Services

Our activity focuses on four main directions:

• Re-evaluating the existing social service delivery policies through:

◦ empowering communities, by way of education, raising awareness and active involvement of community members in all aspects related to their life and future (consultation, planning, decision making, implementation, service delivery, etc.);

◦ focus on prevention and early intervention;

◦ integrating the cultural component in every initiative, project and program, acknowledging the distinct particularities of each and every community, family and individual;

• Providing customised social services that are in line with the social, economic and administrative characteristics of each community, population, geographical area and/or ethnic group (including providing foster care and residential care solutions delivered within an integrated therapeutic care service delivery system);

• Emphasis on children and adolescents, with initiatives, projects and programs designed to:

◦ help them understand and connect/reconnect with their culture, traditions, values and history;

◦ develop/restore sense of identity, pride and belonging;

◦ provide the knowledge and skills needed for a successful socialisation;

◦ prepare them to grow into skilled and socially proficient adults; and

• Safeguarding the principles of social justice, reflecting the role and value of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as traditional owners of Australia and integral part of the modern Australian society, acknowledging the past in order to build a better future.

 

Objectives

The primary objectives of V.O.I.C.E. relate to:

• restoring within the Indigenous Australians:

◦ the sense of identity and belonging;

◦ cultural pride;

◦ self-worth, self-confidence and self-esteem;

• providing realistic opportunities and workable solutions for addressing the main issues identified in terms of:

◦ participation in education, arts, sports, etc.;

◦ improving the overall levels of physical and mental health; and

◦ reducing unemployment and encouraging Indigenous Australians in their entrepreneurial efforts;

• ensuring that the principles of social justice are upheld and Indigenous Australians are not discriminated in any way;

• focus on prevention and early intervention (proactive rather than reactive solutions);

• delivering programs, projects and initiatives designed to: Ÿ

◦ address identified issues related to:

- substance abuse (alcohol, drugs, solvents, prescribed medication;

- domestic and family violence;

- high rates of suicide;

- over-representation in the justice and child safety systems;

- anger management;

- problem solving, decision making and consequential thinking skills;

- relationships skills

◦ increase social interactions skills; and

◦ address any other needs or issues identified as problematic within the community.

• empowering communities through:

◦ education and support;

◦ raising awareness initiatives;

◦ planning and development of social services and initiatives that are reflective of their particular circumstances.

 

Innovative approach

Unlike all previous social services approaches, the model proposed by V.O.I.C.E. does not put forward blanket solutions to generalised problems that are identified at state or national level. Our organisation acknowledges that every community is different and has its own history, traditions and problems. V.O.I.C.E. does not approve and will not engage in the practices of telling people “what is wrong” and how to “fix it”, acknowledging that community problems can only be successfully addressed through community solutions, with the direct participation of the formal and informal community leaders.

 

V.O.I.C.E. will engage in consultation with each particular community in order to:

• identify their views regarding the social concerns, problems and needs that negatively impact upon the members of respective community;

• establish what are the specific desired outcomes and/or expectations in relation to these identified concerns, problems and needs;

• develop short-, medium- and/or long-term action plans, that clearly identify:

◦ individuals, organisations, agencies and departments that will be involved;

◦ if applicable, stages and objectives to be achieved;

◦ the roles and responsibilities of everybody involved;

◦ timelines and/or timeframes for activities, programs, projects and initiatives;

◦ when to conduct event-based and time-based reviews and a schedule of meetings with the community representatives, to ascertain the progress against the set objectives/outcomes (and, if need is identified, make adjustments and improvement to the activities, programs, projects and initiatives that are underway);

• design each specific program, project and initiative in a manner that is:

◦ relevant to the specific community or group of program participants;

◦ reflective of the cultural particularities of the respective community;

◦ conducive of the traditional, eight-way learning model; and

• ensure that the will and aspirations of each community is acknowledged and supported by the existing local, state and/or federal governments.

 

The philosophy promoted by V.O.I.C.E. supports the view that, by providing young generations with adequate education, guidance, support and opportunities to enhance their level of social experience and proficiency, their likelihood of developing antisocial behaviours and attitudes that would bring them in contact with the legal system will be considerably reduced. Moreover, by raising awareness and educating communities through prevention and early intervention initiatives, the benefits expand above and beyond today’s youth, empowering communities to take charge over their own development, raising proficient and prosocial generations in years to come.

 

The main points of difference in what V.O.I.C.E. promotes and is committed to achieve are:

• empowering communities through initiatives, projects and programs designed to improve the levels of social proficiency and emotional stability of all Indigenous Australians in all  aspects and in all geographical areas (including the most remote communities, who deserve access to the same opportunities as all Australians have);

• providing services that are fundamentally guided by the holistic nature of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, welfare and wellbeing;

• restoring pride, identity and sense of self-worth, self-esteem and self-confidence through restoring Indigenous Australian culture, traditions, values and history;

• giving back to Indigenous Australians the right of self-determination and promote all the Indigenous Australian achievements, creativity and social value; and

• dismantling all the negative myths and social misperceptions that have been attached to what being an Indigenous Australian means in the 21st century Australia (related to substance abuse, domestic and family violence, education and employment, etc.).

 

The viewpoint adopted by V.O.I.C.E. acknowledges that:

• each individual and community are unique and possesses distinct cultural, intellectual and psycho-emotional characteristics, with various areas of skill, vocation and talent; and

• people are social beings, in constant interaction on a variety of levels (at home, in the neighbourhood, at school, at work, etc.) and their personal welfare and wellbeing are interdependent to the welfare and wellbeing of the communities they live in.

 

Besides the ‘office’ services offered, V.O.I.C.E. proposes to establish an outreach program designed to service the rural and remote communities, who are the most disadvantaged in terms of access to adequate social services, educational and vocational opportunities and sports, arts and training facilities for children and adolescents. Additional services and facilities could and will be subsequently developed for any other needs identified, in order to reflect the circumstances and necessities of each particular community.