VACCHO panel to feature at Melbourne Knowledge Week / Narrm Ngarrgu

Apr 21, 2022

Representatives from three VACCHO Member Community controlled health organisations will feature on a special panel at Narrm Ngarrgu/Melbourne Knowledge Week (MKW), facilitated by VACCHO’s Chief of Staff, Troy Walsh.

A wealth of experience and expertise will be on the panel including Alan Brown, Board Member at the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service and former CEO of VACCHO; Raylene Harradine, CEO at the Bendigo and District Aboriginal Cooperative; and Karen Heap, CEO at the Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative.

VACCHO panelists for the Health and Wellbeing in Community Hands panel. Left to Right: Alan Brown, Ambassador for the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service and former CEO of VACCHO; Raylene Harradine, CEO at the Bendigo and District Aboriginal Cooperative; and Karen Heap, CEO at the Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative

Community members, allies, healthcare workers and anyone passionate about self-determination and Community control are encouraged to attend the Health and Wellbeing in Community Hands event. Attendees will hear about the important work of Aboriginal Community controlled health organisations in supporting Community through the pandemic, the role of partnerships in creating a more culturally safe health system, and the hopes for the future of the Community controlled health sector.

This free event will take place at the State Library Victoria on Tuesday 10 May from 3:30-5:00pm.

Register here

Another MKW event VACCHO highly recommends is the debut of a collaborative project documenting the history of Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) in Victoria. Also taking place on Tuesday 10 May, the panel discussion will feature a number of prominent speakers from local ACCOs.

The project forms part of a longer-term project supported by MKW that seeks to foster knowledge and community appreciation for the significant and unique contributions of Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations in Victoria.


Register here

Since late 2021, VACCHO has been working with Melbourne Knowledge Week, an initiative from the City of Melbourne, to curate a panel event on the Community controlled health sector and the importance of strong, safe and culturally appropriate health and wellbeing practices.

Melbourne Knowledge Week begins on Monday 9 May and goes until the 15 May.

Browse the full program.

Media enquiries

For further media enquiries please email communications@vaccho.org.au or contact our media unit on (03) 9411 9411.

Background 

VACCHO is the peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing in Victoria – the only one of its kind – with 33 Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations as Members. VACCHO Members support over 65,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria, and combined are the largest employers of Aboriginal people in the state.