Dr. Cheryl Kickett-Tucker - ON NEIHR WEBINAR SERIES 2024/2025

Welcome to the Ontario NEIHR Webinar Series 2024/2025!

Join us on Wednesday October 16, 2024 for a hybrid installment of the Ontario NEIHR webinar series with visiting scholar Dr. Cheryl Kickett-Tucker! This is a hybrid event held at the Waakebiness Institute for Indigenous Health and on Zoom. A light lunch will be provided for those who attend in person. Please note there is limited seating available.

Presentation Title: baranginy ngalang noongar: Enhancing Children's Wellbeing Through moombaki Cultural Learnings in Schools

Abstract: This presentation details a pilot initiative focusing on the significance of Aboriginal identity for children's wellbeing through the co-developed Moombaki cultural learnings program in schools. "Moombaki," a Noongar term meaning "where the rivers meet the sky," encapsulates the program's mission to connect children with their heritage and cultural identity. While findings are limited due to the program's early implementation, initial insights underscore its critical importance for Aboriginal children and their families, particularly in light of the recent failed referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament and the ongoing challenges posed by government efforts to close the gap.

From a human rights perspective, recognising and nurturing Aboriginal identity is essential to ensuring that children have the right to access their culture and heritage. This acknowledgment is vital for their overall wellbeing, as it supports their self-esteem, resilience, and sense of belonging. A robust cultural identity enables Aboriginal children to navigate the complexities of their environment, fostering pride in their heritage and facilitating deeper connections with their communities. This connection is crucial for mental and emotional health, especially given the historical injustices and contemporary challenges faced by Aboriginal families.

The Moombaki program not only reinforces this cultural identity but also serves as a vital support system during a time of increased uncertainty and marginalisation for Aboriginal communities. By prioritising cultural education, we aim to empower students, uphold their human rights, foster resilience, and cultivate a sense of pride, ultimately contributing to healthier and more connected communities.

Speaker Biography: Professor Kickett-Tucker is a highly respected Traditional Owner, social scientist, community development practitioner and children’s fiction author. She is a proud Wadjuk Noongar Yorga from Western Australia with traditional ties to Ballardong and Yued peoples. She was in inaugural convenor of First Nations and Educational Research in the School of Education at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia. Cheryl is an Adjunct Professor at the Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Michigan State University (USA); Board member of Netball Australia, Western Australian Institute of Sport and Healthways. She is also the Chair of her father’s legacy, Koya Aboriginal Corporation. Her research interests include sense of self, Aboriginal identity and self-esteem of Aboriginal children, including the development of a series of culturally appropriate instruments for racial identity and self-esteem across the lifespan. Cheryl has worked with Australian Aboriginal people all her life in the fields of education, sport and health. Her research interests include sense of self, Aboriginal identity and self-esteem of Aboriginal children, including the development of a series of culturally appropriate instruments.

Cheryl is currently the lead investigator on Moombaki Cultural Learnings: Strengthening Aboriginal children’s wellbeing and educational outcomes by connecting urban children to identity, culture, country and kin awarded by the Australian Research Council; Balanginy: A pilot to develop a tool measuring Aboriginal students’ successes as Aboriginal people in school settings, commissioned by the WA Department of Education and Weeip Maali Boodja: Closing the Gap in Swan, commissioned by WA Mental Health Commission and National Indigenous Australians Agency. She is also currently a co-investigator on a Healthway and NHMRC funded project Yawardani Jan-ga: Equite Assisted Learning for Aboriginal youth and more recently, Young Minds Our Future: Mental Health and Wellbeing of Australian Children and Young People. Other projects led by Cheryl included Guthoo Kalgoorlie Youth Project commissioned by National Indigenous Australians Agency; IRISE (Racial Identity and Self Esteem) awarded a National Health and Medical Council Fellowship; Beyond blue national priority research grant for Maambart Maam Aboriginal perinatal mental health.

In the recent past, Cheryl was a co-investigator on NHMRC Partnership Grant Ngulluk Koolunga Ngulluk Koort (Supporting Strong Aboriginal Children); Healthway funded projects Belong (Ear Health for Aboriginal Children) and Solid Kids Solid Schools II study; and Too Solid Aboriginal Parenting Program funded by NHMRC.

She is a former National Women’s Basketball league player, State Basketball League player and captain and coach with over 30 years playing and coaching experience. In 2020, she was awarded the Queen’s Birthday Honours as a Member of the Order of Australia significant service to tertiary education and the Aboriginal community and in 2019 she was honoured with Australian of the Year, Western Australian Local Hero Award for her work - Kaat Koort n Hoops a basketball lifestyle program for 4-18 year-old Aboriginal and vulnerable children and young people.