ATSIC Media Release 20 April 1999 New Link-Up training helps re-unite indigenous families 1800 730 129 - new national contact for the Stolen Generation Members of the Stolen Generation seeking to re-unite their families will benefit from a new national training program launched in Canberra today at the Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS). At the same time, a new national contact number - 1800 730 129 - has been established to allow members of the Stolen Generation to contact AIATSIS for advice on tracing and reuniting with family members. Eleven workers from the Link-Up organisations in New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland and Victoria began the four-day course, funded by ATSIC, that will give them better knowledge of the sources of family records and how to access them. The Link-Up organisations are run by and for members for the Stolen Generation to trace and reunite families separated by government policies of the past. Funded by ATSIC, the Link-Up organisations have experienced an enormous demand for their services since the Bringing Them Home report was released in May 1997. Link-Up currently operates in all states except Western Australia and South Australia, where negotiations are underway to establish local services. Members of the Stolen Generation in the Australian Capital Territory use the service in New South Wales. The Principal of AIATSIS, Russell Taylor, said the issue of family tracing and reunion is very sensitive and many people are unaware of the processes available to them. "The training is designed to assist Link-Up services improve their skills in this area and to provide detailed information on services available from AIATSIS," Mr Taylor said. "It's especially timely to launch the new training scheme and AIATSIS contact number in the lead up to the Journey of Healing on May 26 - the anniversary of the first National Sorry Day. The AIATSIS Family History Unit is an important resource for tracing indigenous families." ATSIC Chairman, Gatjil Djerrkura, said Link-Up plays an important role in helping to preserve indigenous culture and identity. "With our oral traditions, the dispersal of family members has a detrimental effect on the culture of entire communities," he said. In response to Bringing Them Home, the federal government provided $11.25 million over four years to ATSIC to establish a dedicated indigenous family tracing and reunion (Link-Up) service in each State and the Northern Territory. ATSIC has just completed an independent evaluation of existing services identifying the most appropriate models, including necessary resources, in each jurisdiction. Contacts: Russ Taylor, AIATSIS 02 6246 1111 Martin Freckmann, ATSIC 018 631 045 Craig Sproule Craig Sproule Office of Public Affairs Ph: 02 6289 3450 Fax: 02 6282 2854 [EMAIL PROTECTED] |: Paul Canning [EMAIL PROTECTED] ® http://www.rainbow.net.au/~canning >Queers for Reconciliation http://reconciliation.queer.org.au KLDF http://www.green.net.au/hindmarsh/ >QAnnounce http://announce.queer.org.au/ ------------------------------------------------------- RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/
