Craig Bloxsome, Therapeutic Residential Care Program, Anglicare Tasmania
Craig Bloxsome has a long history of supporting his community and promoting health and wellbeing among Aboriginal people, particularly helping to steer young people away from potential bad influences and towards positive activities. Craig worked for many years at Nowra, NSW, where he ran a surf-lifesaving program with the local surfing clubs. As a project officer in the Children and Family Services section of the South Coast Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation, Craig facilitated community initiatives and projects for young Indigenous adults and advised and advocated for families. Craig moved to Tasmania in January 2011 and now works for Anglicare as Manager of a Therapeutic Residential Care (TRC) Program in Launceston, which manages 13 Indigenous kids, among others, across five residential places.
Muriel Jaragba, Aboriginal Mental Health Worker, Groote Eylandt, NT
Muriel Jaragba is an Anindilyakwa woman, who lives and works with her people on Groote Eylandt in Arnhem Land. Fluent in three Aboriginal languages, Muriel helps many clients and their families across several communities and is highly knowledgeable in both traditional Aboriginal healing and Western approaches to mental-health problems.
Muriel has undertaken significant research work with Dr Kylie Lee, with whom she has written several peer-reviewed journal articles about mental health and substance use. Muriel has also made numerous presentations at health conferences and been instrumental in the production of nine films on health,issues from cannabis and mental health to stress and grief. The latest film project, Anija, developed in 2010, is on problem drinking.
Alice Tayley, Wujal Wujal Primary Health Care Clinic via Cooktown, QLD
Alice Tayley is a health worker committed to providing primary health care in Wujul Wujul, Far North Queensland, working at the Wujul Wujul Primary Health Care Clinic. She is involved in numerous community activities and has been recognised by Queensland Health for her 27 years of outstanding service.
Alice has a wide knowledge on various Indigenous health issues and a clear understanding of the local environment – she is always involved in primary health care to address community-identified health concerns.
Alice is the epitome of the hard working, quiet achiever, working diligently behind the scenes to improve the lives and wellbeing of those in her community.
Sharyn Medway, Aboriginal Didgeridoo/Art Project, Goulburn, NSW
Aboriginal sexual health officer, Sharyn Medway works across the NSW’s Southern Local Health Network, and has been conducting information and education outreaches across the South East and coastal regions of NSW for 11 years.
Sharyn works with young Aboriginal people to provide awareness and knowledge of STIs and the importance of ‘staying safe’. Sharyn delivers information and education in a positive way, such as through didgeridoo workshops where participants paint didgeridoos to tell their own stories; there is also a DVD that accompanies the workshops with didgeridoo lessons and information about bush tucker.
As well as education on STIs, Sharyn also undertakes some pre- and post- STI counselling. Previously, Sharyn worked in mental health for seven years, after gaining her Bachelor of Health Science from Charles Sturt University.
Colin O’Donnell, Health Worker, Maari Ma Primary Health Care Service, Broken Hill, NSW
Colin O’Donnell is a senior Health Care Worker and Clinical Leader of the Keeping Well Team at the Maari Ma Primary Health Care Service in Broken Hill, NSW. Maari Ma Health is an Aboriginal community-controlled health organisation dedicated to improving the health outcomes for communities in the far west region of NSW, with a special focus on Aboriginal health.
Colin was one of four finalists in 2010 at the NSW Aboriginal Health Awards, recognising his exceptional contribution to Aboriginal health and his local community. Colin has worked for Maari Ma for more than 12 years, and the strength of Maari Ma’s service delivery to clients with chronic disease is in part due to Colin’s dedication and passion, and his total commitment to see improvements in the health of his clients.
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