Victorian Aboriginal Health Service -VAHS

23/11/2025

We're hiring a medical receptionist to join our South Morang team! ☎️

If you are interested in a medical administration position, are a people person, and want to contribute to an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation in a role that genuinely makes a difference, check out the position description - https://bit.ly/4o7cF26

This is a casual role and is open to Mob only 🖤💛❤️

If you're interested, send your cover letter and resume to employment@vahs.org.au by Sunday 7 December 📆

22/11/2025

Our friends at ILBIJERRI Theatre Company have two deadly shows, Scar Trees and Goodbye Aunty Flo, at Malthouse Theatre next week 🎭

Scar Trees is a story about complex family dynamics adapted by ILBIJERRI from an original play by Decland Furber Gillick, highlighting transgenerational challenges First Nations Communities face, showing from November 26-28 👪

Goodbye Aunty Flow by Nazeree Dickerson talks about all things women's business, and will have you in stitches as it explores the experiences of First Nations women navigating menopause, showing from November 28-29 🩸

Head to the link in the shared post to book your tickets 🎟

20/11/2025

Want to win an ACE prize? 👀

Thanks to VAHS and Deadly Choices, you and a mate could be heading to the 2026 Australian Open in style 🎾

All you need to do is have had, or book in your 715 Health Check at VAHS between January 2025 and December 2025 and fill in the form before 12 December - https://bit.ly/481GD2I 🩺

Our winner will score a double pass to the Australian Open First Nations Day, travel vouchers and two nights' accommodation in Melbourne, a dinner with Deadly Choices ambassadors, and a hit in the court with Tennis Australia ambassadors 🥎

Good luck! 🤞🍀

❗ T&Cs: Winner must be Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, an active VAHS client, willing and able to travel to Melbourne, and able to provide photo ID. This competition is not endorsed by or affiliated with Facebook.

19/11/2025

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas 🤶🏾

Our Sista Stuff group for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women aged 15-25 is having a special advent calendar workshop right in time for festive season 🎄

Sign up via the QR code to us on Thursday 4 December at Bridge Darebin from 11am-2pm 🎁

Call Sharyn (0431 016 387) or Michele (0431 586 892) for more info ☎️

18/11/2025

📆 SAVE THE DATE

The VAHS AGM will be held next Friday, 28 November from 10am at Epping Mantra 🧑‍⚖️

❗️Community, please note that all VAHS sites will be CLOSED on Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th for our staff in service and AGM.

If you need urgent support, contact Yarning Safe N Strong on 1800 959 563 ☎️

All VAHS Members are invited to attend the AGM. If you're not a member yet but would like to be, you can apply with us on the day.

17/11/2025

Walking for a cause 👟

Members of our Fitzroy medical team embraced the World Diabetes Day 2025 theme of "know more and do more for diabetes at work", wearing a splash of blue and taking a walk to promote healthy lifestyles and supporting people living with diabetes 💙

16/11/2025

📢 WE'RE HIRING! 📢

If you have always wanted to work for an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and truly make a difference, VAHS is recruiting in the following roles:

🧠Child Pschiatrist (Preston based): https://bit.ly/3LzPAYp

🩺 Registered Nurse (South Morang based): https://bit.ly/48abTwx

🧑‍⚕️Aboriginal Health Practitioner) (South Morang based, identified position): https://bit.ly/47NuUFb

🧑‍🎓 Social and Emotional Wellbeing Traineeships x2 (Preston based, identified positions): https://bit.ly/4hT8PrQ

To apply for any of these positions, send your resume and cover letter to employment@vahs.org.au by Sunday 30 November 📆

13/11/2025

Friday 14 November is World Diabetes Day 💉

Sir Frederick Banting, the co-founder of insulin, was born on 14 November, so every year people around the world mark the day by wearing blue and advocating for care and support for people living with diabetes 💙

Diabetes doesn't discriminate, in can effect any one at any point of their life, but we do know that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are nearly four times as likely to be impacted by it 🖤💛❤️

Here are some more facts about diabetes and what we're doing here at VAHS to support Community members living with the disease ➡️

12/11/2025

HUGE for VAHS' Preventative Health Unit The Koori Way 👏

Our team, in collaboration with Mo Works won a Creative Victoria Premier's Design Award in the Communication Design category 🏆

🏆WINNER WINNER 🏆

Flip The V**e has WON a Creative Victoria Premier's Design Award in the Communication Design category 🥇

"While Flip The V**e is a public health campaign, it also exemplifies key principles of circular and sustainable design... to serve as a long-term, adaptable platform rather than a one-off communication effort," the judging criteria read.

Flip The V**e, which is a collaboration between The Koori Way and Mo Works, beat out finalists including Nike, Museums Victoria, and Lifeblood.

Flip the V**e - just do it 😉 read more: https://bit.ly/4nUaGhF

12/11/2025

Registrations for the 2026 Family Mixed Netball Carnival, supported by VAHS and The Koori Way are now OPEN ❗️

Get your team together and join us on Sunday 22 February 2026 📆

Register now, all teams signed up by 18 December will receive FREE uniforms! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QG5YSTH

❗️Save the date 📆

The Family Mixed Netball Carnival Carnival brought to you Victorian Aboriginal Health Service -VAHS and The Koori Way will be back in 2026, on Sunday 22 February 🏐

We had a record number of 21 teams last year and we'd love to beat that, so get your team together and register NOW - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QG5YSTH 🔗

The Koori Way will provide FREE uniforms for every team registered by 18 December 2025 🎽

09/11/2025

Do you want to head to the 2026 Australian Open in style? 🎾

Thanks to Deadly Choices and VAHS, one lucky VAHS client and a friend will have their chance to!

Our lucky winner will receive –

🥎 A double pass to the Australian Open First Nations Day on Wednesday 21 January, plus access to other First Nations Day activities

🥎 Travel vouchers and two nights accommodation in Melbourne

🥎 A special dinner with Deadly Choices ambassadors

🥎 A hit on the court with Tennis Australia ambassadors

If you have had or will have a 715 Health Check at VAHS between January 2025 and December 2025, you are eligible to sign up via the link and WIN before Friday 12 December - https://bit.ly/481GD2I

❗ T&Cs: Winner must be Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, an active VAHS client, willing and able to travel to Melbourne, and able to provide photo ID. This competition is not endorsed by or affiliated with Facebook.

06/11/2025

Today is two years since the decriminalisation of public intoxication was legislated ⚖️

This was one of the key recommendations into the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, replacing a criminal response with a health based one.

VAHS leads the Public Intoxication Response via our Centralised Services unit, overseeing intake, referral, and dispatch 24/7 phone service and assessing calls from first responders and health professionals to dispatch appropriate support to the person in need.

Since inception two years ago, we have:

🖤 Received 8,133 calls
💛 Supported referrals for 3,759 Victorians, either dispatching them to safe sobering facilities or transporting them home
❤️ Helped those beyond our Community, of the 3,759 supports, 1,050 were Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples
🖤 Collaborated with multiple Aboriginal Community Controlled organisations and one mainstream organisation to service 10 regions
💛 Introduced a 24/7 alcohol and other drug advice line, preventing countless overdoses and providing culturally-safe, non-judgemental advice
❤️ Decreased emergency department presentations
🖤 And most importantly, we have not seen an Aboriginal death in custody as a result of public intoxication since the program began

This vital program demonstrates what we already knew at VAHS; health-based responses by Community for Community work.