Australian Super Featherweight Champion boxer, Moree local TC Priestley, has commenced supporting the residents of the Moree Aboriginal Residential Rehabilitation Centre- Maayu Mali.
TC attends the site once per week and runs a group with the residents (and a few brave staff) combining exercise and fitness with self-esteem, pride and connection to culture.
Aidan Ryan and 7 other community members from the Wellington men’s group drove to Molong to visit the historic grave site of Yuranigh.
Michael Nolan from the Lands Council organised the trip and talked about the importance of Yuranigh and what he did in his day to day work. He talked about the significant placement of this grave and how the trees all had markings carved in them and all facing towards the grave.
Daniel Ahsee, Teelina Milton and myself took 24 wellington local students, to the Nations of origin to compete In the rugby league 7’s tournament in Raymond Terrace.
We had a girls team and a boys team, the girls team played 3 games getting beat, Round1 16-4, Round2 26-0, Round3 20-0, Overall finish 25/33 teams. For most of the girls, playing this was there first time playing tackle rugby league and was a top effort by all girls involved.
Our boys team played 4 pool games and the results for them were, Round1 8-4 loss, Round2 18-10 win, Round3 22-12 loss, Round4 16-10 loss, Overall 27/35 teams. I thought our boys’ team were very unfortunate in some games and could have went either way.
We camped at Shoal bay caravan park, and of a night, we had a BBQ and discussions with the kids about what they want to achieve in life. I asked about what kind of jobs they want to do, and I spoke about the importance of finishing school and getting health checks to make sure, if we do have any illnesses we can get on top of them early. In the mornings we got up at 6:30 went for a game of touch at the beach and most of us braved the cold and went for a quick dip.
Report completed by Aiden Ryan
10 students and 5 members from Wellington travelled to Sydney and had the opportunity to attend the Parramatta Eels training day and a meet and greet with the players that was organised by Blake Ferguson.
They also attended the Penrith Panthers v Manly Sea Eagles game where a Wellington local made his Debut and after the game he came over and got a photo with the students.
Whilst in Sydney the group explored Darling Harbour and had a meeting with another police ACLO. They organised a private tour through the Water Police station where one of the constables explained to the students about what they do on a daily basis.
The constable then organised for everyone to jump on one of their Police boats and took the group on a trip around Sydney Harbour.
After the tour was finished, the group had dinner with Justin Julius then they all went to Bank West Stadium to watch the Parramatta Eels play the South Sydney Rabbitoh’s thanks to Blake Ferguson for the tickets.
Aiden Ryan and 6 other community members from the wellington men’s group drove to Dubbo’s Taronga Western Plains Zoo, the Aboriginal cultural centre organised tickets for us to access the zoo.
We drove around the zoo looking at all the animals then once finished they invited us to the Cultural centre there where we had a BBQ and they showed us some snakes and had a chat to all the men.
The Clinic Team held its day planning workshop 3rd May 2019. The planning days involved the design and construction of a strategic program that addressed a range of topics determined in consultation with the Clinic Team, Clinic Team leader and Executive. The primary aim of the consultations was to design and construct a process which functioned to successfully trigger a more strategic approach to service planning and program delivery.
The consultations provided insight into the current management processes, service delivery processes and activities, communication flow and the appetite for positive change within the team to raise the standard of operating procedures to enhance health and wellbeing outcomes for the community.
The process for planning were set via consultation and included;
Maxwell Street clinic has been undergoing some revamping to make the clinic more culturally inviting and appropriate.
Thanks to local artist Douglas Ah-See who has allowed us to use his artwork to create a digital wallpaper to use in the front reception area. It is a great addition to the building and a must see for the community!
We have welcome some new staff also, Troy Peckham – Transport Officer, Kacee Ryan – New Direction Aboriginal support worker, Kristy Lee Cornish- Medical receptionist returning from maternity leave after welcoming a beautiful baby boy!
Aidan Ryan and Denise Barwick have recently completed their Aboriginal Health Practitioner training and are now registered with AHPRA.
Aidan is also supporting visiting Pharmacist Fiona Ryan to do Home Medicine reviews in the community.
Once referrals are made by GP, Aidan will then organise to come out to patient’s home with Fiona and review medication. As a new incentive for patients once, this is completed with GP patient they will then receive a $40 fruit and veg voucher. Please call Aidan at the clinic for further details.
Clinic are also involved in National Bowel Screening Pilot that is just been rolled out across Australia.
Staff received training and will now be able to dispense bowel kits and support eligible patients to have national bowel screenings completed.
WE have also just had our second visit from Cardiologist Dr Katrina Adorini who has been busy seeing WACHS patients. Dr Adorini will continue to visit every second month.
Maayu Mali resident Stephan Harris from Ivanhoe, NSW has been through the residential rehabilitation centre for 3 months. He expresses that through all the trauma and abuse of drug & alcohol he has adapted to using Art as a form of therapy to “help him get through the pain”.
He started painting in Jail 2 years ago to “keep his mind off things” and he has learnt from a local Wellington Elder how to draw traditional people, places and spirits. These paintings are highly noticed throughout the centre and wider community of Moree. Furthermore Stephan has entered in many art competitions in the past year and results have been amazing.
He has designed the 2019 Ella 7s Jersey for the local Moree team ‘Mehi Warriors’- where they will be displayed in the upcoming competition in March. He says that the story on this jersey is about the local totem and the traditional Ibis dance.
He wants to achieve more in his art therapy back home in Ivanhoe by creating more artworks for communities to put on their jerseys and get the work in the public eye.
Aiden Ryan and 7 other community members from the wellington’s men’s group drove to Molong to visit the historic gravesite of Yuranigh.
Michael Nolan from the lands council organised the trip and talked about the importance of Yuranigh and what he did.
He talked about the significant placement of his grave and how the trees all had markings carved in them and all facing towards the grave.
Life as a GP in Western NSW may not have been what Dr Caroline Ivey had envisaged in her future, but she loves living near Wellington and working as a GP in an Aboriginal community controlled health service where she is completing her Extended Skills term in Aboriginal Health.
I really enjoy being part of a community and being able to help the local community in all aspects of their health not just their actual medical problems, but their social problems and mental health issues. I also enjoy that I’m part of a team. At the health service we have a fantastic team. There’s always somebody that I can call upon to help me manage any clinical or social issue that might arise with one of my patients.
The health service offers a very holistic patient-centred care model which is a fantastic thing to be part of. We also get to see some very interesting medicine, some quite remarkable pathology in Aboriginal health which you might not always get to see in mainstream general practice. I feel like I can make a big difference to somebody’s wellbeing.
Aboriginal health can be quite challenging and not as simple and straightforward as mainstream general practice but don’t let that put you off it is really rewarding and very interesting. I would definitely recommend Aboriginal health training, particularly to registrars in their later stages of training...
© Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Service 2024. All Rights Reserved.
Website By: Logo Pogo. Privacy Policy. Terms of Use