Djamaga Djama “Good Talk” Living Library Event at Batemans Bay
Posted on 1 Nov 2023
Walawaani njindiwan,
We invite you to join us for the upcoming Djamaga Djama (meaning “Good Talk” in the Dhurga Language) Living Library event at Batemans Bay Community Centre.
With support from the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR), our Djamaga Djama Living Library event series invites local Aboriginal Speakers of the Day to share stories of their successes and accomplishments. Each Djamaga Djama event will be unique, but all events will celebrate the success and accomplishments of Aboriginal voices within our broader communities and provide an inspirational platform for our mobs.
Please RSVP via the link below. We look forward to seeing you there!
Batemans Bay Event Details
DATE: Friday, 3rd November 2023
TIME: 1:00 pm AEDT
VENUE: Batemans Bay Community Centre, 2 Museum Place, Batemans Bay, NSW 2536
SPEAKERS OF THE DAY:
Shirlena Gallagher and Lavina White
RSVP:
Introducing our Speakers of the Day
Shirlena Gallagher
Shirlena is the Manager of Aboriginal Workforce & Development for Southern NSW Local Health District and commenced her health career as an Aboriginal Health Worker 12yrs ago. Shirlena manages a large portfolio that is responsible for increasing and improving the representation of Aboriginal people across Southers Local Health District. Shirlena also applies a leadership role in the development, implementation, and evaluation of Aboriginal workforce activities such as Cadetships, Traineeships and School-based trainees but also ensures that a cross a range of performance measures guided by the Closing the Gap Health initiative to ensure our Aboriginal Culture not only survives but thrives. Shirlena is also a blue band trained facilitator who provides the mandated cultural awareness training ‘Respecting the Difference – Be the Difference’ to all of Southern’s LHD staff. Shirlena has won multiple awards for her creation of the cultural awareness training module and has recently been nominated as a finalist in the National Rural and Remote Health Awards in the category Rural/Remote Health Advocate of the Year held at Parliament House in November 2023.
Shirlena’s previous roles include managing Aboriginal Health programs and staff who work with Mothers & Aboriginal Babies to provide them with an outreach holistic health pathway from early pregnancy to school readiness. Shirlena knows the importance of supporting Aboriginal families, starting with the foundation of building trust, understanding and rapport. Shirlena has supported families who have significant historical trauma to see them bring their first child into the world and go on to become wonderful parents. Shirlena is a certified Level 4 Aboriginal Health worker (Practitioner) gained at ‘Little Bay Aboriginal Health College’ La Perouse Sydney. Shirlena also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree obtained at the University of Technology, Sydney and a Graduate Certificate in Health Service Management Safety and Quality gained at the University of Tasmania.
Lavina White
Stay tuned for more about Lavina’s story.
About Djamaga Djama “Good Talk” Living Library Events
As an Aboriginal Community Controlled Community Housing Provider, SEARMS provides a range of housing services to the Aboriginal families in our region. In over 20 years of service to our communities, we have encountered a range of misconceptions about Aboriginal organisations and Aboriginal people. We promote a strengths-based approach within our organisation, and the Djamaga Djama Living Library event series is just one way we are showcasing Aboriginal leaders and their achievements to our broader communities.
Events will be held in Batemans Bay, Mogo and Moruya. Each event will have its own theme, carefully curated in consultation with the Speaker of the Day.
Proudly supported by the FRRR Investing in Rural Community Futures Program.
