15 August 2016
Inspirational Cunnamulla clinician to address HOPE celebration
A former Cunnamulla resident who now lectures at the University of Southern Queensland in
Toowoomba will be guest speaker at Project HOPE first anniversary celebrations in the town.
Raelene Ward will speak to invited guests at the anniversary event at the Paroo Shire Hall in
Cunnamulla on 26 August.
The event will coincide with the first day of the Cunnamulla Fella Festival.
South West Hospital and Health Board Chair Lindsay Godfrey said Mrs Ward was an
inspirational individual.
“She is a descendant of the Kunja people on her grandfather’s side and a descendant of the
Kooma people on her grandmother’s side,’’ he said.
“She has been a practising clinical nurse for 26 years, focusing on suicide prevention, social
justice and Aboriginal health and wellbeing.
“In 2010, she was awarded Suicide Prevention Australia Life Award – Indigenous Category.
Mr Godfrey said Mrs Ward had completed her doctoral thesis earlier this year on the subject of:
Suicide Prevention: Exploring Aboriginal understanding of suicide from a social and emotional
wellbeing framework.
She currently lectures on Indigenous health at the University of Southern Queensland in the
School of Nursing and Midwifery.
“Mrs Ward has a wealth of experience, knowledge and skills in undertaking research with
Aboriginal people and communities,’’ he said.
“She has also produced a number of publications and written or contributed to many journal
articles, reports and nursing and education text books.
“She will bring unrivalled insight into the health and social issues facing Indigenous communities
in particular and rural communities generally.
“She is an inspiring daughter of Cunnamulla.’’
Mr Godfrey said another guest speaker at the celebratory event would be National Rugby
League Government Relations Advisor Arthur Eustace-Earle.
“Project HOPE has worked closely with the NRL and the Queensland Rugby League over the
past year to develop sporting and coaching opportunities for the region, and we will continue to
do so,’’ he said.
Mr Godfrey said Project HOPE first anniversary celebrations for Charleville had been held on 21
July.
HOPE (Harmony, Opportunity, Pride and Empowerment) is a State Government and
community-backed initiative for young people in Charleville and Cunnamulla.
It is a partnership between the South West Hospital and Health Service, the Cunnamulla
Aboriginal Corporation for Health, the Paroo and Murweh shire councils, police and
the Charleville and Western Areas Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Community Health.
The Queensland Government last year provided more than $385,000 towards the Project
HOPE initiative to help tackle underlying social and health issues leading to risky behaviours.
The funding was part of a $6 million response to address harm associated with ice use, and
aimed to support grassroots positive action among South West communities and make them
stronger and more resistant to drug and alcohol abuse.
Project partnerships and programs during the first year of Project HOPE operations included:
•
Murweh Shire Youth Council: Young people meet in the council chambers on the first
Wednesday of the month, facilitated by Ann-Maree Johnson.
•
Mount Tabor: HOPE secured funding through the Sidney Myer Foundation to fund Work
for the Dole program on the 70,000 hectare cattle property held by the traditional owners
in the Murweh Shire, the Bidjara people.
•
Queensland Rugby League (QRL) and National Rugby League (NRL): A week long
program of fitness, health and well-being sessions in Charleville and Cunnamulla;
community barbecues and guest speaker at Charleville State High School’s awards
night. Partnership continued with the QRL selecting Charleville to host the recent
Country Week game on 22–24 July.
•
Australian Defence Forces (ADF): ADF recruitment team visit during the QRL and NRL
week.
•
Barista training: Held in Charleville but including students from Charleville and
Cunnamulla. Developing this program into a certificated barista course.
•
Deadly Recruits Youth Camp: 15 students attended the ADF-run boot camp.
•
Building relationships with youth-focused organisations: PCYC, Institute for Urban
Indigenous Health, Department of Communities, Youth Justice, Beacon Foundation,
Education Queensland.
•
Pursuing training programs: Murries on the Move – learners’ licensing programs.
Onestop in consultation with Department of Education and Training to provide a
Certificate II in rural operations.
ENDS
For further information contact:
James Guthrie
Principal Media Officer, Rural and Remote Qld
Media and Communication
Department of Health
(07) 3836 0961
[email protected]