World Indigenous Conferences 2014

Exciting line up of more than fifty guest speakers revealed for this year’s World Indigenous Health Conference in Cairns Queensland Australia on 15th – 17th December 2014 at Pullman Cairns International Hotel.

The conference is hosted by Indigenous Conference Services (Australia) with great line up of speakers from around Australia and internationally.

The event is based upon the principal belief that indigenous health must be approached from a holistic view, which encumbers body, mind and spirit. Thus, leading to the fundamental rights of self-determination.

The conference recognizes that treating our health must be done by treating the whole person, through mind, body, soul and culture. No matter what your culture is, if you are a First Nations person, statistics show, health, education or the justice system is monstrously weighted against indigenous people. The conference is hosted by Indigenous conference Services (Australia) with great line up of speakers from around Australia and internationally.

The event is based upon the principal belief that indigenous health must be approached from a holistic view, which encumbers body, mind and spirit. Thus, leading to the fundamental rights of self-determination.

The conference recognizes that treating our health must be done by treating the whole person, through mind, body, soul and culture. No matter what your culture is, if you are a First Nations person, statistics show, health, education or the justice system is monstrously weighted against indigenous people.

In today’s society, indigenous people have a varied lifestyle, ranging from inner-city to isolated communities, therefore there is no set approach to dealing with health issues as you have to look at the environment that you live in and most importantly the agencies that are available to assist. The conference itself is not designed to provide answers for one and all however it is designed to bring together both government and non-government agencies who are working in the indigenous health arena, therefore focusing on Closing the Gap and strengthening thelife expectancy of indigenous people to equal that of non-indigenous people.

Over the years, the provision of aboriginal health services was developed and implemented through Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health organizations, first Aboriginal community controlled health service being established in New South Wales and has been operational for the past forty (40) years.

What an exciting year for conferences with Australia playing hosts to two international Indigenous conferences which looks like an invasion by Indigenous Peoples from around the world rather than a meeting of the minds. The overwhelming response even surprised the event organizers as sixty (60%) of the fifty confirmed speakers at the World Indigenous Health Conference & World Domestic Violence Conference are coming from world class international First Nations’ backgrounds representing various countries worldwide.

It is gratifying to obtain the support of other Indigenous Cultures from around the globe. The growing numbers of registration clearly indicates the interests of organizations and individuals to improve Indigenous people’s health and wellbeing throughout the world. The conferences will provide a lifetime one-off experience of meeting, mixing and networking with other Indigenous Cultures worldwide with speakers ranging from community, grassroots people through to government ministers, researchers, academics, policy makers and for good measure, well-respected First Nations tribal chiefs.

One of the featured speakers is Deputy Minister of Health & Social Services from the Government of Northern Territories in Canada, Hon. Debbie DeLancey whom has previously held the positions of Deputy Minister of Human Resources; Deputy Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs and Associate Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services. Debbie has two grown sons, who are currently pursuing studies in law and medicine.

Prof. Tony Broe is the Senior Principal Research Fellow at NeuRA, Professor of Geriatric Medicine at the University of New South Wales and Scientific Director of Ageing Research Centre based at Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney. He has carried out various research e.g. brain injury, neuro-epidemiology, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, etc.

Chief Roy Jones Jr. is a Haida Hereditary Chief of the K’aadaas Gaah K’iiguwaay whom works with top scientists in the world studying Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Traditional Diet for two decades. Chief Roy is a traditional food gatherer, trader and a coastal mariner in commercial fishing. Roy is married with three daughters and four grandchildren.

In addition to the featured speakers and after due deliberation, the following presenters and their respective papers had been accepted for presentation during the 2014 World Indigenous Health Conference:

Mrs. Angela Keung, a Cardiac Nurse Specialist and Clinical Whanau Ora Nurse Manager of Te Roopu Whanau Ora whom will be co-presenting with her Te Hauora O Te Hiku O Te Ika team about their program which provides a korowai (or cloak) of services to improve equity in health for Maori peoples in New Zealand

Mrs. Nina Sivertsen is a Sea-Sámi nurse from Northern Norway working as a nurse lecturer within the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Flinders University in South Australia. Nina is a mother, a novice researcher, a knowledge seeker and keeper straddling life in the Indigenous and academic worlds.

Dr. Jordan Lewis is an Assistant Professor with the University of Washington Indigenous Wellness Research Institute in United States of America. Jordan’s research explores the role of culture in the aging process and its impact if individuals are able to age successfully despite socio-cultural challenges in rural Alaska.

Cheri Yavu-Kama-Harathunian is a traditional Australian Aboriginal woman of the Terabalang Bunda, Gooreng Gooreng and Kabbi Kabbi peoples and is the Director of the Board whom will be co-presenting with Frank Garcia, Strategic Innovation and Development Manager of Indigenous Wellbeing Centre Ltd of Bundaberg QLD

Mrs. Esstin McLeod is a tribal member of the Misswezahging First Nation in Northern Ontario along the North Channel of Lake Huron in Canada. She is a Practitioner of Traditional Medicine and serves as community education director. She lives with her husband in Misswezahging First Nation, with her five children.

Ms. Antoinette Braybrook is the CEO of the Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service in Victoria. Antoinette is an Aboriginal woman who was born in Victoria on Wurundjeri country. She is the National Convenor for the National Family Violence Prevention Legal Service Forum

Mr. Greg Riehl is an Aboriginal Nursing Student Advisor providing holistic counselling services to support nursing students. Greg graduated Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Saskatchewan in Canada and earned Masters of Arts in Intercultural and International Communication through Royal Roads University.

Associate Prof. Elisa Birch is an Associate Professor at the University of Western Australia with more than fourteen years of experience in applied economic research and has worked at the University of Western Australia since 2004. She completed her PhD on the labour supply and fertility outcomes of Australian women.

Dr Simon Vun is an Associate Lecturer within the School of Medicine at Flinders University in Adelaide. He is also active in research and is the current research fellow in the Department of Vascular Surgery at Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide. Dr Vun graduated medical school from the University of Tasmania with Honours.

Dr Alisi T Vudiniabola is an Indigenous Fijian woman working as Coordinator for Pasifika Maternal Child Health Services in Palmerston North. She graduated from Massey University with Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Social Science and Master of Arts in Education. Alisi is married with 3 children and lives in Palmerston North, NZ.

Ms. Johanna Neville is the Child Maternal Health Educator whom will be co-presenting with Ms. Amanda Wilson, a Speech Pathologist at Apunipima Cape York Health Council whom will be presenting about Apunipima’s Early Language Development Program: Creating an Early Literacy Start to Life .

Dr. Margo Greenwood, Academic Leader of the National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health, is an Indigenous scholar of Cree ancestry who received the Queen’s Jubilee Medal in recognition of her years of work to promote awareness and policy action on the rights and well-being of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children, youth and families.

Mrs. Leann Bonner is a descendant from the Yanyuwa people from Borroloola in the Northern Territory. She works at DonateLife SA as Cultural and Linguistic Diverse (CALD) Liaison Project Officer. She will be co-presenting with Dr. Sally Tidemann, the State Medical Director of DonateLife SA.

Mr. Ian Johnston is a Clinical Geropsychologist working with Ms. Kathy De Souza, the Clinical Nurse & Project Officer for the Dementia Care Resource and Training Network with Northern NSW Local Health District to develop new program modules in the management of challenging behaviours across aged care settings.

Dr. Scott Dickinson works on the Program Planning and Evaluation Team at NPS MedicineWise overseeing the planning and evaluation of the organization’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs. He has a background in biochemistry, human nutrition science and evaluation.

Ms. Isabelle Aubé is the President and Founder of Native Way Training Services Inc. Canada who is committed to promoting health in Aboriginal communities across Canada through sports and recreation. Isabelle honours her Mi’kmaq, Algonquin, French heritage by working with urban and on-reserve Aboriginal populations.

Ms. Natasha Franklin is a Registered Nurse and a PhD candidate from Monash University in Victoria. She will be presenting the I – AM Project which highlights poor nutrition as one of the main risk-factors for the incidence of chronic disease and poor health in Indigenous Australians.

Ms. Cynthia Alsop is a Yamatji woman from Geraldton, WA who works as a Lecturer in Nursing. She will be co-presenting with Ms. Wendy Anders, an Arrernte woman from Alice Springs, Northern Territory and a Lecturer in Public Health at the Institute of Koorie Education.

We encourage anyone interested in attending the conference to register early as numbers are filling fast and spaces are limited because of the size of the venue which can only accommodate up to 600 delegations. We’ve structured our registration in such a way that will save organization’s money while at the same time providing a great forum for frank and open discussion.

To register or for further details, please visit the event’s website: www.indigenousconferences.com or email us at [email protected].

National Indigenous Women’s Conference

The conference is hosted by Indigenous Conference Services (Australia) with a great line up of speakers from Australia and internationally. The aim is to provide a platform for Indigenous Women to celebrate their achievements in their home, family, community and workplace.

The conference presents a unique opportunity for delegates to participate in an event which is devoted to the sharing of information and the empowering of Indigenous Women. The conference will highlight existing and success Women’s groups, programs and projects that are working in Indigenous communities and provide a unique opportunity for delegates and speakers to see the power of networking and sharing of information and experiences that women face.

In today’s society, Indigenous women are striving for success careers whilst maintaining a home and family. This event will focus on Indigenous women playing vital roles within their workplace, whether they work for a grassroots organisation (community controlled based) or Government agencies and share their experiences and challenges working in today’s society and building a successful career.

The conference can be used as a vital tool for networking, experience, knowledge and information sharing for women that work in the fields of Women’s groups, Allied Health Professionals, Community groups, NGO’s, Government Departments and any private enterprises that specialize in women’s business.

Topics include Women’s Health, Family Violence, Women and Education, Achievements of Women.

October 13 – 15, 2014

Pullmans Hotel International Cairns, Queensland
Women – Submit a Paper HERE