Turning conversations into care

Across Rockhampton, Mount Morgan and Central Highlands (Blackwater and Emerald), Bidgerdii Community Health Service has been operating for over 30 yeas, providing a broad range of health and wellbeing services, and children and family services, to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living across Darumbal, Gaangalu and Ghungulu Country.

Ask Bidgerdii CEO Marissa Smith what drives the organisation, however, and she doesn't begin with the clinics. She begins with conversations.

‘Getting out and about, talking to community and connecting – that's the part of the role I love,’ says Marissa, a proud Barada Kabalbara woman. ‘Those conversations turn into action. People let us know how they're going, and that helps us understand what's working and, more importantly, where any gaps may be and how we can better respond.’

At Bidgerdii, care doesn't stop at a GP visit. Depending on a person's needs and stage of life, that care may extend to allied health and visiting specialists, mental health and social and emotional wellbeing support, NDIS services, and Elder care. It may also extend to services and programs delivered through Bidgerdii’s Children and Family Centre to support children, young people and their families.

Elders leading the way

Elders play a vital role in keeping culture and knowledge strong and passing it down through generations. Supporting their health and wellbeing is therefore a priority for Bidgerdii.

When Bidgerdii heard that some Elders were experiencing loneliness and disconnection, it listened and responded by creating opportunities for people to come together, have a yarn, connect and stay active.

What began as a program aimed at addressing loneliness and disconnection among Elders has grown into a vibrant and expanding social calendar. It now includes weekly gatherings of 30 to 40 Elders, with numbers continuing to grow, quarterly 'Golden Oldies’ themed days, grocery bingo, traditional games, sewing and arts and crafts groups, and many other activities.

‘The feedback was around how lonely and disconnected they'd become,’ Marissa says. ‘Coming to these groups has become the outing they look forward to each week. It's really improved their mental health and wellbeing.’

The Elders' sewing group also entered a quilt they had created in the Yeppoon Show, where it received a Highly Commended award.

Many of today's Elders were founding members of Bidgerdii, or are the children of those who helped establish the organisation that now cares for them.

Addressing wellbeing through human connection also led Elders and Program Manager Lauren Noller to create Aunty Molly's Story, a book that brings together Elders' own experiences of dementia to create a resource other families can relate to.

Support for every age and stage

Bidgerdii's programs for children, young people and families focus on strengthening connection to community, sharing stories and supporting strong cultural identity.
The Children and Family Centre runs playgroups on Country, open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous children, and supports children and families through early intervention services, including speech therapy, while helping young children prepare for school and to achieve their developmental milestones.

The Deadly Choices team, staffed by Bidgerdii's next generation of employees, takes healthy lifestyle messaging, including smoking cessation and healthy eating, into local schools. The team also regularly attends community days and Elders’ events to enhance wellbeing and connection across the community.

Bidgerdii's Journey to Wellness camps provide an opportunity for men, women and families to step away from the demands of everyday life, disconnect from and technology and reconnect with Country. Marissa says this is increasingly important, particularly for the many women and aunties within community who give so much of themselves to others.

Relationships at the centre

Bidgerdii takes its role as a community-controlled health organisation seriously – something Marissa says will never change.

The way staff are recruited and supported reflects this principle. Local Traditional Owners provide cultural awareness training, and every new staff member is supported to learn about the Country and communities in which they work.

‘It's not about ticking boxes or building empires,’ Marissa says. ‘We align ourselves with organisations and people that share the same passion and values as we do. Community work isn't a 9-to-5 job. It's so much more.’

This approach has helped Bidgerdii build strong and lasting relationships – both within the organisation and within the communities it serves. These relationships help break down barriers and support equitable access to health and wellbeing services.

‘It's that real, strong relationship-building,’ Marissa says. ‘We genuinely care for our community members and want the best for them, and they see that.’
For Marissa, the drive to keep building comes down to family as much as governance. Her mother, Amy, was also CEO of Bidgerdii many years ago, and her recent passing has further strengthened Marissa's sense of purpose in the role.

‘She was a remarkable woman and a wonderful CEO – someone who was truly there for our people and who laid a strong foundation for our organisation during its early years,’ Marissa says. ‘We're continuing her legacy by making sure our mob are listened to, feel valued and have access to culturally safe and appropriate care at all stages of their lives.

‘We are a professionally governed and operated organisation that, at its core, is community-controlled. That will never change. We are proud to be an organisation run by community, for community.’