Improving outcomes for priority populations.

Oceania Tobacco Control Conference 2019

In October, we hosted the Oceania Tobacco Control Conference 2019 in Sydney.

With Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples almost three times more likely to smoke compared to non-Indigenous Australians, it was essential that we bring on board an Aboriginal Health Partner.

We partnered with the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AHMRC) of NSW, who advised and collaborated with our Tobacco Control team to ensure the conference was a culturally safe and supportive environment.

From the Welcome to Country, dreamtime heritage walks at lunch and cultural liaisons to a conference program with dedicated Indigenous smoking streams to cover indigenous smoking across the whole of the Oceania region, over 85% of participants felt that the conference was culturally sensitive and supportive.

A Gamarada yarning circle in two locations was also available across the event. Gamarada is a local Sydney word for friend and comrade and this space facilitated discussion with our local Aunties – Ali, Ann, Annette, Barb and Stephanie. Through the yarning circle with the Aunties, delegates learned and shared experiences of spiritual and cultural safety.

Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan

In July 2020, our Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) was endorsed by Reconciliation Australia. Our Innovate RAP focuses on strengthening relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, engaging our staff and stakeholders in reconciliation, and developing and piloting innovative strategies to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The RAP provides a framework and practical actions that we will take to drive our contribution to reconciliation, both internally and in the communities that we serve.

Read our RAP

Career Trackers intern

We’re committed to building trusted partnerships and improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In 2019/20, we piloted an internship via Career Trackers – a national non-profit whose goal is to empower young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults to create bright professional futures, by providing pathways and support systems for them to graduate from university and gain industry experience.

This program allows us to support students from early in their career path, as well as develop our workforce by building relationships and learning experiences. The program was a success for the student, the team involved, as well as the wider organisation. As a result, the internship has been embedded into our Reconciliation Action Plan, and our Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

What’s next: Screening for culturally and linguistically diverse communities

We’re committed to focussing our efforts on hard-to-reach communities to improve navigation and access to screening.

Women from culturally and linguistically diverse communities are identified as a priority population for cervical and breast screening as they are less likely to participate in these screening programs. These women face various barriers that prevent them from getting screened.

The Cancer Institute NSW has provided funding for us to work with Chinese and Korean-speaking women from Western Sydney to improve awareness and increase their knowledge about the importance of breast and cervical screening. The project will engage key volunteers and community members as champions to further extend the reach of screening education in their communities.