Onemda celebrates its strengths in Indigenous research and teaching

A year on since the relaunch of Onemda in February 2023, the Celebration Day brought staff, collaborators, patrons and colleagues back to the Woodward Conference Centre on Wurundjeri Country to reflect and celebrate their strengths in research and teaching and the achievements of the past year.

Meaning ‘love’ or ‘the regard that we have for each other that holds us together as a community’ in the Woiwurrung language, ‘Onemda’ includes the Indigenous Studies Unit, the Indigenous Health Equity Unit, and the Indigenous Eye Health Unit within the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health.

There was much to celebrate, including the reestablishment of Onemda in 2023, the appointment of the new director, Professor Sean Taylor, 15 years of the establishment of the Indigenous Eye Unit and the success of its ‘Clean Faces, Strong Eyes’ campaign towards the elimination of Trachoma and co-designed programs of ‘Replanting the Birthing Trees’ and ‘Relighting the Firesticks’ showing a way forward for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in healing from intergenerational trauma.

“Onemda was reestablished following a strategic direction to make it a fruitful centre of excellence for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. It’s all about modelling success and translating research to benefit communities.  We work closely with community-controlled organisations to make this a reality," said Onemda Director, Professor Sean Taylor.

"I am very privileged to work with many people through the years, from Ian Anderson, Marcia Langton, Cath Chamberlain, Mitchell Anjou and the younger cohorts coming through. The more we work together, the more we can achieve,” he said.

MC Shaun Tatipata gave an acknowledgement of country and welcomed the Indigenous unit leaders, Professor Marcia Langton AO, Associate Professor Mitchell Anjou and Professor Cath Chamberlain to report back on the past year.

Centre Manager, Meg Cox and Patrons Professor Ian Anderson and Professor Aunty Doseena Fergie and the new Director Professor Sean Taylor also presented to the group.

Professor Chamberlain reported back on Onemda’s progress in the past year, that secured a research income of nearly $5 Million and employed 56 staff, of which 31 percent are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

Ten students took up scholarships for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, established in October 2022. The scholarships allow Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to take up graduate certificates with the Angela Clarke Scholarships, or Masters of Public Health units, with the Aunty Joan Vickery Scholarship.

Professor Aunty Doseena Fergie led Community Engagement and Knowledge Exchange with activities in progress, including an Elders network; a roadshow to recruit more students and a cultural competency action plan for each of the three Onemda units.

The Research Grants team, led by Kristen Smith organised travel and conferences and professional development, and a lot of staff have benefitted from the travel and conference scheme.

A ‘Yarning Circle’ was established to provide a way to discuss key issues and everyone across the university is invited to these monthly gathering seminars. Also, the Onemda Seminar series is under way and a ‘Writing Retreat’ is being developed.

Teaching and Learning delivered a new Indigenous Data Governance subject developed with the Indigenous Studies Unit, among many other activities.

“The first core objective of the strategic plan is that there is collaboration and community involvement at the centre of everything that we do and that’s why it’s important that we have these celebration days,” said Professor Chamberlain, Director of the Indigenous Health Equity Unit.

“It’s really important for us to being doing work that makes a difference on the ground for our communities,” she said.

Associate Professor Mitchell Anjou provided an update on the progress of the Indigenous Eye Unit, which seeks to close the gap on eye care in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

“We started by establishing an evidence-base, talking with community about what this might mean and if there is an interest in whether we can work together to change things. Then there was lots of consultation around planning to build a framework, that everyone can agree on, so that we’re all on the same page. Following that there’s implementation and we need to monitor progress, and tweak if necessary,” said Associate Professor Anjou, on how to go about co-design and consultation for research and public health programs with Indigenous communities.

“The key thing is to have an open heart, an open mind and a preparedness to listen. I’m a better person for having worked with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” he said.

“There is still evidence today about white fellas still thinking they know best. Aboriginal leadership is key and creating space for this is incredibly important. We now need to actively afford the opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to step in and lead,” Associate Professor Anjou said about how to foster leadership of Indigenous researchers.

Professor Langton AO reported on the work of the Indigenous Studies Unit.

“The Indigenous Studies Unit developed during the Onemda 1.0 phase of building Indigenous research and teaching in the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health. Our priority is improving Indigenous health outcomes and now we do so with the unity of purpose in research and teaching that Onemda 2.0 enables across health equity, eye health and our own work," Director of the Indigenous Studies Unit, Professor Langton AO said.

"Our work is having a significant impact. Our Indigenous Studies Unit contributions to teaching and research are substantial. Our major projects on understanding Alcohol Related Family Violence, Improving Indigenous Research Capability and Community Data Projects, continue to benefit our community and government partners, our students and other stakeholders through advances in policy, understanding and practice,” Professor Langoton AO said.

The First Peoples Assembly representatives also provided an engaging and important presentation on the Treaty for Victoria.