“We all know about the statistics in regards to Indigenous men’s health, we got some pretty numbers, better than some cricket scores.
We can close the gap about men’s health a lot better than a lot of the attempts that were made from Canberra.”
Ernie Dingo spoke at Ochre Day about their successful men’s health remote community program – Camping on Country, where culture is an integral part of health
“ NACCHO Ochre Day is an important event that reflects on the social and emotional issues our men face and are less likely to seek help for themselves. It is a great platform to hear stories of hope and empowerment and to learn what is working in our communities – of strategies that are successful for our men to take better care of their health and wellbeing.
This year’s conference saw great participation from all 200 delegates who embraced the three focus areas of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men being in control, innovative and influential.
Problems were met with solutions, with many delegates taking home new skills and knowledge to face the challenges in improving the health of men in their communities.”
NACCHO’s commitment is to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males to live longer, healthier lives and reduce the rate of preventable hospitalisations, which is almost three times higher than for other Australian men.”
Mr John Paterson, CEO of Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) and spokesperson for NACCHO said in his opening address at the seventh annual Ochre Day Men’s Health Conference over August 29-30 at Pullman On the Park, Melbourne : Hosted by VACCHO
Read in full John Paterson’s opening speech
Read and or Download this NACCHO Press Release HERE
NACCHO Ochre Day Media Release 30 August 2019
Please note all photography James Henry : Contact Here
The NACCHO Ochre Day Conference celebrated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander male health and wellbeing.
It upholds traditional values of respect for the law, elders, culture and traditions, responsibility as leaders and men, holders of lore, providers, warriors and protectors of families.
The enduring theme for the conference is – Men’s Health, Our Way. Let’s Own It!
The comprehensive program had an eminent line-up of speakers cover diverse topics, such as behavioural change and using data to tell stories about health.
“True empowering moments are the connections and friendships that lead the change for ourself’s, family and communities.
Strong men, Strong families and strong communities”.
Patrick Johnson at OCHRE day
In photo above from left to right : Preston Campbell Dally M Award winner, Olympian Karl Vander-Kuyp ,Lomas Amini Bush TV, Ben Mitchell OChre Day MC Coolamon Adisors and Patrick Johnson Olympian and Deadly Choices Ambassador
Read or Download a full list of speakers HERE
Please note a full Ochre Day report on all speakers will be published next month
Lomas Amini and Ernie Dingo spoke about their successful men’s health remote community program – Camping on Country, where culture is an integral part of health.
While Delroy Bergsma and Robert Binismar of Youth Focus shared their success stories in using art and music to help young people in rural areas deal with mental health.
Former NRL star and community leader Preston Campbell moved delegates, speaking about what it means to be a leader and an Elder.
He drove home the message that “Leaders aren’t the ones proclaiming to be leaders. Leaders put their hand up and take accountability”. Preston shared how his NRL career taught him the value of self-reflection and honesty in articulating a vision for his community.
Every year, during the Ochre Day conference, NACCHO hosts a memorial dinner in honour of Jaydon Adams, a young leader whose contribution to youth participation in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health lives on.
The winner of the 2019 Jaydon Adams Memorial Award was Nathan Taylor from Dandenong and District Aborigines Co-operative Ltd. Pictured here on right with Mark and Lizzie Adams
Nathan was recognised for his exemplary work as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth worker
Nathan Taylor is employed as a Youth Worker at DDACL. In his role he comes into contact with many Aboriginal young people and is always caring about what they are doing and their health and their current situation. He shows exemplary care and concern for his fellow Koori (male or female) and advocates on their behalf with various providers, especially within our organisation.
Nathan Taylor is always concerned about better health for Aboriginal young people. He has been integrally involved in a good health program for young people early in the morning before school. He arranges to pick them up, gets them to a basketball facility and puts them through their paces, then they get ready and changed and have breakfast. He then drops them off at school.
It has changed these young peoples perceptions of themselves and improved their outlook on life and lifting their self-esteem and has encouraged them to do better at school and be more mindful of their health and that of their family and friends.
Nathan Taylor understands that young people need to be active and that will help them to stay fit through out their life, prevent take up of smoking and enable them to be better parents for the next generation and good roll models for our community at large. He knows that this will help reduce incidents of chronic disease like hypertension and diabetes, and reduce the risks of stroke and other lifestyle illnesses.
Nathan Taylor has a soft voice and a personal way of engaging with Aboriginal young people. He is able to build a quick rapport and to find out about a person (who they are and where they’re from) so that he can provide advice or a point of referral.
In 2018 Nathan Taylor earned a Diploma in Youth and received the Koori Student of the Year Award for 2018 and the CEO Award from Chisholm Institute TAFE Dandenong i
Our thanks to the sponsors Aboriginal Health Television
Aboriginal Health Television (AHTV) has potential to reach over 1 million patients, family members and carers every month in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations & Aboriginal Medical Services across the country.
Our digital TV network delivers targeted, culturally relevant, health & wellbeing messages to Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander communities resulting in better health decisions & outcomes
Jake Thomson pictured below
