‘A Place for Mob and a Place for Me in Optometry’
A safe space for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people journeying into optometry to connect, yarn, collaborate and network. Unpacking meaningful resources that mob could find valuable when seeking career pathways toward optometry.
A Place for Mob and a Place for Me in Optometry Project
Your story through your ‘lens’ could ‘see’ more mob in eye care careers!
Hey you mob! Thanks for being curious about this space, too deadly!
You might be wondering...
What’s the purpose?
- To hold safe spaces for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people journeying into optometry to connect, yarn, collaborate and network
- To unpack meaningful resources that mob could find valuable when seeking career pathways toward optometry
What’s the ‘vision’?
We want to ‘see’ more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in eye care roles and to create a sense of: ‘A Place for Mob and a Place for Me in Optometry’ – now & into the future.
Who's involved?
 Sara Carrison |  Shaun Tatipata |  Kylie Clarke |
Sara Carrison - Ngarrindjeri woman, Optometrist and Policy and Education Committee Member (Optometry Board of Australia). (read more here)
Shaun Tatipata - Wuthathi and Ngarrindjeri man, Aboriginal Health Practitioner and Director of the Deadly Vision Centre. (read more here)
Kylie Clarke - Gunditjmara, Wotjobaluk, Ngarrindjeri & Muandik woman & A Place for Mob, a Place for Me’ Project Lead; IEHU. (read more here)
Mitchell Anjou - White fella settler optometrist and public health professor, Director IEHU. (read more here)
What’s involved?
- Self-reflections of your student journey & experiences
- Connections & initial 1-on-1 yarnz with Project Lead Kylie via phone/zoom
- Connection yarnz, sharing reflections and workshopping creative ideas with mob journeying into optometry & working in optometry/eye care (via Zoom or in person where possible)
How's this valuable?
- Strengthen connection to Country & to self with your ‘Connection to Country’ sensory gift pack
- Create/strengthen connections with mob walking the journey - your future networks
- Connect & yarn with mob working and leading in Aboriginal eye health & eye care
- Feel heard and appreciated in sharing your journey
- Sponsorship to attend the 2024 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference on nipaluna country (Hobart, Tasmania)
How do I enquire / get involved?
Reach out to us for more info by sending an email to kylie.clarke@unimelb.edu.au
If you’ve reached this point, you’ll know how many ‘eye-related puns’ there are in this 😉
This project is led by mob and supported by the Indigenous Eye Health Unit at The University of Melbourne and Optometry Australia.
This artwork represents workforce capacity, cultural safety & collaboration and derives from a larger piece created by Bangerang/Wiradjuri brothers Casey and Matty Atkinson. "The symbols in each community circle represent the areas in eye health that we are aiming to strengthen across all of our communities."
Read the full story in the Summary Report Evaluating the progress and effectiveness of regional implementation of The Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision (prepared by IEHU, May 2022).
