Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO)

VACCHO is at heart and by constitution an Aboriginal community organisation. Our Aboriginality is intrinsic to our identity, essential to our communities and part of our world. Aboriginal culture is ancient and contemporary, dynamic, strong, vulnerable and valuable. Our Members’ cultural identities are an important source of strength and this informs our ways of working and our integrity. An understanding of Aboriginal culture is important to partners who wish to engage with us effectively and as equals. We view cultural identity as part of our strength as representatives of the Aboriginal community. Embracing our culture and our identity serves to strengthen inclusion, understanding and health. Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) have a proud history as sustainable, grassroots organisations that assist in building community capacity for self-determination. ACCHOs are committed to assisting every Aboriginal person to realise their full potential as a human being and as a member of their community. VACCHO believes that each Aboriginal community needs its own community based, locally owned, culturally appropriate and adequately resourced primary health care facility.