NAIDOC Week at DPV Health

NAIDOC Week 2026 – Celebrating Culture, Connection and Community

Last week, DPV Health staff joined communities across Hume, Whittlesea and Mitchell to celebrate NAIDOC Week 2026 and recognise the strength, resilience and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Our teams attended a number of local events, including Northern Health’s Aboriginal Flag Raising Event, where we heard from community leaders and Elders about the importance of cultural safety, partnership and improving health outcomes for Aboriginal communities.

We were also proud to partner with Hume City Council at their NAIDOC Ball celebrations, providing children’s activities and engaging local Koorie face painters – young Aboriginal women who shared culture through traditional face painting. We very much enjoyed a fantastic performance by local Aboriginal band the Stray Blacks, which brought people together through music, culture and stories.

On Friday, 10 July, we had the opportunity to continue our learning through an internal Lunch and Learn session with Alicia Arden – proud Aboriginal woman, powerlifting champion, mother, and mentor.

From overcoming personal challenges to representing her community on the national stage, Alicia shared a powerful message: “Don’t give up. Find other ways. Believe.” Her story is a reminder of what can be achieved through resilience, determination and the support of community.

You can watch the video here: https://youtu.be/fJrYBmGQYIU

NAIDOC Week is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate culture, listen, learn and strengthen connections. It also reminds us of our ongoing commitment to improving health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by creating culturally safe services, building strong partnerships and elevating Aboriginal voices within our organisation and community.