Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation
About Us
"Culture is at the heart of all we do here at CHAC. It informs our operations and guides our direction" - Selina Maguire-Colgrave, Chairperson
Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation (CHAC) became incorporated in 1994.
​CHAC is governed by the Corporations Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (CATSI) Act. As a registered Aboriginal organisation, CHAC is regulated by the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) as per the CATSI Act.
Since 1994, CHAC has grown from a small group to an organisation that employs 50+ staff across 18 programs as well as administration staff and volunteers. This growth has developed alongside community need and opportunity.
The organisation now operates out of five destinations: The CHAC main office at 10 King St, the Cultural Information Centre next door, the Health Centre across the road at 165 Nelson St, the most recent acquisition, 20 King Street, as well as Trawmanna, which are our grounds at 73 Mella Road.
​Ultimately, CHAC has grown into an organisation whose mission is to embrace our culture to inspire and empower Aboriginal people. We are a supportive body for the Aboriginal community of Circular Head to seek counsel from, learn from, be aided by, be inspired by and concurrently grow with.
Further to representing the Aboriginal people of Circular Head, CHAC continuously aim to represent the 9 tribes of the North West region. Their cultures, languages and histories inform our everyday practices as an organisation and every day lives as a community.
Acknowledgement of Country
The Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation and tarkiner acknowledge the traditional owners and continuing custodians of Northwest Tasmania. We honor their sacred connection to this land, skies, and seas, and the care they continue to offer to this Country. We also recognise the contemporary custodians of this Country and their dedication to preserving and promoting the culture, history, and heritage of the first people to leave their footsteps on this land.
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We acknowledge the 12 tribes of the Northwest:
The Tommeginer people of Table Cape
The Lowreenner people of Rocky Cape
The Parperloihener people of Robbins Island
The Pennemuker people of Cape Grim
The Pendowte people of Studland Bay
The Peerapper people of West Point
The Manegin people of Arthur River
The Tarkiner people of Sandy Cape
The Peternidic people of the mouth of the Pieman River
The Mimegin people of Macquarie Harbour
The Lowgernown people of Low Rocky Point
The Ninene people of Port Davey
Our Structure
Meet The Team
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Peter Benson
General Manager
Contact me about general enquiries directly relating to the organisation and the Northwest Aboriginal Community.
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Rochelle Godwin
Communications & Engagement Manager
Language Manager
Contact me about any consultation and engagement requests.
Contact me regarding an media enquiries.
Contact me regarding Language.
Stephanie Johnston
Executive Secretary & Administration Manager
Contact me about any administrative enquiries directly relating to the organisation.
Leonie Holland
Aged Care Manager
Contact me about any matters relating to the Aged Care sector and the services that we offer.
Camilla Woolley
Culture Manager
Contact me about cultural enquiries, from engagement through to participation.
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Kara Thomas
Finance Manager
Contact me about any matters relating to the finance.
Meet The Board
Why we do what we do
Mission Statement
"To embrace our culture to inspire and empower Aboriginal people"
Our Vision
Culture
"Acknowledging and respecting the voices of our past to ensures that Aboriginal people can take lessons learned that enable them to live and prosper as a proud Aboriginal".
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Inspiration
"CHAC enables all Aboriginal people to live a fulfilling life through Identity and the delivery of creative and innovative programs and services that inspires self-determination and confidence".
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Empowerment
"CHAC empowers all Aboriginal People to be their own Voice of the future and enable them to grow in confidence and ambition and identity".
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People
"CHAC listens to the voices of all of our people and provide appropriate and culturally sensitive services expected by all Australian People".
Our Core Values
CHAC has identified our five Core Values (The 5C’s) that will guide and inform the delivery of our Programs, Services and Enterprise Operations. Above all we will always deliver these with absolute respect, care and integrity.
Our Strategic Philosophy
The Board of The Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation have developed our latest Strategic Plan to recognise the growth and new opportunities that have become available over the last five years of service delivery to our clients and stakeholders.
The CHAC Board has determined that The Strategic Plan will be structured around CHAC’s Core Values as these represent the outputs of our organisation and these values underpin the organisation's engagement with community, stakeholders and our clients, employees and members of CHAC.
Strategic Plan at a Glance
2022-2027
1 / Culture
Aboriginal Culture is central to all Programs and delivery of CHAC services.
All CHAC Staff engage all Clients and Stakeholders in a Culturally sensitive and inclusive manner.
All CHAC Clients Cultural sensitivities and needs are identified and understood by CHAC Staff when creating delivery options and pathways.
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2 / Care
CHAC understands the needs of our Members & Community Individuals to inform the type and delivery of our Programs and Services.
CHAC ensures that the outcomes of our Programs and Services to our Clients & Program Participants have met their needs.
CHAC ensures that our Employees performance, competence and Cultural sensitivity is measured against the outcomes of the Programs and Services they deliver.
3 / Community
CHAC engages with the Community to enable our Services & Programs to meet the needs of the greater Circular Head Community.
CHAC conducts regular Community Wide Communication to ensure all Community members are aware of, and able to access suitable CHAC Programs.
4 / Capacity
CHAC ensures public Grant funds are identified and sourced to address the identified Community needs.
CHAC identifies and obtains appropriate sources of non-Public funds to enable the organisation to build financial resilience through Commercial enterprises that enhance and promote CHAC strategic Goals.
CHAC ensures that our Financial, Operational and Administrative activities meet all Governance and compliance requirements through a robust Quality Improvement process and systems that meet appropriate Quality standards.
5 / Capability
All Job Roles have their roles, responsibilities and accountabilities identified and include the appropriate qualifications and experience required to achieve the objectives required of all positions.
CHAC ensures that all selection processes for job vacancies is open and transparent to enable the selection of the most suitable candidate to meet the objectives and requirements of the advertised position/job role.
All CHAC Employees have their job performance assessed through an annual Performance Management process.
CHAC determines the skills, knowledge and competency requirements for all job roles through ongoing analysis.
All CHAC Employees and Board Members are supported to ensure they have the ongoing professional development that meets the skills, knowledge, qualifications and competency requirements to achieve their job role Objectives.
All CHAC Employees have the appropriate level of training and understanding of Cultural awareness and Cultural sensitivity to enable them to understand and accommodate all Cultural sensitivities of CHACs Clients and Stakeholders.