Hope4Health’s Indigenous portfolio includes many exciting initiatives that aim to raise awareness around topics of significance in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. The focus of this portfolio is to promote positive Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health messages to students and the wider community with an aim to support bridging the gap in health inequity. This portfolio holds a number of events annually, including our Indigenous community placements, local and university cultural events and educational conferences. These events have been developed to ensure that our future health leaders are aware of significant issues facing Indigenous Australian’s, and are adequately equipped with the appropriate skills to interact with and positively influence the communities in which they work.
The Indigenous portfolio is also proud to support local Indigenous initiatives such as the Close the Gap campaign, which aims to close the health and life expectancy gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians within a generation, NAIDOC week and other cultural immersion events. HOPE4HEALTH strives to form strong connections within the community and it is through these partnerships that we are able to deliver a more inclusive and wholesome experience to our members.
Many Indigenous portfolio events are made possible by Hope4Health’s close relationship with the Indigenous community of Cherbourg. Cherbourg is located in South East Queensland, just north of Kingaroy, and is Australia’s third largest Indigenous community. Like many rural Indigenous communities, the community of Cherbourg has limited access to specialist health services. Through partnership with the Barambah Regional Medical Service, Hope4Health has established a dental outreach clinic. The aim of these clinics is to improve health outcomes for local residents, while immersing students in the rich culture of the Cherbourg community.
