TIS Training and Community Engagement with Wellington and Partners
I had the pleasure of visiting Tamworth with Marketing and Communications Manager Astrid Innes on April 8 and 9. As the TIS Program Officer, it was great to deliver TIS training to the incredible teams from the Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Service (WACHS) and their partners Tamworth Aboriginal Medical Service and the Regional Enterprise Development Institute. These organisations are doing amazing work delivering TIS activities across the Wellington/Dubbo, North East and North West regions of NSW.
During the two day training, we covered a range of important topics, including:
Activity Work Plans and Performance Reports
Monitoring and evaluation
Tips for planning events, building collaborations, and using different platforms effectively
It was so inspiring to see the level of passion and commitment these teams bring to their work. They’re all deeply dedicated to promoting health in their communities, raising awareness about the harms of smoking and vaping, and empowering people to make informed choices.
The ideas and conversations that came out of our sessions were a true testament to their drive and creativity.
On Thursday 10 April, we hit the road and travelled from Tamworth to Inverell, where we were lucky enough to attend the Elders Olympics. What a fantastic event! With over 360 Elders participating from across Central NSW, the atmosphere was full of energy and joy. Each year, it just keeps getting bigger and better. Some of the fun events included:
Quoits
Beanbag throw
Pass the footy
Egg and spoon race
Shooting hoops
Hockey Hats
We’d like to give a huge thank you to Tamworth Aboriginal Medical Service for hosting us so warmly. From the delicious food to the fantastic facilities and the lovely tour of beautiful Tamworth, we felt truly welcomed and appreciated every moment.
Sonette Johnson
Program Officer (QLD & NSW)
Back row: Damien Roberts (TAMS), Sonette Johnson (NBPU TIS), Tyrese Newman (WACHS), Ricky Ah-See (WACHS), Ethan Colliss (WACHS), Rachelle Shoemark (REDIE), Mark Prince (REDIE). Front row: Nathaniel Blacklock (TAMS), Talisa Stanley (WACHS)
Training day one
Training day two
Inverell Elders Olympics
Sonette Johnson and Uncle Mook from Ready. Quit. Solid.
Astrid Innes and Sonette Johnson visiting the famous Gold Guitar in Tamworth
April 29, 2025
TIS Training and Community Engagement with Wellington and Partners
I had the pleasure of visiting Tamworth with Marketing and Communications Manager Astrid Innes on April 8 and 9. As the TIS Program Officer, it was great to deliver TIS training to the incredible teams from the Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Service (WACHS) and their partners Tamworth Aboriginal Medical Service and the Regional Enterprise Development Institute. These organisations are doing amazing work delivering TIS activities across the Wellington/Dubbo, North East and North West regions of NSW.
During the two day training, we covered a range of important topics, including:
It was so inspiring to see the level of passion and commitment these teams bring to their work. They’re all deeply dedicated to promoting health in their communities, raising awareness about the harms of smoking and vaping, and empowering people to make informed choices.
The ideas and conversations that came out of our sessions were a true testament to their drive and creativity.
On Thursday 10 April, we hit the road and travelled from Tamworth to Inverell, where we were lucky enough to attend the Elders Olympics. What a fantastic event! With over 360 Elders participating from across Central NSW, the atmosphere was full of energy and joy. Each year, it just keeps getting bigger and better. Some of the fun events included:
We’d like to give a huge thank you to Tamworth Aboriginal Medical Service for hosting us so warmly. From the delicious food to the fantastic facilities and the lovely tour of beautiful Tamworth, we felt truly welcomed and appreciated every moment.
Sonette Johnson
Program Officer (QLD & NSW)