Mothers take lead in fight to overcome disadvantage

22/08/05
The State Government has praised a group of Desert community mothers for developing a culture-specific plan to give indigenous children a better start in life.
Mr Kobelke said the women, from Balgo and Yagga Yagga, showed great enterprise in producing the strategy, which is based on Aboriginal learning cycles.
Group representatives Bye Bye Sunfly and Melissa Bye Bye are in Perth this week to present the plan at a workshop attended by Telethon Institute for Child Health Research director, Professor Fiona Stanley.
"The women's plan recognises the need for older generations of their people, the Kapululungu people, to share cultural activities and transfer their knowledge to the younger generation in their early formative years," Mr Kobelke said.
"It is very pleasing to see indigenous women take the lead and start to develop ways to tackle the challenges in their communities using local knowledge and skills."
The August 22 and 23 workshop Moving from Evidence to Action brings together Commonwealth and State indigenous affairs representatives and indigenous and other stakeholders to look at new ways governments and communities can work together to overcome disadvantages experienced by indigenous children.
It is supported by the Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Ministerial Council for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs.
"There is overwhelming evidence to suggest that child-rearing conditions in the early developmental years set the foundation for health and wellbeing in later life," Mr Kobelke said.
"The women of Balgo and Yagga Yagga want to use this knowledge to ensure the children in their communities get the best start."
Professor Stanley will use the workshop to talk about the importance of governments and indigenous communities working together to improve the lives of young indigenous people.
"The workshop will look at the findings of child health research and how it can be best used by governments and communities to stop the causes of disadvantage," Mr Kobelke said.
Minister's office: 9222 9211