significance of Coranderrk
and its place in Victoria’s history. Another
important component of the festival is to
educate general community about the
historic property. In the 1860’s Coranderrk
encompassed some 4850 acres. A large
proportion of Healesville residents are living
on what was Coranderrk land.
On the day of the festival you can expect
music (with some local performers) cultural
activities/workshops,
informative/photographic display, bush
tucker tasting…..just to get you tempted!
Brooke Collins and Jacqui Wandin
Coranderrk Festival Directors
HICSA is also supporting the Coranderrk
150th Anniversary committee to organise a
festival next year. This is planned to
commemorate the walks by William Barak,
Simon Wonga and other Elders when
Coranderrk was first founded in 1863 and
their subsequent walks over the next 25
years to save Coranderrk from closure.
A six day walk will commemorate a number
of sacred and significant sites along the Yarra,
which is now being termed as the ‘Birrarung
Songline Reconciliation Walk’.
Attached on the following page is a
wonderful drawing about Culture
and what was seen as important as
talked about at the conference.
As well as recounting the history of
Coranderrk, the festival will also seek to
involve all Aboriginal families who have had a
historical connection to Coranderrk, with the
purpose of creating opportunities for all
these individual and family stories to be told
and recorded.
Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association Inc.
ABN 79 450 431 271
1 Badger Creek Rd
PO Box 597
Healesville Vic 3777
Phone 03 5962 2940
Email: [email protected] www.hicsa.org.au
Wednesday, 2nd May
Where:
83 Boronia Road, Boronia
Cost:
*$10 per two hour session
(*negotiable)
Contact: 9725 9964 for further information
and registration
From Closing the Health Gap Search Conference in June for Eastern Metropolitan Region
From Closing the Health Gap Search Conference in June for Eastern Metropolitan Region
Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association Inc.
ABN 79 450 431 271
1 Badger Creek Rd
PO Box 597
Healesville Vic 3777
Phone 03 5962 2940
Email: [email protected] www.hicsa.org.au
Creation Story – A Women’s Journey
The first step begins with ink on silk. Silk holds the memory. Notice as you
ponder a beautiful ‘Creation and Birthing Story’.
A landscape rich in colours, the mountains, sky, rivers, trees – alive with
nature. Abundance. Footprints searching, finding ancient stories. A
knowing deep within – feeling free. Spirits dance in this walk. Ancestors
watch over us and protect us. Present and peaceful. Time stands still.
Butterflies and dragonflies dance as lightening zig zags. The Birthing Tree,
strong and proud protects the waterhole, deep and alive. The river flows.
Totems support - strong and stoic. As creation develops, and changes, we
change, and acknowledge our ancestors who embrace us.
Acknowledgment – A group of women painted this in Healesville, on
Wurundjeri land, including Aurore, Danny, Michelle, Steph, Fiona, Alana,
Julie, Robynne, Jane, Mia and Kirsty.