Mural at the AALI AALI logo

AALI Story

In 1932 William Cooper founded the

Australian Aborigines League, the first

entirely Aboriginal organisation, the

first with all Aboriginal members.

It lead the way for the formation of the

Victorian Aborigines Advancement

League in 1957 with both Aboriginal

and non-Aboriginal membership.

• Pastor Doug Nicholls – Field Officer

• Stan Davey – Secretary (non-

Aboriginal)

• Gordon Bryant – President (non-

Aboriginal)

• Doris Blackburn

The Aborigines Advancement League is

the oldest Aboriginal organisation in

Victoria, being regarded by many

people as the “MOTHER” of all

Aboriginal organisations established in

Victoria.

Aim & Philosophy

• To administer and initiate programs that aim to improve the social, economic and cultural advancement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. people

• To promote Aboriginal Culture and identity. • To develop a sense of Aboriginal urban identity for the Aboriginal

community. • To promote enterprise and enable the AAL to generate income. • To provide a focus in the community for Aboriginal social and

sporting activities. • To create a strong visual identity on prominent site. • To provide employment opportunities for the Aboriginal

community. • To provide a centre for family growth and development. • To provide an advocacy and referral service to the Aboriginal

community.

Program areas Wunga-Disability

Family Support

HACC

Human Resources

Gurwidj Neighbourhood House

Victorian Aboriginal Cultural, Social and Healing Support Service-Funeral Service

Aboriginal Tenants at Risk

Indigital

Closing the Health Gap-Family Centred

Co-ordinated Care Project

Information on available services Referral to services and resources to support the family Advocacy Case Management Facilitation of meetings between family and Department of Human Services to provide Cultural Support Linkages to respite services Home visits to clients on the Wunga program

The Family Support Unit is to assist in providing family support services to Koories in

Melbourne metro vicinity and in extreme cases throughout the state in line with the League’s

aims and objectives. Services provided include:

•Financial support

• Home Visits

• Material Aide

• Case management

• Referral to appropriate agencies

• Funeral support

• Accommodation and travel assistance

• Transport

•Seek funding for Family Services Christmas Hampers

•Attend Food Bank/Vic Relief to collect food for Family Services Food Bank

•Purchase food Items for Family Services Food Bank

•Data Collection utilizing IRIS Data System

•Data Collection for Emergency Relief Network

•Food Parcel Deliveries

•Attend local Court Hearings

•The HACC Program provides support to people to be more independent at home and in

their communities, by enhancing their quality of life and preventing their inappropriate

admission to long term residential care.

•The Program aims to provide a comprehensive, coordinated and integrated range of basic

maintenance and support services in a flexible and timely manner.

•Services Offered oHome Help – domestic assistance oSocial Support – Shopping, paying bills…. oProperty Maintenance – Lawn mowing, basic general maintenance. oAssessment – Identify a persons need for a service. oAdvocacy – Offer support and information on advocate departments.

HACC PROGRAM

Maintenance

Mow lawns for Elders

Rubbish removal as required

Home maintenance for

Elders and disability clients

Prepare hall for Elders luncheons

Assist with Christmas tree for

children

Prepare hall for meetings and

functions

Human Resources Unit

To manage the financial operations of the AALI in line with its aims and objectives

and funding requirements.

To attend reception desk and answer the phone and any enquiries from clients or

public.

To assist the Accountant and the CEO in managing the financial operations and

administration of the AALI in line with its aims and objectives and funding

requirements.

Gurwidj Neighbourhood House

The name Gurwidj means ‘old friend’ and comes from a Victorian Indigenous language. Gurwidj

House aims to provide programs to the Koorie community that helps to promote higher self

esteem and confidence levels in Koorie people and to develop a pride in their Cultural Heritage.

Gurwidj also aims to improve the basic skills of participants and increase possible employment

opportunities. The program provides courses for people wishing to become involved in arts and

crafts as a cottage industry. The Program was established to enable Indigenous

people to come to Gurwidj to learn skills and work in a friendly atmosphere.

Gurwidj has implemented the following programs:

Marketing and management , Pottery and ceramics,

Computer skills , Music,

Gardening, Literacy,

Health and nutrition,

Family access visits,

Women’s support group,

Woodwork

Cooking and

Catering.

Victorian Aboriginal Cultural, Social and Healing Support Service

Vision

Vision: To return all Aboriginal people to their ancestral homelands with family (at a place that respects the wishes of the family) to be buried in a manner that respects and acknowledges grief, cultural integrity and the needs of the surviving family members, despite any inability to pay up front costs of the service and/or the location and circumstances of death.

Services:

Assistance with funeral arrangements

Assistance to other support services

Information and assistance and services clients can access

Client referral to appropriate professional counsellors

Advocacy and transport where available to assist the patient/client to attend required appointments.

Aboriginal Tenants at Risk

The Aboriginal Housing Support Workers Program is available to the Northern Metropolitan

Aboriginal community. The program offers independent advice and support for tenants of Public

Housing and Aboriginal Housing Victoria whose tenancies are at risk due to rental arrears or for

other reasons. The service does not find people accommodation.

The Program is a joint project between the Aborigines Advancement League Inc, Aboriginal

Housing Victoria and the Department of Human Services. The program provides two full time

Housing Support Workers to assist clients. The service is committed to the belief that everyone has a

right to a secure, suitable and affordable accommodation and the workers will assist people to develop

plans to help keep their current housing.

All people who are in danger of being evicted by the Aboriginal Housing Board can use the

service. The Housing Workers can help to refer them to agencies that can help with:

· Family Violence

· Mental Health

· Financial Management

· Drugs and Alcohol issues

Indigital-“telling stories, making music – giving our youth a

voice”.

To connect young Aboriginal people to their culture and help them strengthen their identity through the power of music and

story.

Indigital delivers intervention and capacity building

programs for young Aboriginal people in Victoria

through music and storytelling. It was initially launched in July 2005 through Frayneworks Multimedia.

Indigital has new state of the art recording studio located at the AALI which will enable participants to record their music and

stories.

Closing the Health Gap The AALI auspices the Closing the Health Gap Family Centred Co-ordinated Care Model .The Aboriginal Model of Family Centred Coordinated Care project is a Closing the Health Gap initiative managed by the AALI, ACES, VACCA, VACSAL and VAHS in the

NWMR and the Victorian Department of Health. The project brief was

developed by the NWMR Closing the Health Gap Advisory Committee.

The project objective is to improve the health and wellbeing of

vulnerable Aboriginal people and families by strengthening their

connections to services, family, culture and community.

The four core principles informing the Aboriginal Model of Family

Centred Coordinated Care are:

1. Aboriginal cultural wellbeing is fundamental to health.

2. Aboriginal health and wellbeing is everyone’s responsibility.

3. A holistic family-centred approach will deliver better health outcomes.

4. Families and individuals in crisis need to be empowered to improve their health and wellbeing.

Koorie Energy Efficiency Program

KEEP will trial and demonstrate innovative approaches to

addressing the barriers of capital constraints and lack of

information that prevents low income Aboriginal consumers in

Victoria from improving their energy affordability and managing

rising consumption costs. KEEP’s design brings together

organisations with proven experience in supporting low-income

households on issues of energy and financial inclusion.

Drawing upon ‘what works’ the project will trial and

demonstrate an approach to address the barriers that prevent

low income Aboriginal consumers in Victoria from improving

their energy efficiency. This will include the development of

tailored energy education tools, a range of community

engagement activities and energy home visits.