WA - Australian Red Cross

Spring 2011 Issue 5
Newsletter
for members
and volunteers
WA edition
P4 Make nuclear weapons
the target
P6 Australian wins highest
nursing award
P9 First impressions on
the field
P10 Big Cake Bake

PAGE 2
AROUND AUSTRALIA
Message from the
President and CEO
The year began with floods,
fires and cyclones across
the nation. During this
challenging time, Australian
Red Cross members,
volunteers and staff showed
the world what the power of
humanity can achieve.
Every day, since the summer of
disasters, your commitment to helping
vulnerable people has not wavered.
Along with many Australians, many of
you gave generously to our appeals to
provide relief to affected communities.
These major appeals have now closed:
• Japan and Pacific Disaster Appeal 2011
• Victorian Floods Appeal 2011
• New Zealand Earthquake Appeal 2011.
For donating to various appeals,
holding fundraising events, or
volunteering for any one of our
services - thank you.
We’d like to take this opportunity to
highlight the value of our Red Cross
members, an integral part of the future
of Red Cross. If you volunteer for Red
Cross, and would like to become more
involved, consider becoming a Red
Cross member. As a member, you join
the world’s largest humanitarian
movement and can help shape our
future. Contact your state or territory
office (details on page 12) or go to
www.redcross.org.au to find out how.
In other news, we have launched an
innovative new campaign to reignite
the push to ban the use of nuclear
weapons. The campaign draws
attention to the horrific humanitarian
and environmental effects of nuclear
weapons, and calls on the international
community to do more to ensure
nuclear weapons no longer pose a
threat to our future.
You can help. Head to
www.targetnuclearweapons.org.au
and vote ‘yes’ to ban the use of
nuclear weapons. Enter your name
and email address to receive further
information about the campaign and
the forthcoming ‘social explosion’.
With this campaign, we are using the
power of social media to talk to people
about critical humanitarian issues.
While you’re online, join the Red Cross
network on Facebook and Twitter for
news, stories and videos.
We’re facing another critical
humanitarian issue: the devastating
drought and famine in East Africa. The
United Nations reports more than
12 million people are in need of
humanitarian assistance in the region.
Red Cross is running the East Africa
Drought Appeal 2011 to provide
drought-affected communities in
Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia with
emergency relief including food, water
and health assistance. You can help
too by donating to the appeal.
Visit www.redcross.org.au or call
1800 811 700 to donate today.
The commitment and dedication of
Australian Red Cross aid workers is
well known and greatly respected, not
only by those within the Movement,
but by the thousands of people they
help. Australian Red Cross nurse and
aid worker Noela Davies has been
awarded the prestigious Florence
Nightingale Medal in recognition of her
outstanding work in many areas of
conflict around the world. We
congratulate Noela on receiving this
award – she is an inspiration to us all.
Once again, thank you to all members
and volunteers for your tireless efforts
this year. As we approach the end of
2011, we look back on a year that all
of us can be proud of.
Keep up the wonderful work.
Greg Vickery
President
Australian Red Cross
Robert Tickner
Chief Executive Officer
Australian Red Cross
Cover photo: Australian Red Cross

WA NEWS
PAGE 3
Message from
the Chair and
Executive Director
It is hard to believe that we are already
in the throes of spring. If you live in the
south or east of the state, you may
have thought that this winter was a
mild one in terms of temperatures but
this may not be true if you were one of
the 100,000 homeless people doing it
tough in Australia this winter.
During Homeless Persons Week 2011,
we opened our doors to assist people
experiencing homelessness. If they
wished, we helped to reconnect them
with family and friends through various
communication methods. We were
thrilled that so many people took this
opportunity, not only to see how the
internet and Facebook work, but to
also receive valuable information and a
much-needed cup of soup and a
sandwich. This initiative was a great
success, so much so that we
extended the sessions for four further
Mondays. Pleasingly, this was a terrific
example of where staff, volunteers and
unit members came together to make
a real difference. Congratulations to all
involved and we encourage you to
read the article enclosed in this edition.
This is just one example of our work,
and we remain both humbled and
inspired by the great work you are all
doing all over Western Australia. Thank
you for your contributions, no matter
how big or small.
We hope you all take the time to enjoy
the warmer weather of springtime.
Ian Anson
Chair, Advisory
Board WA
Steve Joske CSC
Executive Director
WA
How can I support
Red Cross?
Red Cross relies on committed
volunteers and donors. You can
support Red Cross by:
• giving monthly, leaving a
bequest in your will or making
a one-off donation. Visit
www.redcross.org.au or call
1800 811 700 to find out how.
• giving blood. Visit
www.donateblood.com.au
or call 13 14 95 to make an
appointment.
Support us as a
member of Red Cross
As a Red Cross member, you
are part of one of the oldest
and largest humanitarian
organisations in the world.
Members help us grow the
Power of Humanity by showing
what can be done when people
care enough to come together
to help others.
Renew your membership or
join us now:
www.redcross.org.au.
Launch of Members’ Action Kit
Red Cross is delighted to announce the
arrival of the Members’ Action Kit, which
has been developed in conjunction with
members to provide improved resources
to support the work of members in
branches/units/clubs.
The Kit brings together information
about Red Cross, its proud history
and vision, and some suggestions
about ways the organisation and its
members can work towards
building a strong future together. The
content was developed in
consultation with members, staff and
volunteers, and draws on their
experience and knowledge.
The Kits have been funded by the
national office and production costs
were offset with the generous
assistance of designers and
printers. Hard copies of the Kit are
being distributed to branches/units/
clubs around the country.
For ideas about how you can best
use the Members’ Action Kit, please
contact the Membership Coordinator
in your State/Territory for support.
Newsletter for members and volunteers

PAGE 4
AROUND AUSTRALIA
Help make nuclear weapons the target
Hiroshima survivor Junko Morimoto,
who now lives in Australia, has
pledged her support for the
campaign, along with a number of
celebrities, including Australian media
personality Ruby Rose, Masterchef
contestant Marion Grasby and
Hungry Beast’s Dan Ilic.
The first stage of the campaign is
focused on growing critical mass behind
the project, ahead of a ‘social explosion’
in November 2011, and we need the
help of our members and volunteers!
It takes less than a minute to
support the campaign. Simply:
Devastation in Hiroshima, 1945. Photo: Australian Red Cross.
Australian Red Cross has
launched an innovative new
campaign to reignite the
push for a ban on the use of
nuclear weapons.
Make Nuclear Weapons the Target
draws attention to the horrific
humanitarian and environmental
effects of nuclear weapons and calls
on the international community to do
more to ensure nuclear weapons no
longer pose a threat to our future.
Nuclear weapons are capable of
destroying the planet in a matter of
hours. The world saw their devastating
impact after a nuclear bomb was
dropped on the Japanese city of
Hiroshima on 6 August 1945, killing
tens of thousands of people and
causing unimaginable suffering.
Since then there have been efforts to
make the use of nuclear weapons
illegal, but to this day, not enough has
been done. Red Cross wants to help
ensure the world never again faces a
similar tragedy.
1. Go to
www.targetnuclearweapons.org.au
2. Vote to support a ban on the use
of nuclear weapons.
3. Enter your name and email
address to get updates about
the coming ‘social explosion’.
4. Encourage your friends and
families to vote – use the Share
button to post a link to your
Facebook wall, post an update to
your Google+ circles, send a
tweet or pass on by email.
Doing it Tough Appeal success
Red Cross supports people doing it
tough in Australia and around the
world. We are currently active in an
unprecedented number of disaster
areas worldwide, while also
maintaining our regular local and
overseas programs. To coincide with
World Red Cross Red Crescent Day
on 8 May, Red Cross launched the
Doing it Tough Appeal, with a national
television commercial supported by
BHP Billiton. The campaign allowed
us to reach the greatest number of
people than ever before and
encourage them to donate and
support our everyday work.
The Doing it Tough Appeal raised
more than one million dollars. These
funds will support vulnerable people
in Australia and around the world.
Thank you to everyone who donated.
Watch the commercial on YouTube at
www.youtube.com/redcrossaust.

AROUND AUSTRALIA
PAGE 5
Baking the world
a better place
Learn
with Red
Cross
College
Want to pick up skills for
life? Red Cross has always
been known for First Aid
training. A Registered
Training Organisation, Red
Cross College offers more
than 43 courses nationwide,
equipping Australians
with training to help them
save lives, gain employment
or further their expertise.
Big Cake Bake Ambassador Megan Gale. Photo: Australian Red Cross.
The Australian Red Cross
Big Cake Bake is the
sweetest fundraising event
of the year, allowing
Australians to show off their
baking skills while supporting
the work of Red Cross.
During October, people of all ages are
hosting events in their homes,
workplaces or communities. They’re
having cake sales, baking competitions
and themed dinner parties with dessert
as the focus. The aim is to raise as
much money as possible so Red Cross
can continue its work improving the lives
of vulnerable people.
From petite cupcakes to towering
sponges, all kinds of baked treats will
help support the everyday work of Red
Cross in Australia and around the world.
For more information about this unique
fundraising opportunity and recipes from
Australia’s favourite celebrities, visit
www.bigcakebake.org.au.
Red Cross College also offers
employment and business
services in Queensland. The
services are offered to disabled or
vulnerable people who have
struggled to find sustainable
employment opportunities.
Red Cross College is always
looking for competent and
qualified trainers to deliver new
and existing courses in every
state. If you are a qualified trainer,
and want to make a difference
to people’s lives please visit
www.redcross.edu.au and contact
the College office in your state.
For available courses and details
about how to enrol, please visit
www.redcross.edu.au.
Homeless Persons’ Week
Tonight, nearly one in every 200 people in Australia will spend the night homeless. This means around 105,000 men,
women and children will be without a safe, secure and affordable home. For Homeless Persons’ Week in August, we
spoke to three people who have been helped by Red Cross programs including the Red Cross Night Cafe in Brisbane.
Hear their stories and more at www.youtube.com/redcrossaust.
Newsletter for members and volunteers

PAGE 6
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
A new life in Solomon Islands
Melissa Bencik has just
arrived in Solomon Islands as
an Australian volunteer
supported by Australian Red
Cross. She will spend the next
12 months helping increase
youth engagement with
Solomon Islands Red Cross,
especially as blood donors.
Melissa took the time to write
about her new surroundings:
coconuts, postcard-perfect
beaches and reggae.
I expected intense heat to hit me
in the face when I disembarked the
plane, but it wasn’t as bad as I
thought. The 2am arrival may have
had something to do with it, although
even at that hour the air smelled
damp and moist and my jeans
clung to my legs, feeling three times
their weight.
Two weeks on, I can’t say I’ve fully
acclimatised to the hot weather of
Solomon Islands, but it trumps a
Melbourne winter.
The city of Honiara consists of one
main road which can be walked in
about 30 minutes. Rubbish covers the
streets and fills rivers. Footpaths must
be navigated carefully, as people chew
and spit betel-nut everywhere. But
take a short drive out of Honiara and
the scenery changes into luscious
greenery and beautiful clean beaches,
dotted with shipwrecks from World
War II to snorkel and dive around.
The local buses, considered minivans
by Australian standards, pump
out island reggae music that makes
me smile. Coconuts are readily
available for drinking (living the
Pacific cliché) and the bush lime is
tasty and refreshing. You can buy
coconut bread at the bakery and
fresh fish and produce at the local
market. I’m yet to learn local recipes
for all this local food.
Australian Volunteer Melissa Bencik with staff from Australian and Solomon Islands Red Cross Societies.
Photo: Julian Troth.
I’m finding my colleagues at Solomon
Islands Red Cross to be very friendly
and helpful, and are dedicated to their
work. I already feel like I’ve known
them for far longer than I actually have.
My role to help engage young people as
blood donors comes with its own
challenges. Generally, awareness of the
need for blood donation is quite basic
and the majority of donations come from
people whose families are sick and in
hospital. Given that a large percentage
of the population is under 25, there’s a
clear need to engage this audience, and
so my work is cut out for me.
I look forward to embracing this
opportunity with open arms over the
coming year, hopefully with many
more coconuts and reggae-filled bus
rides along the way.
Australian Volunteers for
International Development
is a new program from the
Australian Government,
managed by AusAID and
implemented by Australian
Red Cross.
There are many opportunities
for Australians to volunteer
in Asia, Africa and the Pacific.
The program covers airfares,
accommodation, living
allowances, insurance and
other costs.
Visit www.ausaid.gov.au/
volunteer and search for
Red Cross assignments, or
call us on (03) 9345 1834.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS
PAGE 7
Red Cross aid worker
wins international award
Australian nurse and Red
Cross aid worker Noela Davies
has received a prestigious
humanitarian medal, the
highest international honour
for her profession. The
Florence Nightingale Medal is
awarded by the International
Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC) and recognises
exceptional courage and
devotion to victims of armed
conflict or natural disaster.
‘Can you imagine a woman who does
not read or write, not even the Koran,
having to learn how to recognise and
treat signs of anaemia?’ says Noela as
she recalls one of her most rewarding
missions, furthering basic medical skills
among women in Ethiopia’s Gode
region. ‘The main illnesses identified in
that area were malaria, diarrhoea, eye
infections, and wounds,’ she says. ‘The
women were great – they were
interested and committed and they
picked up information quickly.’
This is one example of the ten
challenging Red Cross missions that
Noela has completed. She has worked
in war-torn Kenya and South Sudan
performing triage and treating the
wounded. She established a primary
health care facility in Kenya’s floodaffected
coastal towns. In Australia, she
has worked to improve the health of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
communities. For Noela, there is still
work to be done and she will continue to
volunteer for overseas missions.
Australian Red Cross Head of
International Programs Donna
McSkimming said, ‘Noela is a credit to
Australian nursing – an ordinary
Australian who has made an
extraordinary contribution.’
Noela humbly accepted the award in
front of fellow delegates and Australian
Red Cross staff in June. ‘I accept this
award on behalf of delegates, past and
present, from International Committee
of the Red Cross and other aid
organisations.’ Speaking at the
presentation ceremony, Australian Red
Cross CEO Robert Tickner described
the Medal as, ‘the mother of all awards.
It embodies the wonderful values that
we all work for here at Red Cross.’
Noela is one of 39 recipients from 19
countries of the Florence Nightingale
Noela Davies. Photo: Louise Cooper.
Medal in 2011. The awards also
recognise exemplary service or a
pioneering spirit in areas of public
health or nursing education. Recipients
were nominated by their local national
Red Cross or Red Crescent Society
and selected by a commission
comprised of the ICRC, the
International Federation of Red Cross
and Red Crescent Societies and the
International Council of Nurses.
Humanitarian crisis in East Africa
More than a million displaced people
in Somalia are searching for shelter
and food, and people living in the
Eastern Horn of Africa are facing the
worst drought conditions in 60 years.
Red Cross is there to help.
Red Cross is setting up feeding
programs for malnourished children
and providing safe drinking water. In
Somalia, Red Cross has distributed
more than 300 tonnes of assorted
seeds along with farm tools like
shovels, hoes and rakes to enable
farmers to cultivate crops.
How you can help
More than 12 million people in
East Africa are in need of urgent
humanitarian aid according to the
United Nations. You can help by
donating to the East Africa Drought
Appeal 2011 through visiting
www.redcross.org.au or calling
1800 811 700.
Newsletter for members and volunteers

PAGE 8
AROUND AUSTRALIA
Centenary Year of Red Cross in
Australia 2014 – get involved!
The Centenary and Member
Engagement Committee is gearing up
to celebrate 100 years of Red Cross in
Australia in 2014 – and we want to
hear from you! The Committee is
calling for expressions of interest,
ideas and initiatives to mark this
significant milestone.
We invite you to look to our history and
to our future, inside the organisation and
out, as together we reach out to
potential new members, supporters of
all ages and backgrounds, and
vulnerable people in our community. You
can focus on one or more of the goals
endorsed by the Red Cross Board to:
• celebrate the achievements and
contributions of 100 years of Red
Cross in Australia
• energise the Australian community
to support the work of Red Cross
• strengthen Red Cross for the future to
reduce vulnerability and improve lives.
More information about these goals as
well as the guiding principles that
underpin them can also be found via
the website at www.redcross.org.au/
heritage. In order to consider ideas
from as many Red Cross people as
possible, the Centenary and Member
Engagement Committee asks you to
complete and submit an expression of
interest form no later than 31 January
2012. Download the form at
www.redcross.org.au/heritage.
The Committee will ensure that no
matter who you are, no matter where
you live, and no matter how you
contribute to Red Cross, you can play a
role in celebrating the Centenary of Red
Cross in Australia in 2014. Some of the
best ideas, including those that take
into account many of the goals and
guiding principles, may also be invited
to develop more substantial proposals.
If you are unable to access the internet,
call your state/territory’s Membership
Coordinator through the contact details
on page 12 of this newsletter.
Trusts and foundations at Red Cross
Following this year’s unprecedented
summer of natural disasters, Red
Cross engaged philanthropic
organisations to support our
emergency services work. As a result,
philanthropic partners offered the
national recovery program significant
support. The Community Enterprise
Foundation, Lord Mayor’s Charitable
Foundation and Collier Charitable
Fund are to be commended for their
unique and collaborative funding
approach, supporting a suite of
recovery programs in flood-affected
communities across Queensland.
Red Cross has established strong
relationships with trusts and foundations
within Australia and overseas. The trusts
and foundations team at the Red Cross
national office manages all philanthropic
funding opportunities for national, state
and locally based programs for each of
the service areas.
Local networks can strengthen this
area of work and Red Cross members
are invited to share local funding
opportunities with the National Trusts
and Foundations Manager. Contact
philanthropy@redcross.org.au or call
(03) 9341 7523.

AROUND AUSTRALIA
PAGE 9
Face-to-face: the best
way to fundraise
‘We’re raising awaremess of the many services Red Cross provides,’ says Liz Atkinson. Photo: Louise Cooper
You may have seen them in
shopping centres, on city
street corners or outside your
local cafe, talking with people
about the work of Red Cross.
They are the fundraisers who
connect Red Cross with the
Australian public. They work
to secure donors who give on
a regular basis – our valuable
‘regular givers’.
Regular giving is one of the most
effective methods of raising muchneeded
donations, so that we can
continue helping vulnerable people.
Our ongoing work is not possible
without regular donations from the
Australian public, which is why Red
Cross has worked in partnership with
cause-driven fundraising agency
Cornucopia for ten years. Cornucopia
has a team of fundraisers who
specialise in engaging the public in
conversation to raise awareness of
non profit organisations and to recruit
ongoing, regular donors.
Liz Atkinson has made a career out of
regular giving fundraising. She started
work as a fundraiser when she was
backpacking in Australia from the UK.
She loved the work so much she stuck
around, and now, eight years later, Liz is
training and managing fundraising
teams. Liz feels it’s so important that
charities like Red Cross are conducting
this method of fundraising. ‘Every single
day we have people out there on the
street, we secure a certain number of
regular donors for Red Cross,’ she says.
‘But, apart from that, we’re raising
awareness of the many services Red
Cross provides to the thousands of
people who pass us every day. So we’re
helping to educate the public, too.’
Regular Giving Manager Mike Nixon
was once a street fundraiser before
joining Red Cross in Sydney. ‘We can’t
always rely on people going to the
website and making donations,’ he
says. ‘It’s important we directly reach
out to people. The number of people
who know about our emergency
services work, but don’t know about
our other services, is remarkable.’
Many of the regular giving fundraisers
are young people, so it’s an effective
way to reach out to other young
people who are unaware of the many
services Red Cross offers.
Cornucopia recently gave Liz the
opportunity to see first-hand how
water and sanitation programs
improve lives in Cambodia. ‘It really
changed my life. There’s a very big
difference between understanding the
work of Red Cross, and then seeing
for yourself how that work makes a
difference to the lives of people living in
remote communities,’ she says. ‘I use
that experience when I train our
fundraisers. They can see the emotion
behind my experience and that makes
a massive difference to the way they
communicate with people on the
street. We make sure that everyone
working for Red Cross has a real
emotional attachment to the work we
do.’ Liz explains that many of the regular
giving fundraisers are donors themselves.
Next time you see a Red Cross
regular giving fundraiser in your
community, stop and say hello. To
find out how you can become a
regular giver visit www.redcross.org.au
or call 1800 811 700.
Regular giving is one of the most effective fundraising
methods. Photo: Louise Cooper.
Newsletter for members and volunteers

PAGE 10
WA NEWS
Homeless Persons’ Week:
the power of social media
Red Cross provides services to people facing homelessness across the country. Photo: Australian Red Cross.
On any given night, almost
14,000 people are homeless in
Western Australia, as recorded
in the 2006 Census. For the
thousands of people
experiencing homelessness,
finding a roof over their head
and a safe place to spend the
night is a challenge.
Kendal Head, Project Manager for
Reconnect Through Facebook reports on
local events for Homeless Persons’ Week.
This year, events centred around the
theme of ‘diversity’, engaging diverse
people, from diverse addresses for
diverse reasons. In Western Australia,
Reconnect Through Facebook was a
social networking event providing
homeless people with the opportunity to
reconnect with family and friends they
may have lost contact with. The concept
behind Reconnect Through Facebook
came about when I found myself
thinking about the degree of social
isolation that someone living without a
fixed address might experience.
By providing access to Facebook (and
the internet) along with the support of
volunteers, homeless people came
along to set up a Facebook account,
in a safe and friendly environment, and
begin making contact and
reconnecting with lost family and
friends. This journey was enhanced by
the social, emotional and technical
support of various staff, volunteers and
external agencies.
The five-day event meant people could
come back again and again and each
time access food, Facebook,
information, support and a chat. Each
night the numbers grew, with six people
on our first night to more than 30 by the
final night. Regulars came back
bringing along friends to enjoy some
warm soup, home-cooked baked
goods, freshly made sandwiches and a
warm cup of tea or coffee in their very
own mug, which they could keep. We
also provided warm clothing, Red
Cross beanies, toiletry packs, fruit,
tinned food and even shoes for visitors
to take with them.
This event showcased the depth and
value of the many services Red Cross
offers in providing a hollistic approach
to addressing homelessness.
Soup was provided by the Red Cross
Soup Patrol service; drug and alcohol
harm minimisation education was
provided from our save-a-mate
program; qualified First Aid trainers
provided training and education on First
Aid essentials on a one-to-one basis;
retail services provided warm clothing;
Red Cross units provided nutritious
food; information and guided referrals
were provided from our Private Tenancy
Support program and our IT department
provided crucial technical support.
In addition, a number of local
community businesses made
donations, including Coles
Northbridge, Food Bank, Priceline and
Hollywood Hospital. St Vincent’s
Passages Resource Centre, YMCA
and Nyoongar Patrol provided face-toface
information and referrals to a
range of ongoing support services.
Throughout the week, we saw a diverse
range of age groups, cultural
backgrounds, living conditions, social
skills, computer skills and health
conditions. The attendees shared their
stories and experiences about being
homeless, out of work, the difficulty in
maintaining a job, their struggles with
mental illness, legal complications, and
most of all the lack of affordable housing.
The beauty of social media is that no
matter where in the world someone
might be or what their life might be
like, through Facebook, you are able
to keep in contact and meet people
from all over the world. Combining this
with the dedication and invaluable
support of Red Cross’ staff and
volunteers, it was an event that
brought hope and joy to all involved.
Thank you to everyone who helped
bring this event to life.
Join Red Cross on Facebook
www.facebook.com/
AustralianRedCross

WA NEWS
PAGE 11
Peace of mind
SAM
Our Way
Workshop
in Broome
The SAM Our Way
program aims to improve
social and emotional
wellbeing in Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander young
people between ages 16
and 25. Program activities
address depression, anxiety,
violence and problematic
substance use and work to
reduce harms associated
with these issues through
prevention education and
capacity building.
Sarina Cinquegrana spending some time out with her mother Maria Anfuso. Photo: Frances Andrijich
Sarina is the primary carer for both her
mother, Maria, who lives with her, and
her father, Giuseppe, who lives alone.
In 2005, Maria suffered a severe stroke
which left her with multiple mental and
physical disabilities. Now living with
Sarina, Maria requires around-theclock
support, leaving little time for
Sarina to help her dad. Concerned
about her father’s wellbeing, Sarina
contacted Red Cross for support.
Giuseppe now receives a short daily
call from a friendly Red Cross
Telecross volunteers needed
Telecross is a free service which
provides reassurance to people
who may be disabled, frail,
medically at risk or people who
live alone in their own homes.
The program allows older people
to maintain their independence
for as long as possible, reducing
Telecross volunteer, providing peace of
mind to his devoted daughter and
allowing Giuseppe to continue to live
on his own.
‘Being a full time carer for my mum
takes all my time, which makes it
difficult to keep checking on my dad,’
says Sarina. ‘The daily phone calls
have enabled Dad to have some
independence and quality of life in his
own home. We don’t have to worry
about him as much and it gives us
reassurance to know he’s OK.’
the instance of premature or
inappropriate admission into
residential aged care.
To find out about receiving a
daily phone call, or becoming a
volunteer, call Red Cross on
1300 885 698.
In July 2011, Western Australia
hosted the national SAM Our Way
workshop in Broome. Representatives
from the program in South Australia
and Northern Territory attended the
workshop, along with key national
office staff.
The three-day forum commenced
with a ‘Welcome to Country’ at the
Kimberley Regional Office in
Broome, followed by a series of
interactive workshops,
presentations and discussions.
Local staff from other community
programs joined the workshop to
learn and share their experiences.
In Western Australia, SAM Our Way
sites operate in Kwinana and the
West Kimberley, where program
activities include cultural activities
aimed to enhance young people’s
connection to country and culture
including bush trips, learning about
language, music development,
sport and social networking.
Newsletter for members and volunteers

PAGE 12
WA NEWS
Western Australia
celebrates NAIDOC Week
Photo: Australian Red Cross
Red Cross was involved in a
wide range of events and
activities across Western
Australia to celebrate NAIDOC
Week. It was a fantastic
week of diverse events to
celebrate the history, culture
and achievements of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples.
Celebrations commenced in Kwinana,
where the local team held a garden
and art workshop at Medina
Aboriginal Cultural Centre. Despite an
unexpected storm driving the planned
activities indoors, the day was a great
success. Members of the local
community, staff from local agencies,
program participants and their
families enjoyed painting, learning
about and planting vegetable and
herb seedlings, making mosaic tiles
and other art and craft activities.
The Kimberley regional office took
part in NAIDOC celebrations in
Broome, representing Red Cross at
an event in the shady gardens of
Broome Court House. There was a
showcase of local artwork, children’s
activities, live music and local food.
Later in the week, the team enjoyed
lunch together, to celebrate the
achievements of our many Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander staff in
the Kimberley.
At the Goldfields regional office,
NAIDOC celebrations were combined
with the official launch of the Red
Cross Outdoor Learning Centre. This
alternative space for the delivery of
local programs provides a
comfortable, welcoming and
therapeutic space for program
participants to learn healthy lifestyle
and social skills, and take part in
cultural, art and healing activities.
At Western Australia’s Red Cross
headquarters in East Perth, a big
celebration was held with staff,
volunteers, program participants and
community members. The celebration
started with a ‘Welcome to Country’
and an inspiring performance by the
Kwinana-based dance group, the
Yonga Boys. This was followed by a
Noongar language lesson and bush
tucker tasting. Community Services
teams also represented Red Cross at
the NAIDOC Week opening ceremony
held in Wellington Square.
The week was a fantastic celebration
of local Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander communities across
Western Australia.
Western Australia
110 Goderich Street East Perth WA 6004
GPO Box P1239, Perth WA 6844
Telephone: (08) 9225 8888
Facsimile: (08) 9325 5112
Email: wainfo@redcross.org.au
National Office
155 Pelham Street Carlton South VIC 3053
PO Box 196 Carlton South VIC 3053
Telephone: (03) 9345 1800
Facsimile: (03) 9348 2513
Email: natinfo@redcross.org.au