Our Community

Our community is comprised of many rich and diverse partnerships. Click on one of the groups below or scroll down to view a list of our significant partnerships. See our links page for a list of other Indigenous and health-related organisations.

Kulin Nation
We are honoured at Onemda to have a strong relationship with the CUSTODIANS of the land on which we work and live—the Kulin Nation. We maintain regular relationships with Aunty Joy Murphy-Wandin (Wurundjeri) and others, and invite them to be a part of our vision, planning and work regularly. Onemda is a word given to us by Aunty Joy, which means 'love'.

Community Partners

Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation
The Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) is the peak body representing Aboriginal community controlled health organisations around Victoria. It is a key partner of Onemda's, and we have formalised our links through a Memorandum of Understanding. We continue to work with VACCHO through community development, teaching, and research initiatives.

Koorie Heritage Trust Inc.
The Koorie Heritage Trust Inc is a not-for-profit Aboriginal community organisation that aims to raise an awareness and appreciation of the cultural diversity of Koorie culture in south-eastern Australia through activities such as art workshops, training, cultural tours and exhibitions. Onemda are proud to be associated with the Trust, who assist us in teaching, research and working in the communit. In return, we support the Trust with their culture, community and heritage objectives.

Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative
Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-operative Ltd (RAC) is a Community-Controlled organisation responsible for programs relating to cultural heritage, health, housing, education and justice issues in the Greater Goulburn Valley, Hume and Binjurru Regions in central Victoria.

Rumbalara Football and Netball Club
Rumbalara Football and Netball Club is a sporting club based in the Aboriginal and Greater Shepparton community in central Victoria. The success of the club extends far beyond the sporting arena to improvements in the physical and emotional health, education and employment of Rumbalara's members and their families.

Victorian Aboriginal Health Service
VAHS is an Aboriginal community controlled health organisation in Fitzroy (inner city Melbourne). It has an annually elected Aboriginal boards, and a majority of Aboriginal staff and management, including Aboriginal health workers.

Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative
The Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative Limited in North Geelong is the legislated body to deal with cultural heritage issues within the Wathaurong area. The Co-operative is a key means by which the Wathaurong people are maintaining their cultural identity.

Research Partners

The Lowitja Institute
Royal Children's Hospital
Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
Urapuntja Health Service
Baker – IDI Heart and Diabetes Research Institute (Alice Springs)
Menzies School of Health Research
Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand
Centre for Excellent in Indigenous Tobacco Control
Australian Indigenous Doctors' Association

University Partners

La Trobe University
Deakin University
Monash University
University of Western Sydney
University of Tasmania
James Cook University
University of Sydney
University of Western Australia
Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education (LIME) Network
Murrup Barak – Melbourne Institute for Indigenous Development

International Partners

Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR)
University of British Columbia, Canada
National Aboriginal Health Organisation, Canada
Auckland University, New Zealand
University of Otago, New Zealand
TeOra (Maori Medical Practitioners Association), New Zealand
Umea University, Sweden
Tromso University, Norway
University of Michigan, USA

Our Funders

The University of Melbourne
Onemda is located at the Centre for Health Equity within the School of Population and Global Health in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences. Onemda enjoys strong institutional support from the University, andwe thank our colleagues for their commitment and dedication to our work.

Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
The Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (OATSIH) within the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has been a key partner of Onemda's from inception, and continues to support our work on an on-going basis. We thank OATSIH for their excellence and support of our contributions to Koori health.

VicHealth
The Victorian Health Promotion Foundation Limited (VicHealth) was instrumental in the establishment of Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit. Without its support in the initial and on-going stages, Onemda would not exist today. We thank VicHealth for its vision and strong support not only of Onemda, but of Koori health initiatives generally.

The Lowitja Institute
The Lowitja Institute – Australia's National Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Health Research is an innovative research body that brings together Aboriginal organisations, academic institutions and government agencies to facilitate collaborative, evidence-based research into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. The Institute is named after our Patron, Dr Lowitja O'Donoghue, AC CBE DSG.

National Health and Medical Research Council
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is Australia's peak body for supporting health and medical research; for developing health advice for the Australian community, health professionals and governments; and for providing advice on ethical behaviour in health care and in the conduct of health and medical research.

Australian Research Council
The Australian Research Council (ARC) funds nationally competitive high quality research projects, programs and training in all disciplines except clinical sciences and dentistry. Its mission is to deliver policy and programs that advance Australian research and innovation globally and benefit the community.

Department of Human Services, Victoria
The Department of Human Services (DHS) is committed to enhancing and protecting the health and well being of all Victorians, emphasising vulnerable groups and those most in need. It has responsibility for Koori health and provides funding for Koori health research projects.

Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand
Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand is the peak representative body for the Deans of eighteen Australian and two New Zealand medical schools and faculties. It funds the Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education (LIME) Network which was hosted by Onemda from 2004–14.