Build 'Em Up

‘Senior citizens are the backbone of a town and important for social cohesion. They are not data but living, breathing people who have value. We need to make sure that they age in dignity,’ said Lesley Bryce, Founder of Bell Cares, joining our podcast in episode 29.Bell Cares, on Queensland’s Western Downs, assists seniors to access Home Care Packages. They listened to the needs of their community and created an innovative model of care for their ageing population. Employment of local people ...

“When a farm man or woman comes into an ED with a chest pain, ‘how long have you had it ’, is an important question,” says Susan Brumby, Clinical Professor of the Faculty of Health, School of Medicine at Deakin University. “Often they have continued to work or do things before coming in,” she added. Professor Brumby joins us in Episode 28 of Build ‘Em Up to speak about the importance of health professionals’ cultural competence to deliver the best health outcomes for farm people. She spe...

In Episode 27 of Build ‘Em Up, we chat to Matt Linnegar, Chief Executive of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation. He talks about the need to redefine the word ‘resilience’ for rural communities; to go beyond the meaning of ‘bouncing back’ to ‘bouncing forward’ that gives room to imagine their own future.Matt is a Fellow of the Australian Rural Leadership Program and the first Fellow to lead the organisation. He was the Chief Executive Officer of the National Farmers’ Federation and...

In Episode 26 of Build ‘Em Up, we chat to Timmy Duggan, Founder of Hoops 4 Health. Born and bred in Darwin, Timmy was the first person from the Northern Territory to play in the National Basketball League (NBL), and the only Indigenous Australian to play in the NBL during the 1990s. Hoops 4 Health combines basketball skills and health activities. It encourages young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people to focus on their health and wellbeing. It also aims to build resilience am...

In Episode 25 of Build ‘Em Up, we chat to Dr Alison Kennedy, Director of the National Centre for Farmer Health. Dr Kennedy is a behavioural scientist who has lived and worked in Victoria’s rural farming community for almost two decades. Her expertise in rural farmer mental health and suicide prevention has drawn on a range of innovative techniques, including digital interventions, digital storytelling, community education programs and peer-support models. Dr Kennedy has led nu...

In Episode 24 of Build ‘Em Up, we chat to Caitlin Breheny, Founder and Director of Connect Paediatric Therapy Services, an inter-, multi- and transdisciplinary allied health service that has seen a major increase in demand in the remote Pilbara and Kimberley regions of Western Australia. With a background in early intervention and disability as a speech pathologist, Caitlin identified a disturbing gap in allied health services for families in the most isolated regions of Australia. Bein...

In Episode 23 of Build ‘Em Up, we chat to Judith Meiklejohn, Senior Impact Manager, First Nations Communities, at Orange Sky Australia. Judith has a background in public health, health research, development practice and oral health, and has been working with rural and remote Aboriginal communities for over 15 years.Judith’s core role involves creating partnerships with community-controlled organisations to provide essential services and a safe space for connection, with the aim of improv...

In Episode 22 of Build ‘Em Up, we chat to Sarah Parsons, the Creative Producer and CEO of Outback Theatre for Young People (OTYP) in Deniliquin. OTYP engages with young people from regional and remote communities to create distinctive contemporary theatre through collaborative processes. The projects create an inclusive and supportive creative environment, where young people have the opportunity to give voice and value to their ideas and promote their health and wellbeing.Most of Sarah’s...

In Episode 21 of Build ‘Em Up, we chat to Dr Jennifer (Jenny) May, Director of the University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health. Jenny oversees the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training (RHMT) Program in North Western NSW, the Tablelands and on the North Coast. Complimentary to her UONDRH position, Jenny maintains an active clinical practice. She is engaged at a local not-for-profit GP practice dedicated to improving rural health options through recruitment and training.&nbs...

In Episode 20 of Build ‘Em Up, we chat to Mary O’Brien, founder, director and CEO of Are You Bogged Mate?, a charity that helps country men talk about mental health and suicide. Mary is a passionate advocate for agriculture, was raised on the land and has worked with, for and beside country men - most importantly, she knows how to talk to them! Are You Bogged Mate? connects country men with lifesaving support services and enables prevention and early-intervention for mental health and wellbei...