On Wednesday, Griffith’s Aboriginal Health Aunty Jean’s Program hosted a barbecue for Griffith Community Health Centre and Griffith Base Hospital to celebrate NAIDOC Week.
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Michelle Druitt, team leader of Aboriginal MLHD, addressed the big crowd in attendance.
“This week is not about putting up posters and flying flags, it’s about energising communities to Close the Gap,” she told The Area News.
The importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages was the focus of the week’s celebrations, and Ms Druitt said language was closely linked to health outcomes.
“When Aboriginal people lose their language and connection to their culture, this has a negative effect on their health.”
Ms Druitt said she hoped the focus on Aboriginal health would last longer than seven days.
“While its great to celebrate this week, we have to be mindful that this is something we need to talk about every day of the year.”
Sausages and chicken were served up at the barbaque, and a festive atmosphere was evident among staff, clients and children.
Ms Druitt said engaging Aboriginal people in decision making is cruicial, and Karen Garzoli, a midwife in Aboriginal Health, said that is exactly what they do in her line of work.
“Our clients tell us what they want, we don’t tell them what they need.”
Ms Garzoli said providing all clients with access to continuous, culturally appropriate services – where they can connect with Indigenous workers – is always the aim. She said support is available to mothers from the time they are pregnant up until their child is six years old.
The Aunty Jane program developed a combined model of health promotion, education and self-management to support good health behaviours and strategies for Indigenous people with complex care needs.
The program was built around the idea that better results would be seen if the community could work together for better health outcomes, with the Elders leading the way.
The program was named in memory of Aunty Jean Morris who had a long association with the Illawarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre and was well respected and loved by all those who knew her.