Monthly Message from the National Coordinator, Prof Tom Calma AO
Hi TIS workers and supporters,
Welcome to the May edition of my Monthly Message.
As usual I’ll be updating you on my recent and future movements, upcoming events and TIS program advice.
Recent movements
TIS workshops
As you are all aware the South Australian Jurisdictional workshop, National Workshop and NBPU Advisory Group meetings took place in Adelaide from May 9-11. Key findings from the workshops along with presentations will be uploaded to the TIS portal soon, so please keep an eye an eye out for those materials.
Visiting Galwin’ku and Yirrikala
I was excited to visit the Galwin’ku community to join them for the launch of Galwin’ku Health Centre on May 25.
Whilst I was in the region I met with the Miwatj TIS workers and visited a number of the key organisations in Yirrikala to see how they were going implementing their smoke free policies, and hear of their challenges as well as successes.
Prof. Tom Calma joining in with the Public Health morning meeting at Miwatj Health with Raypirri Rom (SEWB) and TIS staff
TIS worker Burrkitj (Boogie) Ngurruwuthun introducing Prof. Tom Calma to his local football team Nguykal FC
The visit also coincided with a Jawun Executive tour where senior government bureaucrats and members of the corporate sector will meet with organisations and visit a few remote communities. I joined them to talk about the TIS program and learn about what they do.
Dreamtime at the G
On May 27 I attended the Dreamtime at the G event where there was a major promotion of tackling Indigenous smoking, including provision of Don’t Make Smokes Your Story campaign materials and screening of the television commercials, and the screening of an interview I did with Michael Long. I hope you watched the watch the match and seen our work being promoted.
The VAHS TIS and Healthy Lifestyle team coordinated a joint marquee space at The Long Walk’s interactive health expo in Federation Square with TIS teams from LEAHA, DDACL, and Goolum Goolum. They were joined to the Aboriginal Quitline Victoria marquee, which was staffed by three Aboriginal Quit Specialists i.e. telephone counsellors.
The Long Walk event officially commenced at 1pm with a flag raising and from there thousands of people are expected to visit the health promotion expo focusing on the harms of tobacco. The event finishes with the walk to the MCG later in the afternoon.
VAHS Anti-Smoking Aboriginal Superhero, Deadly Dan, will also be making an appearance!
Regional coverage
As I said in my inaugural Monthly Message in August 2016:
All TIS grant recipients need to be reaching out to audiences and communities beyond their traditional client base. You all nominated an area or region to work in when you secured TIS funding. You need to try and reach as many people in your region as possible and this might take a couple of years but you need to be strategically planning these interactions. This will require in many instances developing relationships with other organisations including those who have not received TIS funding.
While some of you may not have clinics in specific communities, and any clinics operating may belong to other organisations or the Government, this indicates a need for you to establish partnerships with other organisations.
Your TIS population health messages should also reach these communities.
Upcoming Events
World No Tobacco Day
In my last Monthly Message, I mentioned that World No Tobacco Day was approaching (May 31) and that Don’t Make Smokes Your Story resources were available. I hope that you’re all well prepared for events and are looking forward to celebrating the achievements stemming from the work that you do each and every day. I will be attending an event at Winnunga Nimmitija Aboriginal Health Service alongside Minister Wyatt on 31 May and I trust you will also be conducting events. Don't forget to upload your story and photos onto the portal.
National Reconciliation Week 2017
National Reconciliation Week kicks off tomorrow (May 27). The theme for this year is “Let’s take the next steps” and will mark the anniversary of many significant days in our history: 50 years since the 1967 referendum, 25 years since the Mabo decision, 20 years since the Torres Strait Islander flag was created and 20 years since the release of the Bringing Them Home Report. The Healing Foundation will be heavily promoting the next steps to addressing the recommendations of the BTH Report.
Stay strong, stay healthy and stay smoke free.
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