Author: Mart Mativo
Merri Health supports Uluru Statement from the Heart
Merri Health is supporting the Uluru Statement from the Heart to advance reconciliation and help close the health gap with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The Merri Health Board voted to back the Statement in 2022. Board Chair Julie McCormack said, “Merri Health accepts this important invitation to walk with First Nations communities towards voice, truth and treaty. We understand that amplifying the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is central to reconciliation and are hopeful that the implementation of this statement will lead to meaningful and long-lasting outcomes for our communities.”
Merri Health has a deep commitment to listening to and being led by the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as part of our reconciliation efforts.
Our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 2022-23 outlines 72 actions we are taking to advance respect, equality and recognition.
Merri CEO Tassia Michaleas said, “To ensure we have meaningful outcomes, respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, their culture and knowledge must remain central to our work”.
In 2023, Merri Health is engaging with Merri-bek communities about the Uluru Statement and its components of Voice, Treaty and Truth; including the establishment of a First Nations Voice in the constitution (also known as a ‘Voice to Parliament’).
Merri Health recognises that there are many different views across communities and the political nature of The Voice and a referendum may be challenging for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and clients and will do our best to support those affected during this time.
If you, or someone you know, are feeling worried or no good, we encourage you to connect with 13YARN.13YARN is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis support line funded by the Australian Government with the support of Lifeline and developed in collaboration with Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia. It is run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. You can connect with 13YARN by calling 13 92 76 (24 hours/7 days).
Merri Health encourages anyone who wants to learn more about an Indigenous Voice to parliament to see this short course from this short course by ‘From the Heart’.
For more information about the Uluru Statement from the Heart, visit fromtheheart.com.au or ulurustatement.org.
Supporting LGBTIQA+ pride and health at Victoria’s premier Midsumma festival
We were so excited to join 5000+ community members at Victoria’s premier arts and culture festival to celebrate with people who identify as LGBTQIA+ and allies.
Midsumma Carnival was an iconic outdoor event to celebrate inclusion and diversity and marked the beginning of a 3-week Midsumma Festival.
On Sunday 22 January, people from all ages had access to 130+ different stalls for a day filled with fun, arts and music.
We were thrilled to be there to talk about the services we have available for the LGBTIQA+ community and initiatives we lead to support rainbow health.
The bold double Merri Health and Carer Gateway stalls were a hit with community members who chatted with our friendly staff members to learn more about our safe and inclusive services.
Attendees were also able to receive rainbow umbrellas, pride bucket hats, frisbees + much more!
Merri Health is a proud rainbow-accredited organisation that welcomes the LGBTIQA+ community to access our inclusive services.
We believe in creating a safe space for them as people that identify as LGBTIQA+ generally experience poorer mental and physical health and are less likely to access support or services due to fear of discrimination.
Midsumma Festival will be ongoing from the 21st January to 12th February. Click here to find out what programs and activities are happening near you!
How are we tracking with our 72 Reconciliation Action Plan commitments?
We launched our ambitious new Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan in April this year to help close the health gap with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
It builds on our reconciliation achievements so far and recognises the work we still need to do to see meaningful change.
Overall, we have met 87% of our RAP targets.
Completed actions include:
- delivered Be Upstanding! Racism training to seven teachers and 200+ students at Brunswick Secondary College to help students learn how to call out racism
- launched Acknowledgement of Country initiative to include Aboriginal Country names across all Merri Health mail and collateral
- cultural awareness training delivered by Girrawayi Ganyi Consultants to 48 staff to ensure culturally safe service delivery
- developed dedicated Merri Health cultural awareness online training for all staff
- implemented RAP communications plan reaching 23,000+ people on our social media, website, newsletters and intranet
Read our Reconciliation Action Plan now.
Image: Merri Health’s Tassia Michaleas and Maryanne Tadic, Wurundjeri Elder Aunty Di Kerr, Victorian MP Sheena Watt and Simone Thomson artist launched RAP.
Merri Health recognised in leading awards!
Our work and positive outcomes have been recognised in multiple Victorian and Australian Awards.
Finalist, Premier’s Primary Health Service of the Year
We were delighted to be a Finalist for Premier’s Primary Health Service of the Year in the Victorian Public Healthcare Awards. The awards recognise Victoria’s leading healthcare providers and celebrate high quality care, innovation, and the contribution of the workforce in supporting the health of all Victorians.
Merri Health CEO Tassia Michaleas said “This is a real testament to the incredible work undertaken across our organisation to support many diverse communities, support community empowerment and seek innovative healthcare solutions.”
Winner, Victorian Early Years Awards – Ready, Set, Prep!
Our Ready, Set, Prep! (RSP) program won the Continuity of Early Learning Award at the Department of Education and Training Victorian Early Years Awards 2022.
The awards celebrate the outstanding work of early childhood professionals to improve the health, learning, development and wellbeing of Victorian children and their families.
Merri Health’s Jackie Evers said: “It is not just the hard work and dedication of our staff, but the combined efforts of the 40 local services and agencies, and community members, that has combined to see improvements in health, wellbeing and school readiness for little people in Merri-bek.”
RSP was also a Finalist in two other categories: “Creating Collaborative Community Partnerships” and “Promoting Children’s Health and Wellbeing”.
Finalist, Australian Marketing Excellence Awards
Our largest ever marketing campaign was a Finalist in the 2022 Australian Marketing Excellence Awards. Developed with and featuring carers, the campaign encouraged Victoria’s 700,000+ unpaid carers to get support through registering with Carer Gateway. It led to a 12% increase in registrations.
The bold advertising featured a colourful ‘portal gateway’ carers stepped through to get peer support and respite; and reached out through TV, radio, digital marketing, PR, outdoor signage and social media. Watch the TV ad: https://bit.ly/CGsupportad
Winner and High Commendation, Merri-bek Awards
Merri Health was recognised twice at the Merri-bek awards. Our Koorie Engagement Officer Liz Phillips won the Lisa Bellar Award for contribution to reconciliation activities. This recognises the valuable contribution made to building better relationships between the wider Australian community and Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander peoples in Merri-bek.
Our Ready, Set, Prep! Community Champions received High Commendation in the Honouring Women category recognising their work to advance gender equality improve health, wellbeing, and educational outcomes for families in Merri-bek.
Standing up for victim-survivors at The Walk Against Violence
Merri Health joined people across the globe to support the 16 Days of Activism initiative that encourages individuals, communities and organisations to address gender inequalities, gender-based violence and take action to prevent violence before it starts.
Our staff united with hundreds of people to raise awareness and walk in solidarity with victim-survivors of gender-based violence at the 14th Annual Walk Against Family Violence.
Carolyn Wallace, General Manager Family & Community said: “We all need to be leaders and stand up for change to eliminate gender based violence.”
One woman is killed nearly every week in Australia due to family violence*.
Merri Health recognises that gender inequality is a key contributor to violence against women. We have a strong role to play in advocating for gender equality and family violence through our Victims Assistance Program and Keeping Our Pets Safe Project which supports victims of family violence.
What you can do to get involved:
- Join an event near you. There are over 60 events happening across Victoria. Find out more.
- Follow Respect Victoria on Facebook and Twitter and share their posts throughout the 16 Days of Activism. You can also jump on the Merri Facebook page and share ours!
- Pick up a pair or two of these ‘Respect Women’ earrings – created by Haus of Dizzy in collaboration with Respect Victoria.
- Subscribe to the Safe and Equal 16 Days of Activism newsletter and access resources
*Australian Institute of Criminology ‘Homicide in Australia 2018–19’
Ready, Set, Prep! winners at Victorian Early Years Awards!
Our Ready, Set, Prep! (RSP) program was proud to receive the award for Continuity of Early Learning at the Department of Education and Training Victorian Early Years Awards 2022.
The awards celebrate the “outstanding work of our early childhood professionals to improve the health, learning, development and wellbeing of Victorian children and their families.”
Merri Health’s Jackie Evers said: “It is not just the hard work and dedication of our Merri Health staff, but the combined efforts of all the 40 local services and agencies, as well as community members, that has combined to see improvements in health, wellbeing and school readiness for little people in Merri-bek.”
RSP was also a Finalists in two other categories:
- Creating Collaborative Community Partnerships
- Promoting Children’s Health and Wellbeing.
RSP prepares children and their families for a great start to primary school.
The RSP initiative was developed in response to the 2015 Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) results, demonstrating that 37% of children in Fawkner start school developmentally vulnerable in one or more areas – significantly higher than state averages.
Visit the Department of Education and Training website to read more.
Image: Merri Health joined Minister for Early Childhood and Pre-Prep Ingrid Stitt MP to receive the award.
Commissioner for Senior Victorians joins Merri in championing healthy ageing at Seniors Week
Over 20 community members joined Merri Health CEO Tassia Michaleas and speakers Gerard Mansour, Commissioner for Senior Victorians and Dot Campbell, Seniors Rights Victoria to celebrate Seniors Week
The highly respected speakers shared information on rights for seniors, what healthy ageing means, and elder abuse.
Participants enjoyed delicious Indigenous fusion food, hot drinks and a chance to socialise with other community members.
Stef Pellegrino, Merri Health Living Well Ageing Well Project Officer said:
“A big thanks to our presenters Dot and Gerard for coming along and having an important chat to our community members about seniors rights, what healthy ageing means, and how we can all put this into practice”
Merri runs several programs that support healthy ageing, including leading The Elder Abuse Prevention Network in Melbourne’s north and west metro regions. Read more.
The event was a collaboration between Merri Health, Carer Gateway and Darebin Council.
About our speakers
Gerard Mansour is a highly respected and passionate advocate for the needs of older people. In addition to being the Commissioner for Senior Victorians, Gerard is an Ambassador for Elder Abuse Prevention to give older victims of family violence a voice and raising community awareness of elder abuse.
Seniors Rights Victoria advances the rights of older people and works to prevent elder abuse. They provide free information and referrals, legal advice and legal casework on matters specifically related to elder abuse, to any Victorian aged 60 and above, or to any Indigenous Victorian aged 45 and above. Find out more: Seniors Rights Victoria – Seniors Rights Victoria
Merri Health a Finalist for Premier’s Primary Health Service of the Year!
Merri Health has been announced as a Finalist for the Premier’s Primary Health Service of the Year in the 2022 Victorian Public Healthcare Awards.
The annual awards recognise Victoria’s leading healthcare providers and celebrate high quality care, innovation and the contribution of the workforce in supporting the health of all Victorians.
Merri Health CEO Tassia Michaleas said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be named a finalist in the Victorian Public Healthcare Awards.
This is a real testament to the incredible work undertaken across our organisation to support many diverse communities, support community empowerment and seek innovative healthcare solutions.”
The award entries assess six criteria for excellence in healthcare delivery:
- providing sustainable, well managed and efficient health services
- providing timely and responsive health services
- providing least intrusive and earliest effective care
- improving health services safety and quality
- strengthening the capacity of individuals, families and communities through effective prevention and health promotion
- improving health and wellbeing for disadvantaged people and communities.
Merri Health is one of three finalists in the Premier’s Primary Health Service category.
Award winners will be announced Thursday 13 October at the 16th Victorian Public Healthcare Awards ceremony in Melbourne. Stay tuned!
Get free help with your chronic pain
Are you dealing with persistent pain and looking for a way to manage it?
You are not alone. Chronic pain affects 1 in 5 adults over the age of 45.
Merri Health’s Chronic Pain Management Service provides free support to help you self-manage and recover from your pain.
The program provides individual and group therapy sessions to support you to:
- Learn more about your persistent pain
- Learn pain management skills and strategies and apply them actively to your life
- Improve your confidence in living your best life, despite your pain
To date, 91.7% of clients who completed our program reported making improvement in their physical abilities!*
Merri Health’s persistent pain team consists of highly specialised pain clinicians dedicated to providing quality pain management care.
The service uses a variety of treatment models, including pain medication and medical management, cognitive functional therapy, a range of psychological approaches, lifestyle coaching, aquatic exercise and more to give you the best possible tools for your pain care journey.
Anyone over the age of 18 can participate if you live in Hume, Darebin, Moreland, Yarra, Melbourne, Mooney valley or Macedon Ranges and have been experiencing persistent pain for 3 months or more.
Take control of your pain and make a difference to your quality of living.
Find out more about the service at our website.
* Victorian Public Healthcare Awards (VPHA 2022)
Merri Health awarded SILVER in the 2022 Australasian Reporting Awards
Merri Health has been awarded SILVER in the 2022 Australasian Reporting Awards (ARAs) once again.
The award acknowledges transparent, balanced reporting and communications in our Annual Report, benchmarked against world best practice criteria.
This is the second year Merri Health has achieved silver status for its Annual Report in the ARAs, after receiving bronze in 2019 and 2018.
“We are delighted to be recognised for sharing our stories, achievements and challenges authentically and transparently,” Lisa Knott Merri Health Marketing and Communications Manager said.
“We are proud of the positive health and wellbeing outcomes achieved in our community through the dedicated work of our teams, clients and partnerships with community and like-minded organisations.”
The national awards were announced in a presentation ceremony in Sydney last night. This is the 72nd year of consecutive annual ARA Awards.
Take a look at our 2021 annual report, as well as reports from previous years.
Keep an eye out for the 2022 report coming out later this year!