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Go to Hum-Bytes Archive |
Newsletter Number 54 - March 2008 |
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INDIGENOUS MENTAL HEALTH Dr Tracy Westerman, Managing Director of Indigenous Psychological Services based in Western Australia, will be holding national workshops to address some of the challenges faced by those working with Aboriginal clients in the area of mental health. Dr Westerman is of the Nyamal people from near Port Hedland in WA. She has received many awards, among them the NAIDOCC Award for National Scholar of the Year in 2002. Mainstream assessments and treatments are often not helpful or do not apply in an Indigenous context. To join Dr Westerman's Darwin workshop on the 16th & 17th of October and learn about culture-specific approaches, you will need to register quickly as her workshops are frequently booked out. Some areas covered in the training are:
To register online click on the link below: http://www.indigenouspsychservices.com.au/SUGGESTIONS?Are there training sessions/forums required that would be useful to your organisation, that HSTAC may be able to assist with? We would like to hear from you. Please complete the form attached to the Humbytes email alert for each request, and either email to projects@hstac.com.au or fax to (08) 8981 9822. NATIONAL INDIGENOUS DRUG & ALCOHOL COMMITTEE The Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) was established in 1998 as the principal advisory body to the Australian Government on drug-related policy. It plays a vital role in ensuring that the non-government and community sectors have a voice in the development of relevant policies and programs. It also provides feedback on the impact of drug and alcohol policies and programs and the harm being caused to communities through drug and alcohol issues. The National Indigenous Drug & Alcohol Committee (NIDAC) was formed in 2004 to assist the ANCD with providing advice to the Australian Government on a range of issues impacting on Indigenous communities. It looks at ways to address the serious drug and alcohol issues existing for many Indigenous Australians and ensures that Indigenous drug and alcohol issues remain a priority on the Government's agenda. NIDAC monitors the implementation of the National Drug Strategy Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' Complementary Action Plan 2003-2009 and is chaired by Associate Professor Ted Wilkes. The Committee reports to the ANCD / Intergovernmental Committee on Drugs (IGCD) Joint Executive Committee. NIDAC gains valuable feedback through consultation with Indigenous communities, experts and those working to address Indigenous drug and alcohol issues. The Committee's overall vision is for a reduction in alcohol and drug problems and associated harm in Indigenous communities nationally. NIDAC distributes a weekly email newsletter packed with news, press releases, information, research findings, notification of new publications, useful links, and national AOD job vacancies. To contact NIDAC or join their mailing list, click on the link below: www.ancd.org.au/nidac/ |
THE HUM @ HSTAC Elisabeth Abbot , HSTAC's Administrative Officer, has departed the office for an extended period of leave. She will be sampling what life has to offer in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales for the next 6 months. Filling Elisabeth's spot at HSTAC is Tamara Crawford. Tamara has an administrative background and has worked with the Executive Officer Barbara Pitman previously on a couple of different projects. Some of Tamara's main tasks will include maintenance of the Newspaper Database (where advertised vacancies in our sectors are recorded for statistical purposes), coordination of Council and Executive Committee meetings, maintenance of HSTAC's website and compilation and distribution of the Humbytes newsletter. Tamara is delighted to join the team at HSTAC and says she looks forward to being able to learn new skills and meet new people through her work with us. Tamara can be contacted at: admin@hstac.com.au or on (08) 8981 2550. HSTAC's ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The Human Services Training Advisory Council met on Friday 14th March for its Annual General Meeting at the Chambers of the Darwin City Council. The Executive Committee also met. The following members were elected to the Council for a new two-year term:
Welcome to all new Council Members!
HSTAC STILL NEEDS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE!! If you are interested in sitting on the HSTAC Council and you are employed in the Local Government sector, we would love to hear from you! Please contact HSTAC's Executive Officer Barbara Pitman on (08) 8981 2550 or by email at: b.pitman@hstac.com.au. NEW KITS IN STOCK HSTAC now has new stock of its Skills for Board and Council Members - Workplace English, Language and Literacy Kit available for purchase. This resource kit is designed to meet the needs of people interested in becoming members of Boards and Councils. It specifically targets Indigenous Board and Council members, but is useful and appropriate for a much wider audience. The kit is hard copy and contains information sheets, case studies and document examples. It comes in a robust plastic carry case and carries the Department of Education, Science and Training's (DEST) quality endorsement. If you would like to purchase a kit or kits, please contact HSTAC's Operations Manager Marilyn Harris on (08) 8981 2550 or by email at: projects@hstac.com.au. |
