Environmental Health Education for Aboriginal Communities
Shire of Derby-West Kimberley
The Environmental Health Education for Aboriginal Communities project involves the Shire of Derby/West Kimberley Aboriginal Environmental Health Team development and presentation of environmental health programs for isolated Aboriginal communities. The issues covered include the benefits of personal hygiene, safe food handling and storage and how to recognise the onset of disease. This innovative outreach project clearly improves access by Aboriginal Communities to services provided by the Shire. The project has been developed in consultation with 45 Aboriginal Communities at Community Council meetings; through house to house visits and one on one discussions, liaison with Aboriginal Service Agencies and local school principals and school nurses. Home and Community Care workers have also been involved and many have undergone this special training. The problems being addressed by the Shire’s Environmental Health Team are difficult and widespread. The program has been operating for four years during which it has been refined, and its sustainability has established. The design and execution of this project make it amply transferable to any rural or remote local government body.
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