WACOSS, the Health Consumers’ Council and the Department of Health invite you to attend a networking event: The role of Community Connectors and Navigators in a Healthy WA.

Over the afternoon, we will listen to a short panel discussion focused on the role of community connection in improving community health and wellbeing. The panel will be hosted by Health Consumers’ Council Executive Director, Clare Mullen, and will provide an opportunity to hear from:

Professor Samar Aoun AM – Professor Samar Aoun is Perron Institute Research Chair in Palliative Care at The University of Western Australia. She is an inspirational champion for improved palliative care and greatly respected for her leadership and advocacy for a public health approach to palliative care and grief support, with greater community involvement. Prof Aoun led the compassionate connectors program in the South West of WA, which demonstrated a significant improvement in social connectedness and a reduction in hospital admissions. In a voluntary capacity, Professor Aoun is co-founder and chair of the WA South West Compassionate Communities Network , and more recently the founder and chair of the national body Compassionate Communities Australia.

Jane Harwood – Right across Australia, there are dedicated community spaces where people gather, connect, learn and grow. These places are known by many names: neighbourhood centres, family centres, learning centres, community centres and community resource centres. Linkwest is the peak association for these organisations in WA. People who engage with their local Centre tend to be happier, more optimistic, have increased emotional wellbeing, and are more connected. All of which makes for stronger, healthier communities. As CEO at Linkwest Jane is driven by a belief in the power of community, recognising that by asking what is possible and not what is wrong, the strengths of people and place become the foundation for social connection and belonging. Jane has a background in stakeholder engagement and operations management in the primary care sector.

Amanda Muir - Amanda Muir is the CEO of Alike WA (formerly ConnectGroups), the peak body representing peer-led support groups in Western Australia. With more than 10 years of experience in the peer support sector, Amanda is deeply committed to advancing community-driven initiatives that help individuals maintain well-being within their communities. During her time at Alike WA, Amanda has played a key role in social prescribing programs, which aim to connect individuals, families, and carers with place-based community supports. As the representative body for peer support groups, Alike WA advocates on behalf of a unique and significant sector of community-based, peer-led groups that assist vulnerable populations through shared experience.

The panel will be followed by a series of spotlight presentations on connector projects currently underway in WA – including the Albany Connected Communities Project, the Health Navigator Pilot, Citizen Connectors Program, and the Kiind Peer Navigator Network.

Following the presentations, attendees will have an opportunity to network with other organisations interested in how connector and navigator models can help to build a healthy WA.

While this is an in-person event, an online link can be arranged for regional and remote attendees. Please make a note of this in your registration