Rotary District 9750 - IAGC Projects

Rotary District 9750
Indigenous Australians Goodwill Committee

Projects

LINGA LONGA “KIDS AT RISK” PROJECT

Linga Longa is a place where street-kids and kids and kids from dysfunctional families, both indigenous and non-indigenous, are able to attend throughout the year special rehabilitation sessions conducted by Jack Beetson and his team. Here in a non-judgmental atmosphere, they can experience a different perspective, a feeling of trust and belonging and are able and interested to learn about a more fruitful way of life.

This program is the lifeline for many young disenchanted people, one which could very well see them returning to and able to cope with the mainstream of society.

Results to date have been excellent and praise by the authorities.

Clubs are now able to nominate and send young people to the Linga Longa courses.

The sessions will have to be sponsored by the Clubs. Jack gives his own time and expertise but the cost of employing other personnel, a cook and food as well as servicing the accommodation is out of his reach.

BUILDING PROGRAM IS NOW COMPLETE

THE DISTRICT 9750 PROJECT – “KIDS AT RISK” REHABILITATION

For the past couple of years District 9750 and partner, the Rotary Club of Port Macquarie, undertook a massive building project. The building of the commercial kitchen, ablutions block septic system, 6 bunkhouses (sleeps 30), stables and round yard (for teaching the kids to ride) and the renovation of the old dairy for use as an office, not forgetting the building of a new bridge over the creek before we even commenced the building work!

The money for the project came from 25 of the 58 clubs in District 9750 and individual donations by Rotarians and friends. We are grateful for the tremendous hands on support by clubs and individual Rotarians with expertise in building and other services. This saved us thousands of dollars, as did the countless donations of “goods and services in kind”!

NASCA - National Aboriginal Sports Corporation Australia

Petrol sniffing and other substance abuse by children is prevalent in many aboriginal communities in NSW and throughout Australia. This is a program designed to turn the tide to enable indigenous youth to kick these habits by introducing sport into their lives. Many of these young people in the outback do not attend school regularly and have no real view of any sort of future due to lack of encouragement, guidance and opportunity.

This came to the attention of David Liddiard, former Parramatta and International footballer, during a trip back to his own aboriginal community. He was appalled to discover the extent of this insidious condition.

In 1995 with the help of other high profile indigenous sportsmen and women and some corporate assistance, he set up National Aboriginal Sports Corporation Australia (NASCA). The Charter of NASCA is to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to excel in sport and to use this as the "springboard" to greater success in education, employment and career development.

David travels throughout Australia setting up sports clinics. He breaks through many barriers where others have failed and has been able to encourage kids to stay at school and receive an education which will be the saviour of so many indigenous youth.

ASSISTANCE TO OTHER DISTRICTS

Following the establishment of the IAGC in our District 9750 we sent a newsletter to all District Governors throughout Australia. Two Districts enthusiastically took up the challenge and formed their own committees, with our guidance.

It is very pleasing to note that the following District Committees (see below) have made great inroads and are held in high regard by the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people in their areas, as we are in District 9750.

This is truly - Rotary Making a Difference - By Showing Leadership.

DISTRICT 9710 Reconciliation Committee (Canberra and surrounds)
is up and running. They have a large number of members from throughout the District involved on the Committee. They joined with Rotarians from our District in the People's Walk for Reconciliation across the Bridge on 28 May 2000.

They conducted a very successful RYPEN Type Seminar (called YARN) for indigenous kids last year. Research shows that indigenous kids are hesitant to attend the conventional RYPEN program held in Rotary Districts. This particular project was set up with a slightly different formula to encourage them to understand the importance of education as a way forward. The Aboriginal Elders see education of their youth as being a crucial element in their development and a positive step towards future development.

We are now researching the same type of program in District 9750.

DISTRICT 9630 Indigenous Australians Goodwill Committee (Brisbane area)
This Committee is up and running with strong support from their District Governors. Tiga Bayles is their indigenous consultant.

They are now underway with planning possibly 4 Onshore FAIM type projects.

THE IAGC COMMITTEE IS CONSTANTLY RESEARCHING NEW INITIATIVES.

Yolngu Language Radio Station and

Transmitters for Darwin and East Arnhem Land

Proposer: Ron Harris Date: 15 July 2004

Project Purpose

To provide a portion of the funds required to establish a Yolngu Aboriginal language radio station and five transmitters in Darwin and East Arnhem Land.

This radio station will broadcast a community radio program almost exclusively in the Yolngu Matha Aboriginal language with emphasis on, health education, learning education, micro-business education and other matters to inform the Yolngu people with the knowledge to take charge of their own affairs.

The radio will help instill a sense of community in the Yolngu people who have been widely scattered and disenfranchised from their clans and homeland country. There is no other centralised Yolngu language radio service and no other means to communicate to the people.

Resources Required

$15,000 is now being sought via the Rotary IAGC. It is tax deductible.

$150,000 is required in total to firmly establish the radio station and five transmitters. The funding plan is to obtain $15,000 each from Ten Major Donors. $66,000 has been received.

Recipient Organisation

The radio program and station is being developed by Arnhem Land Resource and Development Services (ARDS) a Non-Profit autonomous arm of the Uniting Church.

The CEO Richard Trudgen who wrote the book Why Warriors Lie Down and Die is the key architect and force behind the radio station initiative.

Timing

The aim is to have three transmitters in Darwin, Nhulunbuy, and Galiwinku operational by September, with Darwin and Nhulunbuy transmitting at 1000 watts. Currently Darwin and Nhulunbuy are transmitting at 400 watts.

Further Background

The approach to the education material which Richard is broadcasting has been developed by him over a period of years. Readers of his book ‘Why Warriors’ will be familiar with the theory behind his education approach.

Basically, the subject matter is first put forward by an ‘expert’ in the field, often a white-fella expert such as a medical specialist. Richard then responds in part English and part Yolngu, then a respected Yolngu Elder will translate and explain the concepts based on the Yolngu ‘world view concepts’. So, this method utilises the ‘expert’ but also respected and trusted persons to explain in simple terms based on existing local knowledge.

This educational model using community radio ‘in language’ will be shown to be successful and will become a model for adoption in other Indigenous communities.

Technology Training and Support Centres

Proposer: Ron Harris Date: 15 July 2004

Project Purpose

To organize the establishment of local ‘Technology Training and Support Centres’ (TTSC) in regional and remote communities. The primary beneficiaries will be persons who are socially or economically disadvantaged and are on the other side of the ‘Digital Divide’.

A TTSC could be described as a couple of rooms or say a small shop that would house personal computers (PCs) for computer training and the training on the use of software and access to the internet. These PCs would sit on desks and be set up for formal training use.

Additionally, and importantly, it would also have ‘work-benches’ designed for the repair and maintenance of computers. Suitable trainees would be able to pull the PCs apart, and put them together again, plus load up the Windows software, configure it, and load the programs.

So, the purpose of the TTSCs would be to:

1. Provide an environment for learning to use PCs and software applications such as Word, etc. 2. Provide for teaching the innards of PCs & system software to develop ‘support knowledge’.

3. Develop support skills so the ‘trainees’ can go out and fix PC problems and earn revenue.

4. To act as a hub for the supply and support of more low-cost PCs to disadvantaged people.

Resources Required

The refurbished PCs are available from Work Venture for $270, plus delivery.

Rooms or a small building or shop are required.

A local person is required to co-ordinate and lead the project.

A local PC education person is required part-time to teach the use of PCs.

A local ‘PC techo’ with training ability is required part-time to lead the workshop training.

Associated Organisations

Work Ventures Australia: build and supply the PCs, and also currently run four technology training centres, although without the ‘workshop’ aspect at present. They have access to TAFE training programs and have staff to co-ordinate the TTSC ventures.

Smith Family: Also run technology training centres, work closely with Work Ventures, and are interested to look at developing the TTSC model.

Mission Australia: Interested to look at implementing the TTSC model for some of their centres.

Microsoft: Providing free systems and applications software.

Boston Consulting Group: Assisting to document and advise on the model.

Westpac Bank: Providing an advisory person, also a source of the pre-used PCs.

Further Background

The supply of large numbers of up to 25,000 PCs per year provides the background to the need and usefulness of the TTSCs. The centres can be used for distribution of the PCs, training of buyers and local Digital Divide disadvantaged persons, and also to build technical support capabilities in local people leading to revenue earning potential for the centre and the trainees.

Online Patient Health Records for Aboriginal Communities

Proposer: Ron Harris Date: 15 July 2004

Project Purpose

To further progress the expansion of Online Patient Health Records for Aboriginal people in remote and regional communities.

At present a project is underway to provide Online Patient Health Records for all of the people in the eleven communities of the Ngannyatjarra Lands in W.A.. They will become the first Aboriginal community in Australia where all of their people will have online health records entered for all their visits to nurses or doctors in their remote clinics and participating hospitals.

Aboriginal people are highly mobile and move residence quite often. Due to paper recording of medical records this high mobility results in fragmented records held in paper in various locations. The centralised nature of Online Patient Health Records will result in a contiguous health record which is available wherever the person turns up for health services.

Persons on the IAGC and within Rotary can assist by identifying and communicating with communities who would be interested to adopt Online Patient Health Records.

Resources Required

- The health clinics will require access to the Internet, and a fairly modest Windows PC or laptop computer. They will need to establish a commercial relationship with Smart Health P/L.

- Nurses or Doctors traveling out of the health clinic and into communities with CDMA wireless phones can access the person’s health records remotely by use of a laptop computer.

- Remote communities serviced only by satellite can also access the online health records.

- The health workers who need to access the patient’s online health record all need to be registered for use of a secure Smart Card which is used accredit the person’s access to the health record. This is done via the Internet to the HIC in Canberra.

Associated Organisations

Smart Health Pty Ltd is a Sydney company that created the Online Patient Health Records software.

The software is written to conform to the federal Department of Health and Aging’s HealthConnect strategy. As such this will have long term viability and will in fact be the way of the future for all Australians. .

Further Background

The primary reason that Aboriginal health continues to remain so poor, and is getting worse, is that there is no accurate and timely visibility of key chronic health issues in Aboriginal communities.

The people in the community do not know what the key health issues are, and therefore they don’t seek information on the causes.

The local community health office can’t produce reports on the key health issues, the state government health doesn’t have this information either, and neither does the federal DoHA!

Online Patient Health Records will enable the community to be informed.

The community will then understand their key health issues. Then they can take action to eliminate the causes and improve the health of individuals and the community as a whole.

Updated: 30 January 2005