ppac news edition 2

Pormpuraaw NEWSJUNE/JULY 2014

All work and walk together on one path of healing,

learning, caring and sharing,

creating a safer environment

and community

www.pormpurpaanthu.com.au 22-23 Yalu St, Pormpuraaw, Q, 4892.

Phone (07) 4060 4105 Fax (07) 4060 4280

Pormpuraaw News was edited by Liz Pearson, written and

designed by Christine Howes. Photographs by Christine Howes, staff and community. Logo design

by Shaun Edwards..

Youth to step up at Summit

“On behalf of the Pormpur Paanthu Board it is my pleasure to invite you to attend the Cape York Youth Summit to be held in Pormpuraaw between 22-26 September 2014,” she said. “The Youth Summit is an opportunity for young people across selected communities to come together and discuss issues that impact on their present lives, and healthier futures.”

Ms Deakin said PPAC had been through a “miraculous” turnaround over the past 12 months.

“Now we are thriving, everyone involved can feel the changes in our lives as we move forward in a positive way,” she said. “The effect the changes being made from within Pormpur Paanthu are having a positive effect with our families and the community – it actually feels like we are moving towards our vision of having a place where there’s no domestic violence, no drugs and showing our kids we can have a happy life with an education, good jobs and be empowered.

“The young people of Pormpuraaw recognise issues facing the whole of Australia are having a greater impact on young people residing in remote communities.

“This Summit will create a space for conversations and discussions about solutions to the issues confronting young people while allowing them to get involved in socially inclusive activities from sports, dance, art and music. Pormpur Paanthu would like the voices of the youth of Cape York to be heard, and to showcase the results to the Prime Minister and Cabinet who have generously funded Pormpur Paanthu to establish its Youth Development Unit.”

Support is already coming in from Cape York Institute, National Indigenous Youth Leadership Academy, Apunipima Cape York Health Council, Balkanu Cape York Development, Remote Child Youth Health Services; and Sexual Health, Family Unit Queensland Health to ensure that it is a memorable occasion. Pormpur Paanthu is looking forward to hearing from sporting codes and other services affiliated with Youth.Keep a watch on our webpage, Facebook & Twitter for more information, registration details and program updates as they evolve!

It promises to be one of the most exciting weeks Pormpuraaw has ever seen Pormpur Paanthu Aboriginal Corporation chairperson Vanessa Deakin says.

All work and walk together on one path of healing, learning, caring and sharing, creating a safer environment and community2

From the CEO’s desk...If you want to be a part of the revolution then come to the Summit in September and get involved in bringing about change writes PPAC CEO Liz Pearson...

Someone once spoke to me about ‘obsessive hope disorder’ and how frustration is birthed out of expecting too much, especially from others.

But I think it’s time for a revolution and it’s got to come from within, not from policy led by governments, but by the people.

It’s the revolution that creates change, common goals and ideologies. One goal should be to take the struggles by the horns and fight together to

bring about that revolution. It’s up to our young people to champion change, pick up the flag on the

battle field and with their resilience, their goals, their strengths, and their talents given them by their predecessors and ancestors - including the stories and lifetime of struggles – and create the Future.

Pormpur Paanthu’s Youth Summit will aim to showcase the talent and intellect of our youth, and their ability to start a revolution and be the leaders to champion change – change that must be led by them.

If you want to be a part of the revolution then come to the Summit in September and get involved in bringing about change. Focus on your strengths, discuss the obstacles and find solutions.

As conversations replace ‘campaigns’ young people must reduce the gap of racial polarisation and reform policy.

The Summit is a mechanism to assist in the execution of change where planning and conversations, dance, music, sports, and song will take place at a local level to enable a local response to local needs and priorities as determined by young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Transformation occurs by empowering others to take responsibility - ‘mepower’ starts with the individual and groups.

The National Indigenous Youth Leadership Academy (NIYLA), together with other regional services, are showing their support for the Youth Summit in September.

Support is required in the combined efforts of government, non-government and community controlled sectors, who are working in partnership with communities to provide a suite of initiatives and ideas; engagement and service delivery models; strategies in improving the broader determinants of health, and to continue to instill a desire to learn more, grow stronger – to be ‘‘mepowered’’ to drive change.

Pormpur Paanthu continues to believe and hope that through ‘mepower’ and ‘empower’ techniques community members experiencing domestic and family violence will make safer choices, decisions and plans in the interest of their families’ safety and wellbeing.

One component of the World Health Organisation’s definition of Health is ‘Reciprocal Maintenance’.

That is ‘looking after each other, looking after the community, and looking after the environment’.

This fits succinctly with Indigenous world view.

The focus on strengthening relationships and ‘mepower’ concepts within the community serves as a central element of Pormpur Paanthu’s change management processes.

Implementing ‘on country’ activities to bring about change by sustaining nurturing, healthy and successful families, positive community culture and a safer community environment for children, young people and their families is also an integral philosophy.

Social and emotional wellbeing is everybody’s business.

3 www. pormpurpaanthu.com.au

Pormpuraaw News June/July 2014

From the Board of Directors...

Recently Pormpur Paanthu successfully secured funding for a Men’s Support program.

The Corporation will work harder than ever to support men who struggle with change in relation to the triggers impacting negatively, and becoming a hindrance to recovery by recruiting a Male DV Counsellor.

The position will support the community men and youth, and build PPAC’s capacity to offer men further counselling and social support, and case management.

PPAC is advertising for a male DV Counsellor who will provide personal support to men affected by alcohol and violence; and who will work with men to improve safety and wellbeing for their families and community, while building on their individual resilience and group strengths.

A Men’s and Youth Group and the Men’s Recovery Program will be implemented to support healing and personal wellbeing. Continues next page...

Vanessa Deakin (Chair)“The organisation feels like it has turned a full circle - we

were scratching for funds but our CEO, Liz, has done a great job as have all the staff.

“It’s been a miraculous turnaround for all of us.“Now we are thriving, everyone involved can feel the

changes in our lives as we move forward in a positive way.“All our staff have been through Workplace Health and

Safety training, the fire warden training and there’s been a lot of work done to support accreditation.

“The effect of changes being made from within Pormpur Paanthu is a positive within our families and the community actually feels like we are moving towards our vision of having a place where there’s no domestic violence, no drugs and showing our kids we can have a happy life with an education, good jobs and be empowered.

“Attendance to our events and activities is growing stronger and people are lingering and enjoying what Pormpur Paanthu is doing with the school and the Council.

“Safe House staff attend with the children, along with other services who thank Pormpur Paanthu staff for what they are doing.

“What we do now is support change, and as Board Members we hope that all the staff will be role models for community members and the children out there.

“I can feel everything’s going in a positive way; this place is being built up.

“It’s going really, really well and I hope we can get back to a lot of things we’ve been missing so we can show our children a good way of living.

“We hope governments recognise these positive changes.”

Janelle Menzies (Treasurer)“My position on the Board gives me an opportunity to give

back to the community and do my small part as a volunteer. I can see that there’s lots of good things happening and it’s good to be part of that. It must be community driven because if it’s driven by the outsiders once they leave it all falls over, so community-controlled organisations like Pormpur Paanthu needs to be driven from the ground up, from the community members so that it can continue on in the future regardless of who’s managing it or who is on the Board. It needs to provide strategies that meets the need of the community.”

Edward Natera“There have been many, many activities and programs

run throughout the community, so it has been an exciting time. As a Board we are looking forward to bigger and better things.”

BJ Coleman“We keep on going, we’ve drawn up some strong

partnerships and we hope to get more of the youth involved in many of the programs and activities, which is good for community.”


From previous page ->As part of continuous improvement there are

expectations placed on Indigenous NGOs to change, and ‘get on the mainstream train’.

As Pormpur Paanthu continues going through its own changes and transformations a greater emphasis needs to be directed at ensuring plans are effectively carried out with measures to assist implementing, monitoring and reporting aspects, while identifying problems and solutions to tackle the complex social, health and economic contexts at a community level.

Importantly the nature of the relationships between local people and stakeholders operating in the community (government and service providers) continues to be a priority and our efforts include working closely with our local partners to target the closing the gap priorities such as education, employment and a safer community.

However for Pormpur Paanthu to be the champions of change, creating community change agents and champions for optimum success, the Corporation requires resources – funding and human - to review and redevelop in order to bring about continuous change and improvements.

As a team we are continuing to work towards accreditation with limited resources.

At the same time we are ensuring the implementation of strategies and reporting compliance time frames for completion are being met.

It’s an ongoing process as Pormpur Paanthu works to bring about change internally and at a community level for quality, best practice with outcomes and outputs.

As part of organisational change and accreditation all staff are undertaking different training modules, PPAC CEO Liz Pearson says.

Training targets set and met on Fridays

“On their way to higher achievements in Workplace Health & Safety, 17 staff members now have Fire Warden training, 10 staff are completing Certificate IV in WHS; and 16 have completed WHS Committee training,” she said.

Family Therapist Lenore Little said they worked on their studies as a team every Friday.

“Friday mornings we all get together, when there’s not community activity; some we’ll get together as staff, our CEO has allocated that time for our study groups, so we have them weekly,” she said.

“Then all the staff who have done the training and just need to finalise the assessments will be qualified in Health and Safety.

“All staff completed Management Review Committee Training as well, to give us more skills and understanding of quality and continuous improvement.

“This is helping us to work positively as a team and provide more qualified staff for the community.”

Family Violence Support Worker Meredith Arkwookerum said it was important to make their

workplace and surrounds safe for everyone.“It is about what we do in the workplace

itself,” she said. “When we come to work it needs to be

safe for everyone, not just community people but ourselves, so we can work in a safe environment.”



Ms Pearson said the proposal was in direct opposition to the community’s call to continue investment into its own, already functioning, community-controlled and well-supported organisation – PPAC!

“Even the name takes a negative connotation when we need to be working in a strength-based model of recovery,” she said. “Governments need to be funding existing organisations like PPAC

rather than re-inventing the wheel and creating overlaps. PPAC was established by women who began the Women’s Shelter, and we have operated out of an old donga with peeling paint and masking tape over holes in the walls. I would think the investment should be in a local organisation established by the people of Pormpuraaw.”

In May Ms Pearson took PPAC concerns to Cooktown’s Community Cabinet Meeting and in Pormpuraaw members of the Board and CEO have been included in several meetings with other visiting politicians such as Warren Entsch, Billy Gordon and David Kempton.

As part of the linkages and coordination aspects of PPAC Ms Pearson also meets regularly with regional representatives at the Social Emotional Wellbeing Collaborative where PPAC is the only community organisation represented at a regional level. Ms Pearson has attended State and National events to share tools and empowering approaches the services uses in recovery. She learns from and has active input into the latest trends and working frameworks affecting remote communities.

From previous page...The common goals for local services as we rebuild our

working relationships are community cohesion, health and wellbeing, increased attendance at school and job creation.

These are big challenges but Pormpur Paanthu has just signed an MOU with Apunipima Cape York Health Council which aims to support the delivery of a range of clinical and healthy lifestyle programs through employees who may be an employee of both organisations.

I am excited that one of Pormpur Paanthu’s Youth Development workers has been recruited as a trainee Health Worker to be based with us here at Pormpur Paanthu.

This is a big step towards real community control and engagement.

Both Pormpur Paanthu and Apunipima agree that the promotion of quality health care to the people of Pormpuraaw should encompass best practice – that’s quality family and community-centred care – which is team based, accessible, and client-focussed.

Building capability and capacity in Pormpur Paanthu’s employees and the ethos of ‘mepowerment’ for community members will help develop meaningful careers is a priority.

For it to work government funding needs to consider more purchaser provider model service agreements that promote program delivery from community-control NGOS like PPAC.

That means investing more on the ground where it counts and not re-inventing the wheel.

The government should see its role as providing support and funding.

This will enable Pormpur Paanthu to continue working through a process of genuine engagement, supporting the development of innovative preventive strategies that reflect local conditions; and to continue a genuine campaign of developing community capacity to tackle the problems at the local level.

The lack of appropriate funding is leading to fatigue as our staff work hard to successfully engage with community while other competing priorities such as internal planning, accreditation, quality, best practice and compliance must be embedded in all the work carried out.

Pormpur Paanthu continues to stand for hope, promote wellbeing instead of despair and to campaign for reconciliation and negotiation to replace violence.

Together we can change divisive policy and behaviours that leads to a lack of negotiation and consultation.

We have to turn despair to hope and surround ourselves with people who can and do create opportunity.

Above: Lisa from Apunipima and PPAC Trainee Youth Worker, now a trainee Health Worker based at PPAC, Gwenneth Clark

Pormpur Paanthu CEO Liz Pearson and the Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council Mayor and Council members meet to discuss housing, community development and the lack of funding provided to PPAC in light of a State Government proposal to take land back from the community to build a Family Violence Resource Centre and withdraw funding from PPAC’s Women’s Shelter and healing services.


It is hard to believe that my five weeks at Pormpuraaw is at an end – time files, Jawun (formerly Indigenous Enterprise Partnerships) secondee to PPAC Zoe Lau writes.

My main mission in PPAC was helping them to prepare relevant documentation for their auditor’s visit in middle of August. As a Certified Practising Accountant I was also able to analyse current policies and support the CEO to develop policies and procedures that would guide the organisation in best practice financial governance. It is the first time in 20 years the auditor has come to their workplace rather than to their contract accountant located in Cairns.

There are so many memories, I’m glad I had this wonderful opportunity to work with Indigenous people in Pormpuraaw. I believe everyone has the ability to accomplish things, you just need to believe in yourself. Thank you for those people who made my secondment so meaningful and I wish you all well.

Remember to believe yourself and nothing is impossible!

Time flies for CPA secondee

Board and staff were guided through their roles and responsibilities with regard to finances including processing, management and governance, and how to recognise and minimise financial risk for the Organisation.

The training clearly defined roles and articulated the need for staff and Board members to deliver a result and take responsibilities to both the Organisation and stakeholders.

The workshop also provided an understanding of financial risk for Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Organisations.

As a result staff gained a deeper understanding of cost effectiveness and why good management and financial governance ensures successful outcomes and future pathways for service delivery.

Finance training clarifies roles and responsibilitiesBoard members and 15 staff from the Youth Development Unit, service staff, Managers recently participated in Financial Training with QAIHC’s Roderick Wright and Pat Thomson.



PORMPURAAW NAIDOC

CELEBRATIONS 2014 Proudly supported by:

DATSIMA

Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council

Pormpuraaw State School

Proudly supported by:

HACC Centre

Land & Sea Rangers

RJCP Office

Serving Country: Centenary and Beyond

Monday 23rd June NAIDOC Week Opening

10am: Outside Council Offices

Join us in opening our NAIDOC celebrations with a welcome, flag Raising, speeches and

morning tea.

Tuesday 24th June Family Activity Night

6pm: PCYC Hall

Bring the family along and join in the fun with some Traditional Indigenous Games.

Daily

Dreamtime Stories and Traditional Indigenous Games (Playgroup and OSHC).

Pormpuraaw Photo Displays (AODs Building and Arts Centre).

Wednesday 25th June Elders Morning Tea

10am: HACC

Playgroup children entertain our community elders with some songs and dancing, enjoying

morning tea baked by the Outside School Hours Care kids.

Thursday 26th June Family Movie Night

6:30pm: Boomerang Area

Enjoy a night out with the family as you sit back, relax and enjoy a movie.

Friday 27th June NAIDOC Rotational Activities

9am: School

Dress up your car and join our march from school, around the community and back to school. Various activities will be held at the

school for all to participate.

Damper Making Totem Painting

Weaving Cultural Dancing

Aboriginal Games Storytelling

Community Fun Day 12:30pm: Boomerang Area

Join us for a BBQ and an afternoon filled with

fun and Indigenous inspired activities. Community Kinship Tree Jewellery Making

Spear Making Demonstration

Didgeridoo Painting NAIDOC Banner

Weaving Demonstration Clap Stick Making

PORMPURAAW NAIDOC

CELEBRATIONS 2014

Serving Country: Centenary and Beyond

Monday 23rd June 10am: Outside Council Offices

Join us in opening our NAIDOC

celebrations as we honour those who have served our community and our country with a welcome, flag raising,

speeches and morning tea.

PORMPURAAW NAIDOC

CELEBRATIONS 2014

Tuesday 24th June 6pm: PCYC Hall

Bring the family along and join in the fun with some Traditional Indigenous

Games.

PORMPURAAW NAIDOC

CELEBRATIONS 2014

Wednesday 25th June 10am: HACC

Playgroup children entertain our

community elders with some songs and dancing, enjoying morning tea baked by the Outside School Hours

Care kids.

PORMPURAAW NAIDOC

CELEBRATIONS 2014

Thursday 26th June 6:30pm: Boomerang Area

Enjoy a night out with the family as you sit

back, relax and watch a movie. Bring along a pillow and rug to enjoy the movie

in comfort.

Women’ s Group

Thursday 26th June 9:30 am – 12:30 pm

Weaving for NAIDOC week The Boomerang area Please come along ladies Open discussion group

PORMPURAAW NAIDOC

CELEBRATIONS 2014

Friday 27th June 9am: School

Dress up your vehicle and join our march from school, around the community and back to

school. 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes will be awarded for the best dressed cars. Get in the spirit and show

how proud you are of your family and your culture.

Come and see Erin at the Child Care building to

collect craft items to decorate your vehicle.

PORMPURAAW NAIDOC

CELEBRATIONS 2014

Friday 27th June 12:30pm: Boomerang Area

Bring the whole family along and join us for a

BBQ and an afternoon filled with fun and Indigenous inspired activities.

Community Kinship Tree Jewellery Making

Spear Making Demonstration

Didgeridoo Painting NAIDOC Banner

Weaving Demonstration Clap Stick Making

Women’ s Group

Thursday 24th April 9:30 am – 12:30 pm

Prayer Flag Making for Candle light vigil for DV Prevention Month 2014

And Community BBQ

In this issue of Pormpuraaw News we are proud to ‘show off’ some of the events PPAC has been happy to

present and/or support in our community. This is just a sample of some of the outreach work we have done to promote our messages. Below and on page

6 are just some of the notices we have produced, you will find photographs of most of these events

throughout this document.


Integrated Healing ServicesRe-establishing a Men’s Group in Pormpuraaw is at the top of the list for PPAC’s Integrated Healing Services team.

To this end PPAC has just received a small grant for 2014-2015 from Department of Communities. The funding will provide additional support to men affected by alcohol, domestic and family violence. PPAC has always encouraged men to access the counsellors available, to meet and yarn about issues that are affecting their community, themselves and their families.

PPAC CEO is also working on an MOU with Jobfind to look at the daily activities men can undertake as part of their Remote Jobs & Community Program (RJCP). The MOU will strengthen the working relationship and partner on a number of activities for men, women and young people.

Pormpur Paanthu is looking to offer its services to unemployed youth looking for skills and support while they undertake training.

PPAC’s team of counsellors have also been brainstorming priorities and strategies for the 2014-2015 Action Plan. The focus is on complying with the need to have appropriate evidence-based practices; ensuring client, child, family and community-centred approaches are culturally competent with an emphasis on health and wellness as a key priority.

This will include early identification and intervention, as well as enabling protective factors such as the connection to land, maintaining spirituality and cultural identity as key principles to our Recovery Model.

This will drive the way we work as a service and outcomes will be captured through the right measure outcomes tools such as the GEM Tool, rigorous evaluation and reflective practices.

NAIDOC

Family Wellbeing Services



“Some examples of the positive outcomes we have achieved include working together on Reconciliation Day, National Sorry Day and the successful delivery of smoking interventions, education and information on the negative health impacts of smoking on World No Tobacco Day,” she said.

“Another example was the wonderful participation on the last day of NAIDOC Week from all the community, everyone working together.

“We had over 200 people enjoying the day of celebration.“All these events give us the opportunity to establish and

build positive relationships with individuals, families and children of this wonderful community.

“A weekly highlight for me is the regular Movie Night that we at PPAC hold for the children and families of the community.

“And that’s working towards the same outcome of building good relationships through inviting that alcohol-free participation and offering alternate social activities for the community.

“I’ve also delivered some Braveheart workshops with children and parents which provide education and information and brief interventions.

“They were a focus of my activities on Reconciliation Day, Mabo Day, National Sorry Day and throughout DV Prevention/Awareness Month in May.

“And I’ve been working with the team on the on-call roster for the Women’s Shelter to ensure we’re always available should women and children be in any crisis and need counselling support.

“Our staff work with women when they are in crisis and develop Safety and Coming Home Plans.

“We engage with their partner to establish a Safety Plan with him also, so he learns to monitor his behaviours and triggers.

She said the Women’s Group was going strong, with more and more ladies attending every week.

“The women get to participate in culturally appropriate activities such as weaving, which is relevant to community life, as they discuss the many and varied topics important to them as they come together,” she said.

“It’s all about empowering the community and working with them to achieve the outcomes they desire.

“We have programs here on alcohol and other drugs, domestic violence, domestic violence counselling, alcohol and drug counselling, family therapies, and financial counselling and harm minimisation.

“So we have a broad skills base of staff that can provide the support to the community in a safe and friendly environment.

“Our team of staff communicates well together and we are having team meetings to ensure we’re all on the same page, not in different chapters in the book.

“We are trying to integrate quality into everyday practices.“Overall I feel it’s one step at a time – you can’t do great

leaps and bounds; we take one step at a time, all working together towards the same goals, which is empowering people to live a positive, harmonious lives safe within their community; and to increase well being through preventative strategies in local conditions.”

Recently appointed Family Therapist and DV worker Liz Pretorius worked in Africa - where she comes from - with children and mothers affected by HIV/AIDS.

Family Therapist Lenore Little said the positive work they have achieved over the past few months included very successful events where messages of health, community safety and wellbeing had been widely distributed and accepted by the community.

She says her work is about creating care plans and giving guidance in good parenting that will help with relationship and communication issues.

“It’s a privilege to be part of the team at PPAC,” she said.“I have learned that first priority is to understand the culture

and issues faced.“The complexity of trauma and abuse with a history of

many many years had its own challenges. “Applying Bowen Family therapy, teaching behavioural

skills, telling stories using narrative therapies to externalise problems, and placing the blame where it belongs to break the barriers caused by guilt and shame.

“I invite everyone to come and see me to speak with a good heart and I will be listening.

“Come, I will listen to you and share with you, as you listen and share with me.

“We listen to each other - a deep listening - learning from

the listening so we can create a plan to act because ‘all people matter - all persons belong’ - all people have their own story.

“I am passionate about helping families - mothers and fathers, aunties, uncles and children - create ways to use their strengths and build on plans of how we can start to give and get the love we want out of relationships together.”


National Sorry Day & Reconciliation Week

National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Day were

important events on PPAC’s and Pormpuraaw’s calendar for

the year with the opportunity not only for all our staff to

interact with the community, but for important people in the community, such as Elders, to

interact with us.The week saw events from

marches to dances, involving hundreds of people from school

kids to families.



“A lot of my clients tell me their relationships are improving and that consequently they are happier”, Drug and Alcohol Counsellor Wendy Cawdell-Smith says.

“One of the things we do in the program is all about getting people to think about their actions, their feelings, their thoughts and the consequences,” she said.

“We work together with the clients to put plans in place. We have a Wellbeing Passport, that includes the staying-strong plan and safety plans.

“We plan with all the family including the father or partner, other family members, and with them or older children. It gives them more confidence to deal with the problems that arise and it supports a reflective approach, and allows them to take responsibility for more positive outcomes.”

“Tools such as the Family Wellbeing Program and the eight streams of the Oolong Program are designed and delivered to enable the client to think about their actions, their feelings and their thoughts and how it affects their life, the lives of their children and family.

“It’s also about the consequences of the behaviour being exhibited, or manifesting during periods of crisis and being enabled to make different choices.

“Now clients are implementing some of those strategies through increased problem-solving techniques, telling me their relationships have improved and that they have a lot more confidence to deal with any problems that arise.

“So we know we’re making progress because we have families who are getting their children back, and we’ve got people whose relationships have improved to the point there’s no violence in the relationships anymore.

“So we know a number of people are making progress. Other individuals, couples and families are on their healing journey and the staff are here to facilitate the process, empower and mobilise clients, give people the opportunity.

“I feel the work I’m doing is PPAC’s core business, it’s the front-of-house work which is changing people’s lives and subsequently the family and community around them.”

She said PPAC staff were integrating and working extremely well together as a team.

“We have lots of meetings as part of best practice and continuous improvement,” she said. “The Corporation just delivered on a number of Work Health Safety training, and Quality Improvement tools, so we know how we can work best together.

“It’s also part of the change management process.”

World No-Tobacco Day


Women’s Shelter coordinator Deb Hobson has only moved into her position recently from admin support but has already participated in training for data entry and reporting; as well as all WHS training offered to staff.

“PPAC is the only organisation in this community giving out strong messages about domestic violence support, awareness and social and emotional wellbeing strategies,” she said.

“We need to have funding from the government to implement and deliver these domestic violence and harm minimisation programs to help our people in the community.

“The Women’s Shelter is there to support those suffering from domestic violence, offering them a safe place to stay and do programs we hope will empower them - and their partners and families - to change.

“PPAC is an organisation in Pormpuraaw helping people to live their lives happily and keep their children safe, without the burdens of drugs and alcohol and their associated social impact on the community as a whole.

“External organisations who come here rely on our help, knowledge and local expertise to effectively engage with local people.

“I believe that working with other agencies can help to bring about changes to the community at a community level, but it has to be a team effort and we must have the resources to do what we do here, all the time, every day.”

Deb said she had watched PPAC grow in size and stature over the past year or more.

“When Liz started as CEO there were only four or five workers, now that we have about 22 and we need all our employees now because of the workload.

“I just hope we are able to continue to have the same service and educational programs like workshops and events where we can continue to pass our message on to the community.”

CEO Liz Pearson said Department of Communities plans to build and fund a Family Violence Resource Centre were in conflict to what the community wanted.

“I reflect on the history of taking land and resources from Indigenous Australians; and I see this as history repeating itself - when they want to take back more land already taken in the first instance and control what happens on it,” she said.

“Pormpur Paanthu has successfully managed its Women’s Shelter for 20 years; and Healing Centre for over seven years – now the Organisation’s funding for the Healing Centre will end in September 2015.

“It’s a top down approach, this Organisation’s first service was a Women’s Group, and then the women and Elders wanted the Women’s Shelter to keep their children safe.

“I invite anyone to come and see the buildings Pormpur Paanthu has, and then tell us that we don’t deserve to be funded appropriately and with respect and dignity.”

Candlelight Vigil



Family Violence Support Worker Maggie Koo’aga says she and colleague Meredith Arkwookerum were there to help talk to people in the community who might need help.

“I see little bit of progress with families we help,” Maggie said.“We also get to help new staff with cultural supervision, on how to

work with our families too, because we want them to learn our cultural protocols around here because there are cultural boundaries.”

Meredith said they also played an important role for the ‘fly-in/fly-out’ service providers.

“There are language barriers and it’s important we’re there to help external services ,” she said.

“It’s important to translate to families what service providers want from community people. By us translating and interpreting it is easier for all of us to work and understand, and be here for the families.”

Dealing with the ongoing effects of Stolen Generations as well as current generations who have been taken away is an important component of the role of the Social Emotional Wellbeing Counsellor Sandra Wason’s work in Pormpuraaw for PPAC.

“It’s about Stolen Generation and reunification for a lot of the families who have children in care right now,” she said. “Most of our clients are youth up to and about the age of 30 because as young parents a lot of their children have been taken away. Then there are adults who were taken away as children who have just come back and started their own family here. So how can we help them not to continue in that pattern of removal.”

She said she recently went to Brisbane to complete her Certificate IV in Mental Health and Social & Emotional Wellbeing, and participated in a learning workshop about trans-generational trauma with well-known healing advocate Professor Judy Atkinson.

“It’s all tied in together and it was good, I loved it,” she said. “I like the healing side, which isn’t much spoken about enough , it’s usually about the trauma of removal and what happened to families when the children were taken away and when they become adults. But this was about the healing process they go through, which is the best part of it, I reckon because it’s about connecting back with country and family.

“I’ve done a lot of that previously before I even became the SEWB/BTH Counsellor. I am also on the Justice Group, which has helped me a lot. In my role as the SEWB Counsellor now it all makes sense - it’s all connected.”


Children & Youth ServicesLeadership training in Cairns has built new skills and confidence for Trainee Youth Worker, now also a trainee Health Worker, Gwenneth Clark.

“One of the programs I’m doing is the Youth Leadership program facilitated by the Cape York Institute,” she says.

“They build up our skills to better ourselves in things like public speaking. It helps us build our confidence and helps us become better at what we do.

“It was good because I got to meet people from different places and share skills and learn with them.

“It helped me to learn there’s more to being a leader in the community.

“I have also successfully applied for a second job as a Child Health Worker trainee with Apunipima and that’s a new thing for me.

“I’ll still be working here and based here but I’ll be trained by Apunipima also. There’s a lot of study.

“It been good working here because I’m getting more out my time here, from when I first started, it was all new to me then.

“I’ve been out for training and I’m still learning, but I’m building up my skills and that’s a good thing. I have been sent out to do data collection and data base training.

“I have also undertaken Management Review Committee Training, Work Health Safety Committee, Certificate IV WHS and Fire Warden training.

“With PPAC most of my work is with young people between 16-26, so I support the After School Care staff with the older children and the Healing Centre staff who work with younger people.

“I also support the Mums and bubs my age and often work with Erin’s team in the Child Care with parenting and healthy lifestyle programs that are fun and educational.

“I’ve held discos during school holidays, enjoyed organising fund raising activities and sporting activities with different sports trainers like NRL and Traditional Indigenous Games.

“I also organised the Candle Light Vigil, and worked with staff on a range of activities during May which is Domestic Violence Month.

“I helped to organise the March against Violence and was a part of BraveHeart Training and education, and I supported staff with the Pay It Forward BBQ, and the Elders Abuse Awareness BBQ and activities.

“We all work hard and work well together when it comes to education and awareness.

“It’s be good because I need to gain more skills in myself.

“I’m looking forward to becoming better.“This has been a great opportunity for me, I’ve been

able to explore new things and I think that’s the main part of being here is learning new things.

“I like working here because we do a lot of good things and it helps us build up a better future for ourselves, as young adults, and for the community.”



An integral part of the Children and Youth Services team are Youth Development Workers Devon Tarpencha and WHS and Maintenance Worker Herbertson Gibo, both of whom work together to keep youth busy and interested.

Devon said he enjoys helping out in the community and supporting the other staff to get events and activities organised and up and running.

“We’re keen to encourage other youth, especially the younger ones, to come and help us out too, it’s better than bludging at home,” he said.

“We’re keen to encourage our kids to work, and we also work with the parole kids who do their community services hours with us.”

Herbertson Gibo said he and Devon worked closely together for the community.

“That’s what we’re doing most of the time - making a good community and making a good background for us,” he said.

“We have a team of boys on parole who come in and do community service at Pormpur Paanthu, and we help them stay on the right track.

“We worked hard on things like NAIDOC and if kids are interested we’ll organise whatever they want us to.

“We want to see Elders come in too, so they can train the young ones up, teach them traditional things too.”

DV Awareness Month


NAIDOC



Ms Jappe said under the Remote Schools Attendance Strategy the Federal Government has recently given an injection of funds to enable the school to put more resources behind increasing school attendance.

And it’s already making a big difference.“It’s just been amazing,” Ms Jappe said.“We’ve already seen more children attending school

more often.”Pormpur Paanthu Aboriginal Corporation, the Council,

the Primary Health Care Centre, sports club and parents have thrown their support behind the initiative.

“It’s been a really, really positive thing for the school and the community,” Ms Jappe said. “There are partnerships with every other organisation in the community.”

Thanks to the new funding the school has been able to find and hire four new staff members who focus on school attendance.

Among the new staff are four Student Attendance Officers and one Student Attendance Supervisor who visit the homes of absent students on a daily basis and offer any help needed.

“It’s just phenomenal having the Attendance Officers here,” she said. “They’re helping families to alleviate the reasons why they’re not sending their children to school.

“The response has been really positive.”She said this time last year the attendance was 76%

and now the school attendance has increased to 86%.She also said while school attendance has been a

big focus, so has more engagement with students and parents by way of attendance displays in the school’s main foyer, more one-on-one interaction with the School Attendance Officers, and rewards to students and parents.

“We reward the children at school for really good attendance, but we wanted to reward the parents as well because they’re the ones sending their kids to school,” Ms Jappe said.

“So we started an incentive that any student who had 95 per cent or great attendance would get a $20 power card on the last day of school and anyone with 100 per cent attendance got a $50 power card.

“It is quite a nice way to reward families and something really practical everyone needs.”

Prior to the funding the school had already implemented attendance-boosting programs.

“Attendance is the key to getting really good literacy and numeracy outcomes,” she said.

“We want all our students to perform well academically.”

Fantastic community support, new funding from the Federal Government and an initiative started last year at Pormpuraaw State School, means more students are attending school on a regular basis and gaining invaluable skills, Pormpuraaw State School Principal Louise Jappe says.

School working well with community


I had one worker and we shared our responsibilities, now there are seven part-time staff members all enjoying what they do.

All of these staff members are studying their Certificate III in Early Childhood with one having completed her Certificate III and now moving on to her Diploma of Early Childhood.

CEO Liz Pearson has also supported staff to attend additional training, and conference networking.

These women are beneficial and crucial to have in our service as they share their local knowledge and speak language to the children.

They also have that connection with all the parents and most of the children as they’re related to a lot of them.

Our numbers have grown since November and continues to grow since Pormpur Paanthu hired some of these new staff.

Parents are more willing to come into the service because our local staff members are talking language and the parents are happy to speak language with them.

The barriers have been broken down a little bit more now between the staff and the parents, which is making it a lot easier to have a playgroup that runs very smoothly.

We also have one of our local elders, who was very willing to share her knowledge, come in and yarn with the children and they like to hear about their culture, they all love sitting, listening and learning about bush tucker, bush medicines and cultural seasons for planting, growing and hunting.

We have not yet started the full cultural transmission of the children recording what the elders are saying and turning that into books, but that is definitely on the cards to happen.

DETE is allowing Pormpur Paanthu to keep its underspends and hopes to buy a photocopier which will allow us to make our own books.

PlaygroupWithin our Playgroup we have previously run a fair few

programs, including the Cooking with Kids Program, Healthy Lifestyles Program and a Physical Activity Program.

We have continued on with those programs because of their success and what we’re seeing coming from home.

We’re understanding community and local needs, delivering the service, providing the education and including what the parents want, what the families want and we’re benefiting the kids as best as we possibly can.

We had a community meeting with the families and the staff of the Playgroup to ask them what they wanted to see within the Playgroup. One of the biggest things that came out of it was they wanted more cultural knowledge sharing with the children and part of that we’ve had one of our local grandmothers has come in and sing songs with the kids, have story times and share knowledge and cultural activities.

We have another local grandmother who wants to come in and start doing some dance with the children as well as some story telling.

Child Care ServicesPormpur Paanthu has hired a lot of new local staff members, which is very exciting, Childcare Services Director Erin Arthy writes.

Right: A combined PlayGroup and Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) project which benefits all age groups is the OSHC

Kids Healthy Recipes book. All the photos within the book are photos of the children making the recipes and cooking.



Above: Childcare and OSHC staff L-R Donna Armstrong, Erin Arthy, Jill Yantuma, Nickalah and Hannah Gothakchalkenin Absent Chrissy & Tammy Conrad

It was a massive result to see so many children dancing during NAIDOC week activities. It’s usually the Elders and some younger adults who dance, and go to Laura Dance Festival. We made over 50 sets of clap sticks and children not only painted them up, but danced spontaneously too.

We are also hoping to get more fathers involved. We have some attend but we are promoting a higher attendance.

This year the Early Learning Education Team has started making some resource books in partnership with Apunipima. We will be launching the cooking book as part of the Healthy Lifestyles Program and Pormpur Paanthu plans a series of books with the help of the children attending our centre.

This is a combined PlayGroup and Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) project as it benefits all age groups.

All the photos within the book are photos of the children making the recipes and cooking.

The book, while being self-supporting and educational will contribute to work health and safety compliance in a more innovative preventive and localised strategy that increases health awareness with children and parents.

Some of the children’s lunch boxes are becoming healthier with the healthy ideas we’re giving them through our cooking program.

Their noses are also cleaner because they now know how to blow their nose and they’re washing their hands more regularly because they’re all in routines.

We have a washing hands and nose-blowing book, so it has pictures of all the children taking the steps of how to effectively blow their nose and then the steps of how to effectively wash their hands.

Built into our program we have a physical activity every afternoon structured for the children.

They don’t have to participate, but a lot of them love getting in and getting involved.

We’ve also started a Bravehearts program, which is talking about keeping kids safe, so we’re now looking at who the children can turn to if they’re in an unsafe situation.

We put it in a play situation, so it’s fun, it’s interactive, but also try and teach children the dangers of strangers and if people want them to do things that they’re not comfortable with that they can say no, and then talk to someone about it.

We’ve looked at getting a uniform for the Playgroup children because a lot of them have asked why they don’t have a school shirt, that the big kids have school shirts, so we’re going to be getting a very colourful Playgroup shirt so each difference size is a different colour and on the front it has an acronym for ‘PLAY’, which is what Playgroup is all about. Continued next page...


Pics on these pages...NAIDOCHealthy EatingBraveheartsCandlelight VigilVacation CareMovie NightsDV Awareness March



TransitionPormpur Paanthu’s Transition Program is about having a

more seamless transition for children from the Playgroup into the State School environment. The goal over the next few years is to have children school ready and above average therefore the Child Care, or soon to be Long Day Care is already touching on the explicit teaching that they do at the school, which is the ‘I Do, You Do, We Do’.

It’s not as comprehensive a program as the school, but we implement strategies that enable children because of the set routine applied every day.

The Children know when they come to Playgroup what happens, when it happens, and why it happens.

The parents can also take those routines back home and apply it to home life. The children will know by the time they get into the school setting, they’re use to the routines that are set at the school and school environment.

Continued next page...

Corner Shed renovations are well underway thanks to Shane Stevens, Vernon Yip & Joe Smits. The

Shed is being renovated to include the Indigenous Knowledge Centre, the Children’s Computer Lab

and a new kitchen for healthy cooking classes. The HitNet Kiosk will also be installed late August and

launched at the Youth Summit on the 25 September.


Outside School Hours CareLast term we ran cricket and this term we’ve been

running softball. A number of staff and young people completed NRL Training, After School Hours Care Training and Traditional Indigenous Games Training.

We were then able to implement this training to different age groups over vacation periods.

Kids always love to be active and physical but we found it was a bit difficult sometimes to run activities inside the school grounds because school-aged children really wanted to leave school as soon as school’s finished.

So we decided that the staff, including the Youth Development Team, would run a couple of the afternoon activities from what we call “the Corner Shed”, which the kids really get a lot out of.

The Shed is being renovated to include the Indigenous Knowledge Centre, the Children’s Computer Lab and a new kitchen for healthy cooking classes.

The HitNet Kiosk will also be installed late August and launched at the Youth Summit on the 25 September.

We have utilised the hall through our Vacation Care Program, where everyone is welcome.

All of the staff within Playgroup, Outside School Care and our Youth Development Team completed Traditional Indigenous games training in the middle of June and the outcome has meant we’ve run a couple of the sessions with the children.

They’ve got a lot out of stopping and listening to the background to the Game and then participating in the game. The numbers in attendance were inspiring.

Pormpur Paanthu adopts the philosophy that social emotional wellbeing is connected to land which in turn supports and promotes the social and emotional wellbeing of families in this community.

‘On country’ activities are an integral component of increasing wellbeing.

PPAC staff have started the OSHC Garden Project by planting a lot of seedlings, which the kids started to see grow.

It’s been very important to include the children in the nurturing of the garden, and to watch them take responsibility for its growth.

It was very exciting and empowering for children.Some of the children actually took those seedlings and

have been growing them at home.Elders and parents have also taken responsibility for

sharing knowledge of certain plants the kids can eat to build their immune system and the way you can crush certain berries.

‘Nurture our Children our Future’ has been the focus for our Playgroup and Outside School Care children and soon we will have some t-shirts and other merchandise for parents to see our children are the future of Pormpuraaw.



Finally...Pormpur Paanthu is investing in the closing the gap

priorities as part of its every day business; and as part of reciprocal maintenance - looking after each other, the community and the environment.

The Indigenous Knowledge Centre coupled with the Early Learning environments will promote this the most so we can witness generational change over the next few years.

We need to assist our children to gain as much knowledge as they possibly can, educating them as much as we can to take our community further forward in the future.

It’s all about building that social, emotional wellbeing of the families and the children, and build the knowledge bank so it overflows and gains interest.

If we give the children a start here, especially within the Playgroup environment, and Long Day Care curriculum, and include parents through capacity building initiatives then the skills and the knowledge will be shared and strengthened at home.

Our Positive Parenting worker supports parents through integrated planning processes that have commenced with Family Therapists, AOD Counsellors and Apunipima’s Child Health nurse; and now to include the Trainee Health Worker so as much care planning and education is provided to parents who are willing participants.

Baby baskets provided by Apunipima Cape York Health Council, including a DVD, is a great resource for mums and bubs.

Staff also ask for, and take advice - including cultural advice - from the families whose interest we serve and who play a major role as cultural advisors.

If there is anything they feel we can be doing for our kids we are happy to hear about it.

So, we’re all about sharing and gaining knowledge, which is a two-way thing – local people’s knowledge benefits everybody.

We are here to build local capacity to engage in change and increase awareness of the harmful effects of alcohol, drugs and uncontrolled gambling on children’s ability to learn and thrive.

Youth Summit News

Check it out!The Youth Summit will showcase dance, music, activities with various sporting codes; and guests who will facilitate conversations with young people.

Sponsors to date include Apunipima Cape York Health Council, Pormpuraaw Rangers and Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council.

Wujal Wujal, Hopevale and Cooktown music legends Black Image Band (below) will play on the Festival Night Celebrations on the 25 September, along with the Sacred Creation Dance Company who are also delivering contemporary dance workshops during the day.

Hopevale’s Ivana Gibson (below right) and Yarrabah’s Barry Cedric will undertake Song Writing workshops and there will be interactive team building using cooking and healthy lifestyle activities.

Left: Choreographers and Teachers making sure the

Summit is successful by delivering contemporary dance workshops

and performances.SEE OUR WEBSITE, FACEBOOK

& TWITTER FOR MORE NEWS & UPDATES!!!

www.pormpurpaanthu.com.au www.pormpurpaanthu.com.au www.pormpurpaanthu.com.au

ppac news edition 2

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