Indigenous Student Support
Most universities in Queensland (and many other organisations) provide programs and services to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students throughout their course of study. In the health industry, there are a number of scholarships, grants, and support services available only to those students from Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander backgrounds.
Additionally, at many universities in Queensland and Australia, there may be a special service to support the application and admission processes for Indigenous Australians. Many medical schools, for instance, will offer positions in medicine specifically for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people. We encourage you to enquire at your preferred university about the process of application.
In this section you will find information on
-Support Organisations
-Student Support Centres at tertiary institutions
-Other forms of funding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services
ATSIS has information on a range of issues for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people including information on Health, Families, Community, Youth Programs, Leadership and Scholarships. You can learn about accessing leadership seminars and courses, reconciliation, tracing your family, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities and dealing with alcohol, drugs and mental health. They also have a section on Scholarships and Grants, some of which are mentioned in this section of the booklet.
Phone: 13 13 04
Email: askatsip@communities.qld.gov.au
Website: www.atsip.qld.gov.au
Australian Indigenous Doctors Association (AIDA)
AIDA advocates for improvements in Indigenous health in Australia and encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to work in medicine by supporting Indigenous students and doctors. Their website has tips and further contacts on how to gain access to med school and other information about admission and scholarships.
Phone: (02) 6273 5013
Email: aida@aida.org.au
Website: www.aida.org.au
Deadly Pathways
Deadly pathways is a website for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people to tap into the networks, resources and opportunites for careers and educational pathways. It will help turn your aspirations and dreams into reality. It is packed with information on Education, University Units, Scholarships, Jobs, Traineeships, Arts and Culture.
Website: www.cis.qsa.qld.edu.au/deadly
Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA)
IAHA is for Indigenous Allied Health professionals and students wishing to network together, share information and ideas and join in the activities of this Indigenous led Allied Health professionals association. The website contains recent news and events that may be of interest to Indigenous Allied Health professionals as well as further contacts about Australian Indigenous health organisations where you can find out more about practicing in specific occupations.
Phone: (03) 8862 6620
Email: office@indigenousalliedhealth.com.au
Website: www.indigenousalliedhealth.com.au
Think Nursing
Think Nursing has an excellent interactive website with information about Nursing. There is a section entitled ‘Indigenous Nursing’, hosted by Cathy Freeman, which showcases some stories of Indigenous students pursuing a career in Nursing. It also provides a booklet on careers in Indigenous Nursing.
Website: www.thinknursing.com
Indigenous Health Careers Access Program (IHCAP) – James Cook University
IHCAP is designed to increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student success in pursuing a health career. This program is the only one of its kind in Australia and offers a free one-month orientation course that is held on JCU’s Townsville campus in January of each year. In that month, students will complete the subject English for Academic Purposes as an intensive subject.
When you submit your application to QTAC, you simply nominate JCU for the health course of you choice and indicate that you are of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander decent. If you are accepted into a JCU health course and have identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, the Faculty will contact you about the program.
Enquiry: IHCAP Coordinator – James Cook University
Phone: (07) 4781 4547
Email: ihu@jcu.edu.au
Website: www.public.jcu.edu.au/courses/health/ihcap
Wal-Meta – The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Public Sector Employment Development Unit
The name of the unit, Wal-Meta, is pronounced wa-met-a. Wal means ‘to learn’ in the Kooma Aboriginal language and Meta means ‘to grow’ in Meriam Torres Strait Islander language.
The unit is dedicated to working with government agencies to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples achieve equity with non-Indigenous Australians in terms of employment and economic status. The unit also seeks to ensure that employment equity is complementary with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and cultural values.
Phone: (07) 3227 8677
Email: wal-meta@deir.qld.gov.au
Website: www.wal-meta.qld.gov.au