A proud Aboriginal man, Darcy McGauley-Bartlett started working for local council in his teens.
From doing policy work to identify how to keep young people in Bendigo, to starting as an Aboriginal Health Practitioner, then joining Victoria Police as an Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer and doing things differently.
Next, the Department of Justice progressing quickly into Senior Manager roles as the head of Aboriginal Health for the Victorian Prison System, which included significant direct and personal contact with prisoners across Victoria to get the outcome that we see today and now sits across the Mental Health Portfolio at the Department of Health.
Darcy implemented Victoria’s first Aboriginal Youth Cautioning Program to ensure young Indigenous people are eligible for a caution when coming into contact with the justice system for the first time, and Darcy is the 2023 Victorian Young Australian of the Year.
Content in this episode may raise concerns for some viewers, as Darcy draws upon lived experience, and that of his family and its history, aiming to better lived experience, mental health, and the wellbeing of community.
If this episode has raised concerns, support is available.
National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline: 1800 250 015
1800RESPECT – 1800 737 732 – https://1800respect.org.au/
Lifeline: 13 11 44 – https://www.lifeline.org.au/