Cameron Wellness Centre’s Post

I pay my respects to all Stolen Generation survivors. To the children who are still coming home, to the children who never made it home and to the families who are still healing from the trauma. On this Sorry Day, I acknowledge the incredible strength and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities. Unfortunately today, 27 years after the Bringing Them Home report and 16 years since the National Apology, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are still 10.5 times more likely than non-Indigenous children to be removed from their families*. We need to do better. As a Country. As a society. As people. As we head into Reconciliation week, I urge everyone to look a little deeper within themselves. Are you educated on the true history of this Country? Are you informed on the impacts of intergenerational trauma and how they relate to our Stolen Generations? Now more than ever, we need to come together for truth telling and finally create systemic change for our people ✊🏾👣 #SorryDay #NRW #Reconciliation #change #truthtelling #Aboriginal #Indigenous #Australia #Sorryday2024 #NRW24 *Information sourced from Reconciliation Australia.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Today, on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day, we wear orange to honor the children who never returned home from residential schools, as well as the survivors, families, and communities who continue to carry this legacy. Every Child Matters is not just a message—it’s a call to action for each of us to listen, learn, and advocate for change. We encourage everyone to take this opportunity to reflect on our shared history, educate ourselves, and support Indigenous-led initiatives that promote healing and reconciliation. Together, let’s commit to building a future founded on respect, understanding, and equity for Indigenous peoples. #EveryChildMatters #TruthAndReconciliation #OrangeShirtDay #ReconciliationDay #IndigenousRights

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Today, across Canada, we come together to reflect on the history, legacy, and ongoing impact of residential schools. This day serves as a reminder of the importance of acknowledging the truths of the past, while committing to a journey of healing and reconciliation with Indigenous communities. **Every Child Matters** – not just today, but every day. As we wear our orange shirts, we honor the survivors, the children who never made it home, and their families. Let’s continue to educate ourselves, support Indigenous voices, and advocate for meaningful change. Together, we can create a more inclusive and compassionate future. 🧡 #TruthAndReconciliation #EveryChildMatters #IndigenousRights

January 26 marks a day of sorrow, sadness and exclusion for the First Peoples of this country. We have much to celebrate as a country. Our ancient history, our multicultural society, and the peace we enjoy as a nation, are all second to none globally. For First Peoples, this date marks the beginning of colonisation, the dispossession of land, and the destruction of life and culture. The depth of this dispossession and destruction continues to permeate and affect First Peoples communities to this day. The widening gap in health outcomes, and disproportionate rates of child removal and incarceration are intimately linked to the historical injustice that stems from January 26. It’s Australia’s reality and it shows up in the everyday lives of First Peoples. Here at AV, it is of paramount importance that we are on the journey of reconciliation with First Peoples, and that we ensure we continue to walk with our First Peoples to address the impact that our past and present continue to have, on First Peoples children, youth, and families. AV’s journey to cultural understanding and discovery of our past and our present is expressed in a range of other ways. Part of this involves participating in the truth-telling process, given our history of service to Victorian communities that reaches back to the 19th century. Late last year we submitted to the Yoorrook Justice Commission detailing how facilities operated by our founding agencies included many children’s homes that accepted First Peoples children who had been forcibly removed from their families and communities and were separated from kin, Culture and Country. Our submission also outlines the work we are undertaking today to provide culturally safe services and workplaces. 👇 https://lnkd.in/gkefVaEz *Artwork by Laroom Art - This piece represents unity and gathering. Through this piece we wanted to visualize a central aspect of our culture – coming together. Within our community particularly, the physical aspect of coming together plays an enormous aspect within community. Each panel symbolizes individual people within our community and the placement of such panels embodies the tightknit nature of our relationships within our community. #January26 #ChangeTheDate #SurvivalDay

🧡 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 🧡 On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, I pause to reflect on the importance of acknowledging the painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools on Indigenous communities across Canada. It’s a day to listen, learn, and honor the resilience of survivors, their families, and all those affected. Recognizing this history is essential for building a future rooted in understanding and healing. While today is about reflection, it's also about action. I’m committed to educating myself further on the experiences of Indigenous peoples and supporting meaningful change. Small steps, when taken together, can create a path forward toward reconciliation and justice for all. #NationalDayForTruthAndReconciliation #TruthAndReconciliation #EveryChildMatters #IndigenousRights #Healing #ReflectAndAct

Building Community and Serving Others: A Fresh Approach to Church Discover a new perspective on church where community, genuine help, and personal connection thrive. Join us as we explore the importance of being real, accessible, and caring in ministry. Let's prioritize family, fatherhood, and the next generation, embracing the idea that the kingdom is a family. It's time to make a difference. #BuildingCommunity #ServingOthers #ChurchWithAHeart #AuthenticMinistry #CaringForAll #NextGeneration #FamilyFirst #MakingADifference #AccessibleMinistry #ImpactfulChristianity

A Megaphone. THE WEA OPERATES RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND SOCIAL JUSTICE research and advocacy offices in United Nations (U.N.) centers in Geneva, New York, and Bonn. Our respected team leverages special U.N. consultative status for change-making public and behind-the-scenes interactions with top world leaders, ambassadors, and influential sympathetic coalitions. We advocate on a global level for human trafficking victims, refugees, migrants, and diasporas who increasingly need specialized help. THE RESULT? Shuttered churches are re-opened. Imprisoned pastors are released. Discriminatory policies are dropped. Freedom of religious practice is returned. Basic human rights are restored. Are you ready to serve His Church on a Global Scale? Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gT-48xAu

❤️ Simple tools that can save a young person's life ❤️ Imagined Futures (IF) (read more below) works collectively to tackle some of the 'wicked' problems which face our community in the south west metro region of Perth. One such area of focus is youth mental health and suicide risk. One of the members of our Leadership Group raised the question - how does a young person respond if they are worried about a friend's mental health and risk of suicide. How does a parent advise and support their child in such a situation? Many of us could identify with this through our own experience. IF decided to act, and catalysed a partnership, led by one of our wonderful members, Neami National, to create a tool to support young people at risk. It's designed by young people, for young people. It was designed and built locally, but now has national impact. ❤️ I have no doubt it can and will save precious lives ❤️ 🙏🏼 *Please* take a look 👀 and share the link below widely - its hugely valuable and very accessible, and given the crisis we face in mental health particularly amongst young people, its so important and relevant to all in our community 💭 It's been a privilege to Chair and be part of the IF journey these past 10 years or more. This group of organisations and individuals - including all levels of government, NGOs, philanthropy, business and community members - are committed to seeing all people in our community thrive through a collective impact approach. IF runs of the smell of an oily rag, and I have to admit isn't much chop at blowing its own trumpet (though I have indulged in some of that now..), but it achieves some amazing things, being nimble and responsive to community needs by working together and pooling resources and effort to create positive impact. 🌐 If you want to learn more about IF's work, take a look at our website https://lnkd.in/g-43wWfi Also our latest Annual Story is a ripper read 📖😊 https://lnkd.in/gbEjCZrr Leigh Sinclair

Today, on National Sorry Day, we pause to acknowledge the historical injustices inflicted upon Australia's Indigenous peoples and reflect on the ongoing journey towards reconciliation. While this day serves as a reminder of the past, it also calls upon us to consider the actions needed to truly honor and support Indigenous communities in the present and future. National Sorry Day holds significant importance as a time for both reflection and action. It marks a solemn recognition of the trauma and suffering endured by Indigenous Australians due to past government policies, particularly the forced removal of children from their families under the assimilationist practices of the Stolen Generations. However, merely acknowledging past wrongs is not enough. True reconciliation requires ongoing efforts to address the systemic inequalities and injustices that continue to affect Indigenous communities today. This includes issues such as disproportionate rates of incarceration, poorer health outcomes, and limited access to education and employment opportunities. Moving forward, it is essential that we commit to meaningful engagement with Indigenous peoples, centering their voices and experiences in decision-making processes that affect their lives. This means actively listening to Indigenous perspectives, respecting Indigenous rights to self-determination, and working collaboratively towards solutions that promote justice and equality. Moreover, honoring National Sorry Day should not be confined to a single day of remembrance. It should serve as a catalyst for sustained efforts to dismantle systemic racism and discrimination, promote cultural understanding and appreciation, and foster genuine reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. As we observe National Sorry Day, let us not only reflect on the past but also reaffirm our commitment to building a more inclusive and just society, where the rights, culture, and contributions of Australia's Indigenous peoples are respected and celebrated in the Community. #CLOSETHEGAP #IndegenousHealth #NationalSorryDay

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending an Open Doors event at the West Scarborough Neighbourhood Community Centre. It was a fabulous event where the community had a chance to celebrate with each other as well as enjoy some yummy treats! It was also an opportunity to discuss the upcoming National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Witnessing traditional indigenous dance and drumming and listening to the speaker talk about the idea of the medicine wheel - sage, cedar, sweetgrass and tobacco made me reflect our history as a country but also my own faith traditions. One of our core tenants of justice is "stand up for truth, even if it's against yourselves (your family, your tribe, your group)". To me, this is the litmus test for your commitment to the idea of truth. It sounds simple enough but so difficult to practice consistently, especially when you perceive the stakes to be very high. Standing up for truth seems to be a no-brainer but if the impacts of doing so adversely affect your world view, business, job, reputation or power, what then? I sometimes ask myself this question in the context of my business. Despite what appear to be the facts, am I holding on to old ideas because "we've always done it this way" or to protect some other dogma or idea I have about myself or my past? I'm not pretending to be an expert this subject nor did I ever study it in depth, but when I think about the history of indigenous peoples in Canada, i feel that we have adopted the stance of "stand up for the truth, except if it's against yourself". In recent years, there has been more of a willingness for our leaders and institutions to take a close hard look at the question of truth. Heck, we even have a national day for it now. Today, Indigenous peoples represent approximately 5% of the population of Canada but 32% of people in custody and 30% of children in foster care. While the truth about things like residential schools and the 60's scoop are now being talked about openly, we can see the legacy of not only their impacts through intergenerational trauma but also the systemic biases still at work today. While the conversation about truth seems to have started, the journey toward reconciliation seems to be a long way off. #westscarborough #truthandreconciliation #community #managedIT