Welcome to the fourth edition of the Stolen Generations' Newsletter.

Season’s Greetings!

In this edition we report on the Stolen Generations’ Working Partnership, the Stolen Generations’ Leadership Workshop, and provide links to available funding opportunities.

News from FaHCSIA

Capacity building workshops for Stolen Generations' organisations

Between March and June 2010, FaHCSIA held a number of workshops on 'How to Access Funding' for Stolen Generations' organisations and individuals. The workshops covered funding provided by government and philanthropic organisations. They were held in a number of cities across Australia and were a great success.

During these workshops participants gained knowledge and understanding about writing a competitive funding application and working within funding cycles and environments.

Feedback

"I found most beneficial the segment on tricks of the trade" (Sydney participant)

"The examples and experience that were given were once again relevant to needs of the community." (Perth participant)

"It was helpful in that it broadened my ideas, confidence, knowledge and understanding." (Melbourne participant)

We have heard that some people have already been successful in applying for funding! If you want to share your success story or what you have learnt from doing your applications, let us know by emailing StolenGenerations@fahcsia.gov.au

Stolen Generations’ Working Partnership

• Improving the service Stolen Generations’ members receive from both mainstream and Indigenous services, for example through greater awareness across government and non-government sectors including service providers, policy-makers, and public servants.
• Ensuring appropriate diagnosis and pathways to care for Stolen Generations’ members experiencing social and emotional wellbeing issues.
• Recording of oral histories and other ways to honour Stolen Generations’ members’ resilience and educate the broader community.
• Working with the states and territories as part of the National Indigenous Law and Justice Framework on support to Stolen Generations’ members and their children who are in prison, both pre and post-release.

The priorities outlined in the paper were identified in consultation with two Stolen Generations’ organisations, the National Sorry Day Committee (NSDC) and Stolen Generations Alliance (SGA).

A copy of the Stolen Generations’ Working Partnership is available by phoning 1800 081 549 (free call), emailing StolenGenerations@fahcsia.gov.au or online Stolen Generations Working Partnership.

Stolen Generations' Leadership Workshop

We received many applications for our Stolen Generations' four day leadership workshop in Adelaide, South Australia from 11-14 October 2010 and sadly we didn't have space for all who applied.

If you missed out, don't despair; FaHCSIA runs a program of National Indigenous Leadership Workshops each year and you can apply for those. These are generally advertised between April and June each year. We will let you know through the newsletter when registrations are being accepted for the 2011/12 program.

News from the Field

This quarter's featured organisation is the National Sorry Day Committee

The NSDC is chaired by Helen Moran (Indigenous Co-Chair) and Sally Fitzpatrick (Non-Indigenous Co-Chair). The following words were provided by Helen.

The National Sorry Day Committee (NSDC) was established in 1998 and has members throughout Australia. The NSDC is committed to bringing about the full implementation of the 1997 Bringing them home report's 54 recommendations, which includes a full reparations package for the Stolen Generations, their families and their communities involving acknowledgment and apology, restitution, rehabilitation, monetary compensation and guarantees against repetition, in accordance with international human rights principles.

As such the NSDC fulfils many roles including organising appropriate events to mark National Sorry Day, and raising awareness and knowledge of the history and continuing effects of the past and present practices of removal.

The NSDC is also very active in educating and promoting National Sorry Day in schools throughout Australia. They have developed resources to assist in this, for example, the "Stolen Generations' Track Home", is a symbolic representation of the thousands of silent and unseen tracks of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who were taken away under the forced removal policies.

For more information please visit the NSDC website or contact the NSDC office on (02) 6288 0087 or via email at management@nsdc.org.au

Grants and Funding Opportunities

Common Funding Round 2011-12

eSub Online is the Australian Government's website enabling electronic submissions for some Indigenous Programs, available from Saturday 11 December 2010.

There are four programs for the Common Funding Round:

• Indigenous Sport & Recreation Program (PM&C)
• Indigenous Justice Program (AGD)
• Indigenous Women (FaHCSIA)
• Public Awareness Program (FaHCSIA)

These programs are available through eSub, an online funding submission form that enables community organisations to complete one funding application even when requesting funding for multiple projects, or funding from more than one agency.

The eSub form can be completed online and the application for funding can be submitted via the website to the nearest Indigenous Coordination Centre (ICC) for assessment.

Detailed information about eSub and making funding submissions is available on the website; for more information and to apply visit eSub Online

Funding closes on Friday 25 February 2011 (at 17:00, local time).

Indigenous arts, culture, language, broadcasting and heritage funding round 2011/12

Applications for Indigenous arts, culture, language, broadcasting and heritage funding for 2011-12 opened on 5 November 2010 and will close at 5:00pm AEDST on 21 January 2011.

AEDST on 21 January 2011.

There are five programs in this funding round:

• Indigenous Culture Support program
• Maintenance of Indigenous Languages and Records program
• National Arts and Craft Industry Support program
• Indigenous Broadcasting program
• Indigenous Heritage program

Organisations can apply for annual or three-year funding. For the first time, the Indigenous Heritage program will also offer three-year funding.

For more information and details on how to apply, please visit Indigenous arts, culture and languages

If you have any questions about the Arts, Culture, Languages and Broadcasting programs, you can call 1800 006 992 or email Indigenousach@arts.gov.au

For information about the Indigenous Heritage Program, please call 1800 982 280.

Expressions Section

FaHCSIA is pleased to introduce Aunty Marie Melito-Russell

Aunty Marie, 75, is a Wiradjuri woman and a member of the Stolen Generations.  She found her mother in 2002 in Easton, Pennsylvania (USA) after twenty years of searching. She spent her seventieth birthday - and her very first birthday - with her birth mother.

She is also a parishioner of the Church of The Holy Family at Mt. Druitt (NSW) and works with the Holy Family students by sharing her experiences as a Stolen Generations’ member.

Aunty Marie is, among many things, an artist and a poet. The following poems were featured in ‘Life, Love and Pain’, an anthology of poems written by Stolen Generations and collated by Link-Up (NSW).

Where Are My Children?
The day is done and the sun is falling,
Where are my children a Mother is calling?
The darkness falls and she realises her fears.
Her children are gone and her eyes fill with tears.
The White fella’s come and took them away, they’ll
Be afraid and where will they stay?
How can she find them? Where will she search?
In a Mission Station or a White fella’s church?
Her arms are empty her heart is breaking,
She has walked so far her body is aching.
She asks for her children, pleading, searching
Everywhere, desperation and anger turning
To deep despair.

The years go by and she has grown old
Yet still she pines for her children so I am told.
Her face full of pain, tears fall from her eyes.
‘Have you seen my children?’ still she cries.
Then one day three strangers came into town – two girls
And a man placed their luggage down.
‘Have you seen this woman?’ the young man enquires
With a nod of his head the old man replies.
‘Sorry, son, but last winter she died’.
‘Have you seen my children?’
Were the last words she cried.
© Marie Melito-Russell
 

THE LOST AND REJECTED
The lost, the dead and the dying, the spirits
Of our children are crying
Tears of anger, sorrow, despair and rejection
That follow,
The pain is to much to bear,
Do our people really care?
Just because of lighter skin must we pay for
Whiteman’s sin.
Shall I ever find my Mother? Will I be able to say
I love you?

I was stolen so long ago and there are grandchildren
She’ll never know.
Do not question our colour – we’ve suffered enough
The journey back is painful and tough,
The children are finding their way alone
Open your hearts and welcome them home.
© Marie Melito-Russell
 

Yarning with Aunty Marie:

When did you realise that you had artistic/poetry talents
When I first accessed Link-Up NSW

Favourite way to spend a quiet Sunday afternoon
Doing my artwork

Favourite book
Blood on the Wattle – Bruce Elder

Favourite movie
Titanic

Favourite dessert
Jelly and custard

Favourite football team
South Sydney – Rabbitohs

Articles of Interest

Family Relationships Quarterly No. 17 - Special edition on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families

This edition includes articles on:

• the emergence of healing services
• strengthening culture and identity for Aboriginal children
• family dispute resolution for Aboriginal families
• program spotlights on the Healthy Family Circle program and Yorgum Aboriginal Family Counselling Service.

It is available free online at: Family Relationships Quarterly No.17

‘Healing services for Indigenous people’ by Catherine Caruana

Article Summary:

The release of the Bringing Them Home report in 1997 (National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families, 1997) added impetus to calls for programs and services to address the healing needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Since then, numerous reports, articles, discussion papers and policy frameworks at both the State and Commonwealth level have recognised the need for a holistic approach to tackle the root causes, rather than just the symptoms, of Indigenous suffering and disadvantage. But what does "healing" in this context entail and what implications might the "healing movement" have for services working with Indigenous families and communities?

Available from: Healing services for Indigenous people

Heart: A new magazine highlighting the achievements of Indigenous women

Heart is a new magazine that celebrates, supports and showcases Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their achievements. The first edition features a review of Stolen Generations’ survivor Donna Meehan’s autobiography It Is No Secret. The magazine is available online

Heart’s mission is threefold:

• To celebrate and uplift Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
• To improve understanding, value and respect between Australian communities.
• To invest a percentage of profits into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and projects.

For more information about the magazine check out: My Heart Magazine's Blog

Contact Us

Email: stolengenerations@fahcsia.gov.au

Phone 1800 081 549

Mail:
Building Sector Capacity Section
Indigenous Leadership and Engagement Group
P.O Box 7576

Canberra Business Centre ACT 2610

If you no longer wish to receive messages from us simply email us at stolengenerations@fahcsia.gov.au , with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject heading.

Stolen Generations’ Newsletter is a quarterly publication, however if anything important arises that cannot wait until the next edition, we will send you an email update.