A celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, their culture, history and achievement, NAIDOC Week is held annually in July. This year, from Sunday 4th July to Sunday 11th July. It is an opportunity to check in with and support your local community, participate in a range of activities and connect with Australians from all walks of life.
This years theme is – ‘Heal Country!’.
Country is more than the physical place and encompasses aspects of spirituality, emotion, culture and social identity. This theme is a call to recognise and protect, all aspects of Country, culture and heritage.
Audeara are proud to have been founded and currently operating on Turrbal Country. Our work relates to a major health problem in ATSI peoples. Ear disease and associated hearing loss has large and reaching effects on childhood development, education, employment and overall health.1
We are committed to closing the gaps in access and care, improving hearing health and reducing instances of preventable hearing loss for all Australians.
Our strategy includes existing features and development work to:
- Improve access to audiology screening and monitoring for remote communities.
- Provide an accessible system for remote learning and communication, for use at school, work and home.
- Provide compatibility with existing sound field and FM systems in public schools.
- Volume limiter for paediatric use.
- Access to Audeara products through existing government funded programs and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
- Ongoing public education in the spaces of hearing health, safe-listening practices and the importance of hearing preservation.
ATSI peoples can access additional hearing services under the Community Service Obligation (CSO) component of the Governments Hearing Services Program (HSP)2. In addition to anyone who already meets existing eligibility criteria, ATSI persons aged over 50 years of age are eligible for hearing services through Hearing Australia.
For more information on the prevalence, prevention and management of ear disease and hearing loss in ATSI groups, check out some of our favourite resources below!
- Care for Kids Ears
- Queensland Government: Keeping Kids Healthy and Strong!
- Queensland Health: Deadly Ears Resource Page
- Look after Kids Ears
For more information on NAIDOC Week and or to find an event near you, visit the NAIDOC Week website .
1 Ear disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children, 2014
2 Australian Government Department of Health, Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Peoples.
