Towards 2030 launch

Towards 2030 Melbourne Poche Centre for Indigenous Health Strategy launched at the Peeneeyt Thanampool (Strong Women) Aunty Joan Vickery and Aunty Angela Clarke Indigenous Post-doctoral Fellowship celebration on Monday 27 March.

“Aunty Joan and Aunty Angela were highly respected Aboriginal community leaders who worked tirelessly to change the academy to meet the needs of the Aboriginal community.

“The Melbourne Poche Centre continues their work through our strategic objectives to build executive leadership in health and create academic pathways,” says Centre Director, Associate Professor Shawana Andrews.

A/Prof Shawana Andrews presenting the Poche strategy

Associate Professor Shawana Andrews, presenting the Melbourne Poche Centre strategy

The Centre’s strategy is grounded in Aboriginal ways of being, knowing and doing, underpinned by the philosophy of Tanderrum, a Kulin ceremony for coming together and offering safe passage.

Using Place, Relationships and Futures as guiding themes, the Centre runs culturally safe, Indigenous-led programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners, students and early career researchers. These aim to advance academic and professional leadership in Aboriginal health.

We know advances in Indigenous health require strong Indigenous leadership and Indigenous-led research.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people representing approximately 1.8 per cent of the total higher education student population. This number drops to one per centre at post graduate level.

Aunty Joan and Aunty Angela were fierce academic trailblazers and respected Aboriginal community leaders. Their role modelling and influence on the careers of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander scholars in the academy and the health sector was significant.

Postdoctoral fellowships like the Peeneeyt Thanampool (Strong Women) Aunty Joan Vickery and Aunty Angela Clarke Indigenous Post-doctoral Fellowship Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers with career continuity, leadership and pathways.

“The current fellows are undertaking a broad range of research topics, including data sovereignty, cancer studies and health justice.

“Working with and across the Faculty, and broader University community, it is our aim to accelerate the development of Indigenous health leadership,” says Associate Professor Shawana Andrews.

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