Keynote speakers

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Brian Dowd: Black on Track

If you look into the Distance, you will see a more and more familiar sight on the horizon. The Black on Track Program and its team are rolling into your community, your state with little fuss but with an enormous and ever growing reputation of getting the job done.

Whether it be through a cloud of dust, or through driving rain the Black on Track experience is a grass roots program which is making its mark where ever it is needed across Australia.

What started off 6 years ago as a modest pilot program has now grown to a Nationally and internationally recognised program with the determination to make a real difference by injecting itself into the veins of a weary country and needy Communities.

Brian Dowd owner and founder of Black on Track has talked the talk for the past six years and is now walking the walk with a truly remarkable and special program which is touching the hearts of indigenous and non indigenous Australians on a National level.

A grass roots approach, and healing from the inside out, and not from the outside in is the recipe for success for this highly popular program. Brian Dowd and Black on Track is not only winning over the indigenous population, but turning around the attitudes of the non indigenous population in the process.

This program is turning sceptics from thinking “ Ah not another indigenous program” to supporters stating that “ This program is a must to all communities across Australia”.

Brian developed Black on Track to save his life and it has, now he is assisting other Brothers and Sisters out there to save theirs.

Shellie Morris, Ambassador Fred Hollows Foundation, Singer / Songwriter

Presentation Title:  Music, Literacy and Creativity in Aboriginal C ommunities

Biography: Shellie Morris is an Australian Indigenous singer who performs earthy and honest songs. Shellie has a beautiful voice and her soulful enigmatic acoustic ballads are guaranteed to delight the listener. The Australian newspaper described her as 'an aboriginal chanteuse of rare seriousness and grace'. She has performed everywhere from rural outback Australia to London Festival Hall and the Sydney Opera House with great reviews.

Shellie is currently a featured artist with the Black Arm Band. (a collaboration of Australia's top indigenous artists and jazz musicians) Her song Swept Away was orchestrated and performed in 2008 with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.?
Shellie is also an ambassador for the Fred Hollows foundation a organisation undertaking community-based work with blindness prevention in Australia, Asia, Africa and the Pacific. She also works with Indigenous communities and youth throughout Australia, helping young people to write music about their experiences.

Shellie has worked in 42 remote communities in the NT and WA working with music and youth at risk around Australia.

Gregory Phillips, Monash University, Victoria

Presentation title: Definitions of healing and their implications for community development, service delivery and policy.

Presentation: Gregory's presentation will discuss definitions of healing and their implications for community development, service delivery and policy.

Biography: Gregory is a Waanyi and Jaru medical anthropologist. He is a COMMUNITY WORKER, educator and researcher in healing, addictions, cultural renewal, medical education and health.  
 
Gregory is Chair of the Interim Board of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healing Foundation.

Chelsea Yarrie, Community Development Worker, ACT

Presentation title: A Voice from the Past: My Experience in Care

Presentation: Chelsea's presentation will reflect on the importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children maintaining a connection to their culture and their community whilst they are in out of home care. Drawing on her own experiences of the foster care system, she identifies some significant issues that often do not receive the attention they deserve.

Biography
Chelsea is a descendant of the Mununjali people of the Bundjalung region (Beaudesert - South-East Queensland).
 
Chelsea has just completed a Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Social Work. At present Chelsea is working at the Tuggeranong Child and Family Centre in Canberra as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Development Worker. In addition to this Chelsea works part-time as a Youth Worker at a hostel for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander boys.

Moana Eruera, Kaahukura
Aotearoa/New Zealand

Presentation title: Mauri Ora in action - Strong identity, strong practice, strong stories

Presentation: Mauri Ora in Action: Strong identity, strong practice, strong stories
This presentation shares stories of practice working with Maori families, practitioners and communities in Tai Tokerau (the Northern region of New Zealand). Maori in today’s society are diverse with complex circumstances and environments that require a range of innovative solutions. These stories describe practice grounded in cultural knowledge applied in our contemporary context.

Biography
Moana is a Maori woman from Tai Tokerau who has more than 20 years experience in the social and community work sectors. She is committed to the development of Maori and indigenous peoples, particularly in the practice of cultural models. She is currently working with iwi (tribal) and social services providers and leads the professional development strategies for the Amokura Family Violence Prevention Consortium an iwi-led initiative for Northland, New Zealand.

Alongside her professional social work practice Moana has also been involved in the development of her own hapu (sub-tribe), which provides a strong foundation and principles for her work. She has assisted in a number of Maori research projects which aim to achieve cultural understandings and processes to enhance oranga (wellbeing) for Maori.

Her working career has been spent in the social services sector committed to issues of social justice, human rights and the development of Maori and indigenous people..

Susie Nangala Low: Mount Theo Program
Central Australia, Warlpiri Country

Presentation title: Mt Theo Program: The power of independent community action

Presentation: Susie's presentation will outline the petrol sniffing crisis in Yuendumu in 1994, and the Warlpiri community resolve to 'look after young people proper way', that inspired the beginnings of the Mt Theo Program. We examine the Program's core principles and values, key elements to success, and how the Program has developed to incorporate prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, diversion, leadership and development, and a Warlpiri specific youth counselling and mentoring service.

Biography

In 1994 Susie co-founded Médecins sans frontiéres (Doctors Without Borders), Australia. She left in 2000 to work as Project Manager for World Vision in Papunya, NT. She later consulted for the NSW Police Drug Squad in Aboriginal alcohol and drug-related crime issues. Susie has been Manager of the Mt Theo Program since 2005.

Paul Callaghan, TAFE NSW - New England Institute

Presentation title: From a Road to Nowhere to a Road of Dreaming

Presentation: One of the biggest wishes of any parent is for their kids to be successful. But what is success? Paul’s presentation will focus on how we view success.

Paul is the first Aboriginal Institute Director in TAFE NSW with responsibility for educational delivery from 11 Campuses through 1,200 staff servicing over 20,000 students across an area of 110,000 square kilometres in the New England North Western regions of NSW. Paul will be talking about whether this means he is a success and, in doing so, talk about his personal journey that has taken him from a road to nowhere to the road of his dreaming. In doing so, Paul will highlight the importance of culture in achieving this transition, the critical success factors involved, and how to know whether you are on the right path.

Given Paul’s role in TAFE NSW, and his qualifications in Surveying, Drafting, Accounting, Management and Assessment and Workplace Training, Paul will also be talking about the role of education in finding your dreaming and the steps to take in planning a successful career.

Biography
Paul currently occupies the position of Institute Director, New England Institute, TAFE NSW. Over the past 12 years he has been employed with Hunter Institute, TAFE NSW in various roles including Faculty Director Business and Computing, Manager Access and Equity and Aboriginal Development Manager.

Prior to employment with TAFE NSW, Paul has worked at the University of Newcastle in student marketing and promotions and as a lecturer in economics. Paul has also worked for many years with the Department of Mineral Resources as a policy adviser and survey draftsmen and before that time worked in Private Practice as a surveyor.

Paul has also spent many years working on the land including running an oyster farming small business in Port Stephens and currently runs 50 head of Hereford cattle on his small farm.