The Tjungu Team

Disability and Ageing are big issues for Anangu and effect almost every family.

Providing assistance to people with disabilities & old people has always been seen as a very high priority by Anangu and has received huge support.

When Women’s Council first started, it was important to educate governments and agencies about Anangu needs as well as trying to get more services.

This advocacy work has to be juggled with casework.

The “Tjungu Team” means everyone all together.

This means that aged, disability and mental health issues often overlap and caseworkers need to work together to discuss common issues.

Because of this overlap these projects have formed a disability, mental health and aged care & respite team– otherwise known as the Tjungu team to ensure that the services we  provide to Anangu are well organized, effective and not duplicated.

Tjungu Team Projects

• Disability Advocacy
• Aged Advocacy
• HACC  Aged Support  APY Lands
• SA/NT Disability Services
• Ngaanyatjarra Disability Services
• Emotional and Social Wellbeing
• Ngangkari Work
• Carer Respite
• Cross Border Carer Respite Centre
• Ninti

Aims of the Tjungu Team

1. Assist Anangu with disabilities, the aged and their carers to have a good life and feel happy in their communities.

2. Support families and other carers to look after Anangu with disabilities and the aged properly.

3. Ensure that Anangu culture, Law and ideas guide Tjungu Team practice.

4. Support Anangu with disabilities, the aged and their carers by advocating their needs.

5. Support Anangu with disabilities, the aged and their carers maintain spiritual and physical links.

6. Endorse the right of Anangu with disabilities and the aged to live in their communities so that family and relationships can be maintained.

7. Assist Anangu with disabilities, the aged and their carers to get “proper help” (services). ”Proper help” may be provided by people’s families, their community or from outside the community (where appropriate).

8. Ensure that assistance for Anangu is well planned and coordinated.

9. Inform Anangu with disabilities, the aged and carers about what help is available, how to get it and how to keep it.

10. Inform Anangu with disabilities, the aged and carers of their rights with respect to access to services, mechanisms for making complaints, consent to collect and/or pass on relevant information and confidentiality & privacy.

11. Ensure Anangu with disabilities, the aged and their carers control what services they want, what services are rejected and the mix of services that best suits them.

12. Ensure that Anangu with disabilities, the aged and carers have the right to regular reviews of any plans set up to help them.

13. Achieve good communication by always working in accordance with the Malparara way of working.

14. Regularly review and if necessary modify the malparara model to ensure it works effectively for all Tjungu Team workers.

15. Develop plans with Anangu with disabilities, the aged and their carers and be willing to put those plans into practice. Check regularly to see if the plan is working, needs changing etc.

16. Educate other services, government agencies and community councils about the above principles  and the philosophy to maximize the success of Tjungu Team’s work.

© 2007 Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Women's Council (Aboriginal Corporation)

© 2007 Computers & Data