School of Medical and Health Sciences

About

This project was completed in 2012.  It was led by Edith Cowan University and included the following partners: The Combined Universities Centre for Rural Health; Curtin University of Technology; The University of Notre Dame; The University of Western Australia and Health Consumers’ Council (WA).

Project summary

The project has two primary aims:

• to positively influence the health and wellbeing of Australian Indigenous people by improving the education of health professionals;
• to engage students with authentic stories of Indigenous people’s experience of healthcare, both positive and negative, which enhance the development of deep and lasting empathy.

The project has produced:

• A collection of 41 multimedia Indigenous stories and four scenarios, available to National Network members.
• Educators' guides to the use of the stories and scenarios.

Project values

• Integrity of goals, purpose and process through respectful engagement with Indigenous people, story provider empowerment and safety, and Indigenous governance of the research process.
• Collaborative development of insightful and high quality learning materials by innovative health educators using the multimedia Indigenous stories.
• Incorporation of Indigenous voices in all areas of the healthcare curriculum – rather than just within a cultural competency or cultural diversity unit.

Project Leaders

Edith Cowan University (ECU)

• Professor Cobie Rudd
• Professor Moira Sim
• Professor Colleen Hayward

Team Members

The Combined Universities Centre for Rural Health (CUCRH)

• Associate Professor Juli Coffin
• Ms Charmaine Green

Curtin University of Technology

• Associate Professor Dawn Bessarab
• Associate Professor Simon Forrest

The University of Notre Dame, Australia

• Professor Donna Mak
• Associate Professor Clive Walley

Health Consumers’ Council (HCC)

• Ms Laura Elkin

Indigenous Reference Group

Thank very much all for all your enthusiasm, support and hard work:

• Professor Colleen Hayward (Chair)
• Associate Professor Dawn Bessarab (Curtin University of Technology)
• Associate Professor Simon Forrest (Curtin University of Technology)
• Ms Laura Elkin (Health Consumers’ Council)
• Mr William Trott (Health Consumers’ Council)
• Associate Professor Clive Walley (University of Notre Dame Australia)
• Associate Professor Juli Coffin (The Combined Universities Centre for Rural Health)
• Ms Charmaine Green (The Combined Universities Centre for Rural Health)
• Professor Rhonda Marriott (Murdoch University)

External Evaluators

• Ms Heather D'Antoine (Menzies School of Health Research)
• Ms Leanne Ramsamy (Brolga Consulting Services)

Acknowledgements

A large number of people have contributed to this project.

We’d particularly like to thank our story providers for sharing their stories.  We acknowledge how difficult many of these stories have been to relate.

• Mr George Hayden
• Mr Des Thompson
• Mr Clarrie Cameron
• Ms Valerie Dorizzi
• Ms Gloria Fogarty
• Mr Phillip Curley
• Mr Kevin Merritt
• Ms Jennifer Green
• Ms Glenda Taylor
• Ms Christine Collard
• Ms Raelene Tolentino
• Mr Neil Davey
• The many others who have chosen to be de-identified.

Story collectors:

• Ms Jacki Ward
• Mr Hamish Morgan
• Ms Marianne Batenburg
• Ms Ronelle Clarkson

Cameraman

• Mr Rodney Stratton (Rodney Stratton Digital Media Production)

DVD Editor

• Mr Robert Bull (Splice of Life Productions)

Transcript editor

• Ms Katherine Wallace

Scenario development team

• Mr Paul Mac Phail (P & M Projects and Management)
• Mr David Milroy (Playwright)

This project came about through conversations and valuable input from many people.  We’d like to thank the following for sharing their knowledge, contributing their views, and inspiring us with their enthusiasm and encouragement from the early days, before the project in its current form was funded:

• Dr Jane Mulcock
• Ms Heather Sparrow
• Associate Professor Lynne Cohen
• Mr Travis Kelleher
• Associate Professor Ann Larson
• Mr Chad Steward
• Mr Brian Charlie
• Ms Michele Kosky
• Ms Jane Jones
• Ms Anastasia Child
• Dr Angela Drury
• Adjunct Professor Sandy Toussaint
• Dr Tim Leahy

We'd also like to thank the following people for their advice on the story collection process:

• Mr Daniel McAullay
• Ms Linda Butcher

Finally, and by no means least, thanks to:

• Mrs Debbie Gemmill, Website Coordinator