CEO Update October 2026
The Aspiring Aboriginal Leaders Forum commenced in September. The program was established by Justin Harris to support and mentor our upcoming Aboriginal leaders. The program has 10 participants and is designed for our Aboriginal staff to develop skills, build their capacity, workshops with mentors and peer to peer support. The program is an exciting development for the organisation, with the goal to support career progression and pathways into leadership. As part of our commitment, participants will be supported to attend forums, conferences and training to support their leadership journey. Four staff from the program will attend this year’s Indigenous Allied Health Australia Conference in Perth and the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Conference in Canberra. Our Aboriginal staff will have the opportunity to hear from industry experts, network with peers and present their findings to the group.
Community consultation remains a focus for Armajun and as part of our ongoing commitment to improve community engagement, we are scheduling community consultation sessions for the end of November. Consultations are scheduled for Inverell and Tingha on Tuesday 24 November, Glen Innes Wednesday 25 November, Armidale Thursday 26 November and Tenterfield Friday 27 November. The purpose of the consultations is to hear from community and provide updates on what is working well, areas to improve, expanding service delivery and priorities for the next Armajun strategic plan. An online survey option will be available for community to participate and upon completion go into the draw for some prizes. Keep an eye on our socials for more information and details.
Mental Health Month
This year's Mental Health Month theme, A little connection goes a long way, reminds us to connect and yarn about even the simple and everyday topics that can have an everlasting impact on our mental health and wellbeing. Staying connected with each other reduces the impact of loneliness and being disconnected from community.
If you think someone may need help, encourage them to see their GP or connect with our dedicated SEWB team at Armajun, Additional support services are available including 13YARN Lifeline or Beyond Blue. They can also contact the NSW Health Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511 (a 24/7 statewide phone service). There is also a list of mental health services and support available in NSW on the NSW Health website. Let them know you can support them in finding help.
This year, Armajun has partnered with Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia and House of Darwin to co-design a project with a focus on Social Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB), the consultations occurred in Inverell at the Linking Together Centre in September to design the artwork. Gayaa Dhuwi and House of Darwin will return in December to unveil the artwork and complete the refurbishment of the basketball court. Keep an eye out on our socials for the upcoming dates.
Armajun secured a SEWB small grant funding to support new and exciting activities, these include:
· Armajun Voices Podcast, establishing long term digital communication and storytelling platform for Armajun, hear from staff, locals and guest on key matters related healthcare in our communities.
· On Country Cultural and SEWB Immersion Excursion, two multi-day (3-day / 2-night) intensive On Country immersion excursions for up to 30 community members, Elders, and facilitators. The excursions include land-based healing, bush medicine identification, visits to sacred cultural sites, and intensive group therapy sessions.
· Men’s and Women’s Business Groups, supporting wellbeing, emotional trauma and relational distress. The groups include workshops, social engagement, developing self-care kits, cultural activities including weaving, cultural art and tool making.
· Establishing an outdoor Yarning and Wellbeing fixture, the space provides a co-designed community space for yarning. The project is still in the concept phase and requires additional approvals.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Pink is used to promote Breast Cancer Awareness and during the month of October the team have organised events and promotional activities to support local engagement and bring as much awareness and screening to our communities. Breast cancer can develop at any age, although it is more common in older women rather than younger women. It is a lot more common in women than in men, it can affect a small number of men.
Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and more likely to die from it (1.2 times) compared to non-Indigenous women. Our Women are often diagnosed at a younger age, with 20.6% under 50 years compared to 11.7% in non-Indigenous women. Lower participation in screening programs (36% vs 50%) contributes to later-stage diagnoses resulting in later term treatment options. Our dedicated teams are here to help and assist with health promotion, early screening and diagnosis to improve outcomes and treatment in the community. Regular engagement with our teams is critical to ensuring our communities are looked after and remain healthy. For more information on the upcoming events refer to the details below or Our Mob and Cancer.
