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CHAIRPERSON MESSAGE
from The Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives Annual Report 2020 - 21
by CATSINaM
ELDERS CIRCLE MESSAGE CHAIRPERSON MESSAGE
The Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM) Elders’ Circle (originally called the Elders Advisory Council) was established as part of the review and progressive development of CATSINaM. The main goal of the Elders’ Circle is to provide cultural support and guidance to the organisation and its members. CATSINaM was established by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander nurses and midwives and made space for our voice within the modern health framework. It was also established to ensure our cultural values and practice were kept to the forefront of Aboriginal and/ or Torres Strait Islander Health both for the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community we care for and the staff who care for them.
Over the years we have seen CATSINaM grow; like a big tree its corporate branches spreading wide, we have also seen CATSINaM experience the fires of change. We know from our culture that fires are necessary to make way for new growth in country, and campfires are our place of gathering to yarn, share and plan. CATSINaM is in a change of season and in readiness for new growth, the roots have remained, waiting to be tended to again, and it is the role of the Elders Circle to tend the roots to bring cultural growth alongside the corporate growth. By taking CATSINaM and its members ‘Back to the Fire’, we (as an organisation) are recognising the need to tend the tree and the roots, making connections and using our voice ensures that CATSINaM both culturally and corporately become that strong tree again, and a leader in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health and training. We come back together and yarn and make space for more growth in the new season.
Elders have always been part of our cultural yarning and learning. They have always been the respected teachers, the story tellers, and the holders of the Lore.
In line with these traditional values, the members of the Elders Circle are not only individuals who are culturally respected across Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities, but also nurses and midwives who are professionally recognised for their work in First Nations health. Earlier this year CATSINaM commenced consultations to update our Strategic Plan. The draft strategic plan has been approved by the Board and communications with members and stakeholders will commence early in January 2022 for the new strategy to come into effect from July 2022. The new strategic plan uses the National Agreement on Closing the Gap four priority reforms as a blueprint for future business and a means of anchoring our own work. Since 2019, we have been reviewing the current CATSINaM Constitution. This is something that we maintain a strong commitment to, and we continue to make efforts to making this change. So far, the draft changes have been reviewed by Constitutional specialists, legal advisors, the Board, Elders, and staff. As we continue to finalise the proposed changes, we will be working closely with you to clearly communicate the extent and nature of the proposed changes and what they will mean for our members.
Once a final draft is completed, a Special General Meeting will be held to vote on each of the proposed discrete changes to the Constitution. We look forward to your input and hope you will support our journey to modernise and simplify our Constitution.
