The 2020 Victorian Rural Health Awards is back for its 15th year. In the lead up to May, we re-visit some of our 2019 winners and their professional accomplishments.
The winner of the Aboriginal Health Award in 2019 was awarded to Eileen Alberts from Heywood. Eileen is a mentor at Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation and a Cultural Educator for Murray City County Coast (MCCC) GP Training.
“If it helps to make the world a better place then I’m all for it.“
Eileen was born and raised in Gunditjmara country near Heywood, and has resided in the area for most of her life where she has imparted her Aboriginal heritage and knowledge to hundreds of GP registrar trainees placed in the South West of Victoria. Her work with the MCCC has included running a Cultural Awareness Day for each new intake of registrars, helping to support the Medical Education Team to deliver GP training, and provided context around the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander GP Training Program.
Among the many roles Eileen holds, she is also the Vice Chairperson for the Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation; the Convenor of the Budj Bim Council; a Board Member of the First Nations legal and research services; and a member of the Yulenj Museum of Victoria.
Eileen’s passion is the sharing of cultural knowledge, and she is thankful for the support provided by the Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation and the Winda-Mara Budj Bim Rangers to help her promote reconciliation and the sharing of knowledge to coordinate the cultural awareness programs. Eileen says “if it helps to make the world a better place then I’m all for it.”
