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Meet the Facilitation TeamTim and Kama Trudgen are the key initiators of the AHED project and are the first facilitators to make the move onto an Indigenous community in NE Arnhem Land. They will do the initial work of establishing the project in a community and will continue to play a major role in developing the project over time. Both can communicate in Yolŋu (Yolngu) Matha (the major Indigenous language of the NE Arnhem Land region) and have existing relationships throughout NE Arnhem Land. They bring a wide variety of skills and expertise, as well as great passion to the project.
Timothy Trudgen
Timothy Trudgen BSc (Hons), BA (Anthropology)(Hons)Timothy Trudgen is a cross cultural educator and consultant, who has worked closely with the Yolngu people of North East Arnhem Land for more than seven years. He is proficient in the Yolngu language and has extensive knowledge of Yolngu culture. His work has involved him providing education, training and cultural support to Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australians, to help them understand each other’s worlds. Tim’s work builds on the 35 years that his family have been working in the Arnhem Land region empowering Yolngu people. Tim has been involved in adult education in Aboriginal communities across north east Arnhem Land. He uses the people’s own language and cultural concepts to dialogue around important topics in the areas of health, politics, and economics. Tim’s previous studies in both Science and Anthropology equip him well for this role. Recognising the importance of economic development, Tim also began developing facilitation and training methods to develop Yolngu family controlled small businesses. His now 5 years of experience in Yolngu business development gives him insight into the barriers that prevent Yolngu people from succeeding in economic endeavours. His work in health education has also given him insight into the social complexities in these communities. His language and cross cultural skills have made him accessible and trusted in his roles with Aboriginal people, and his knowledge of traditional culture has helped him in finding creative solutions to overcome communication and educational barriers. Such language and cultural skills will prove essential for the facilitation of all forms of enterprise in these communities, to over come the communication barriers between Yolngu clients and Dominant culture systems, support persons or business partners. Tim is passionate about breaking down the barriers that exist for Yolngu people in remote communities gaining mastery over their lives and together over their communities. The Yongu people are a very resilient people, but they feel almost defeated and shackled. Historically it was the colonial machine that threatened them, but now it is a development machine that operates beyond their influence, and in ignorance of their voices. Tim longs to seed development approaches that are not only culturally aware, but are based on compassion, and commitment to human needs; approaches that offer freedom, not coercive or paternalistic approaches. Tim enters this project with a vision for change in Yolngu communities, but also with a determination to use processes that do not compromise the basic truth that human development arises from human personal potential.
Kama Trudgen MBBSKama Trudgen is a Medical Doctor who is currently working as a General Practice Registrar in an Aboriginal Medical Centre. She has been working part time for the last 12 months, whilst studying units of the Yolngu language at Charles Darwin University. She is particularly passionate about preventative medicine, and about empowering people. Throughout her Medical training she worked in a variety of challenging cross cultural settings, including practicals in Brits (South Africa), Herbertpur (India) and Jabiru (Arnhem Land). She worked for two years in Logan Hospital, in a low socio-economic area on the outskirts of Brisbane. She started her General Practice Training at Moil Medical Centre, a small bulk billing practice in the suburbs of Darwin, that caters for a diverse multicultural low socio-economic clientèle. Her work has given her first hand experience of the complex problems experienced by Indigenous peoples, and the challenges in overcoming them. The poor health outcomes of Indigenous people in comparison to the wider Australian community, is something that has received much media attention. There has been much outcry of late for us to “Close the Gap”. From Kama's experience working with Indigenous patients, it is very clear that no outsider can Close this Gap. No one can come in and make others healthy. That is something that is only possible for a person to achieve for themselves. Support, education and resources are needed to come alongside people and be available to guide them, but they need to own and control the process. Kama is keen to step outside the Western Medical Model of Health Care delivery, and make herself available to people on their own terms. Our physical and emotional health are so entwined with our lifestyle, our sense of hope and control and our ability to contribute in a meaningful way to our society. So when the problems are so complex and intertwined, where does one start to turn this tragic situation around- why not start with the people, and enable them to become all that they were made to be. Supporters and Affiliates of the ProjectWhy Warriors Pty Ltd A company run by Timothy Trudgen to provide high quality cross-cultural training for personnel working with Indigenous People, and to support clan business development in NE Arnhem Land. Why Warriors is providing administration, marketing and financial support to the project. Aboriginal Resource and Development Services (ARDS) Is an Indigenous, Christian, charitable organisation. ARDS is recognized as an effective capacity building organisation that specifically aims to empower the Yolgnu people of north-eastern Arnhem Land. The organisation has over 30 years of corporate experience working closely with the Yolngu people and in the process have developed effective cross-cultural capacity building methodologies utilising local Indigenous languages and world view. ARDS is providing ongoing support to the project through training, advice and resources. ARDS is committed to future engagement with the project through participation in the project's Advisory Panel. Arhem Land Progress Association (ALPA) ALPA is an Aboriginal organisation with a long history in Arnhem Land. As part of the 'self determination' policies of the 70's and 80's, responsibility for the Aboriginal Methodist Missions was handed over to local government structures. ALPA was created at this time, to allow effective management of the local stores in Arnhem Land. It now runs small supermarkets across north east Arnhem Land and in Croker Island, and also provides consultancy and management services to stores in Aboriginal communities across north west Australia. ALPA is the largest employer of local people in Arnhem Land communities and has been successful in training its own staff in the workplace to national accreditation level. The ALPA board of directors is made up of Aboriginal people from its five member communities, many of whom are important leaders in their communities. Consequently, it is even more fantastic that they are so supportive of the AHED pilot project. It was commented that AHED provided just the kind of service that Yolngu in their communities have been seeking. ALPA is also encouraging of the disciplined process of the Enterprise Facilitation method designed to prevent the abuse of the facilitation service and to take on as clients only truly motivated individuals. ALPA is supporting the project through participating on our Advisory Panel and by partnering with us financially. Ernesto Sirolli & The Sirolli Institute. The developer and principle organisation behind the Enterprise Facilitation model of Economic Development. They have overseen the success of Enterprise facilitation projects in Rural and urban communities in many parts of Australia, the US, and Canada. Sirolli is passionate about applying a similar respectful development process in a remote Indigenous community and is supporting the project with ongoing advice and training, as well as support in documentation of the initial project. RWM Consultancy Public relations/Pharmacy Consultants. Rollo Manning (Principle) as a citizen compassionate about supporting Indigenous people is providing in kind support to the project through his time in promotion of the project.
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