Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Inc

20/10/2026

This November, make your vote count. Our voices matter. Our future matters.

Enrol or update your details by 8pm on 3 November 2026 - to make your vote count this Victorian State Election!
Check in with your Mob to make sure their enrolment is up to date.

It only takes a few minutes to make sure your voice is heard.

Enrol to vote or update your details here > www.vec.vic.gov.au

20/10/2026

Victorians back Treaty! It’s time to show up and stand together with First Peoples to defend Treaty and show that people power matters!

Aunty Jill Gallagher AO will be joined by the Co-Chairs of Gellung Warl, Meriki Onus and Djaran Murray-Jackson at Together for Treaty’s Barnstorm.

Come learn why Treaty matters, show solidarity and together we’ll send a message - Victorians back Treaty!

🎉 Together for Treaty Barnstorm
🗓️ Friday 30 October
🕠 5:30-7:30pm
📍 Hawthorn Arts Centre
🔗 https://events.humanitix.com/together-for-treaty-barnstorm

Together for Treaty

19/10/2026

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children belong in Culture. Kinship carers make sure that happens – every single day.

Peeneyt Bubup is a 9-episode health and wellbeing podcast about what it really means to care for kids in Community. The love, the support available, and the voices of people who've lived it.

Five episodes are already out and ready for you to binge. Find it on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube → vaccho.org.au/aboriginal-families-wellbeing

Share this with someone who needs to hear it.

Produced by the Centre of Excellence for Aboriginal Families Wellbeing.

19/10/2026

VACCHO is pleased to welcome Djirra as its newest Associate Member.

Djirra is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation with over 20 years’ experience accompanying Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, and their children, on their individual journeys.

VACCHO Acting CEO Jim O’Shea said he is excited to work with the Djirra CEO Antoinette Braybrook AM and the Djirra team to support its range of programs and services for women and their children.

Read the full news story here > https://www.vaccho.org.au/2026/10/19/vaccho-welcomes-djirra-as-its-thirty-sixth-member/

16/10/2026

16/10/2026

Community Question Time is coming to Ripon!

Mob in the Ripon Electorate who want answers, this one's for you.

With the Victorian State Election coming up on 28 November, we’re bringing candidates from across the political spectrum and Aboriginal leaders in the Ripon Electorate to hear from Community and answer the questions that matter to you.

The panellists will join Budja Budja Aboriginal Co-operative CEO Tim Chatfield on the panel, which will be moderated by Uncle Charles Pakana from Victorian Aboriginal News.

WHERE: Alexandra Oval Community Centre, Ararat
WHEN: Thursday, 19 November| 12pm - 2:30pm
FREE event

Your voice matters. Register now via the link in our bio.

15/10/2026

Kinship carers juggle a lot. From understanding the child in their care's health needs, to understanding how they might be feeling – and how they can support them to feel well.

Paediatrician Dr Sophie Oldfield, GMARVictoria advocate Aunty Rieo Ellis, and Gunditjmara woman Jo-Ann Proctor join Uncle Charles to explain the services and health professionals available to Kinship carers, and when to turn to each one.

Listen to episode 5 now on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube. Search Peeneyt Bubup or visit our website → https://www.vaccho.org.au/aboriginal-families-wellbeing/

15/10/2026

Congratulations to Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-Operative for their vital work, Lotjpa Yapaneyepuk: talk together about cancer trials, which won the Excellence in Aboriginal health and wellbeing award at the Victorian Public Healthcare Awards last night.

This project is a two-year collaborative research study and co-designed video project focused on improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' access to, and understanding of cancer clinical trials in regional Victoria.

This work was in collaboration with Border Medical Oncology Research Unit, Goulburn Valley Health and Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-operative. VACCHO was also a proud partner of this work.

VACCHO would also like to congratulate Gippsland & East Gippsland Aboriginal Cooperative Ltd, who were nominated in the same category for their Healthy Lifestyles Program.

From left to right: Weina Ha (Regional Trials Network Victoria), Shannon Gleeson (Wiradjuri, VACCHO), Javier Torres (GV Health), Leah Lindrea-Morrison (Yorta Yorta, Border Medical Oncology Research Unit), Suiyin Cheah (Regional Trials Network Victoria).

15/10/2026

Meet the first panellists for Community Question Time (Statewide)!

Ingrid Stitt MP (Labor), Dr Sarah Mansfield (Greens) and Oskar Martin (Victorian Socialists) will join VACCHO CEO Aunty Jill Gallagher AO on the panel, which will be moderated by Uncle Charles Pakana from Victorian Aboriginal News.

Before we hit the polls on 28 November to decide the next Victorian government, we're giving you Mob a chance to ask the questions that matter to you.

Community Question Time will bring together state politicians and candidates across the political spectrum with one aim: answer your most pressing questions.

This is a FREE event – don’t miss out!

WHERE: Darebin Arts Centre, Preston
WHEN Thursday, 29 October | 6pm–8.30pm

Your voice matters. Register now via the link in our bio.

14/10/2026

VACCHO is pleased to secure funding from the Victorian Government to extend its innovative ACCO Governance Program to 2029.

This vital project was developed after it was listed as a priority by the Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Partnership Forum and an action within the first Action Plan 2023-2026.

After a successful first trial in August, a second round of training and mentoring starts on 14 November, hosted at Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative’s Booln Booln Cultural Centre.

The project is a valuable partnership between VACCHO, Koorie Youth Council and the Institute of Community Directors Australia and has a strong Knowledge Holders Group who will continue to co-design the project.

“Strong governance is vital to the foundation of strong Aboriginal organisations. Governance training builds the knowledge, confidence and leadership capabilities needed to make informed decisions, protect Community interests and create sustainable, self-determined organisations.”
- VACCHO Acting CEO, Jim O’Shea

Read the full news story here > https://www.vaccho.org.au/2026/10/12/vaccho-secures-essential-funding-to-continue-delivering-unique-victorian-acco-governance-program/