About

The Menzies-Ramaciotti Centre enables regional and remote youth to overcome barriers to the health workforce by providing multiple entry and exit points to training, study and employment. Youth can enter the program via:

• High school engagement pathways
• Certificate level training
• Undergraduate training
• Postgraduate training and research

The Centre leverages existing partnerships with communities, schools, training organisations and employers in order to deliver high-quality training in health. The Centre also builds on existing programs in remote community schools.

The program is co-led by highly experienced researchers who are committed to creating opportunities for young people entering the health workforce. A dedicated project manager and student placement coordinator facilitates student placements, ensures students receive recognition for the skills they acquire, and works with the team and other Menzies personnel to ensure that students receive academic support, pastoral care and mentoring.

Students can undertake a range of educational and workplace training experiences, including;

• Laboratory techniques
• Data analysis
• Computer literacy
• Literature reviews
• Coding
• Bioinformatics
• Health promotion
• Allied health.

Laboratory-based training includes;

• Microbiology
• Immunology
• Molecular biology
• Biochemistry
• Parasitology
• Genomics
• Metagenomics
• Microbiomics
• Transcriptomics

Students also undertake training in Good Clinical Laboratory Practice and clinical trials.

Logo:

The Menzies-Ramaciotti Centre was established in 2020 and is based in Darwin, NT within the Menzies School of Health Research. The Centre logo, titled ‘Turtle on a Journey,’ was created by two Australian First Nations people, a former Centre student and now graduate nurse, Zoe Fitzpatrick (Yanyuwa, Garrwa, Wambya and Wanyi woman) and Co-lead of the Centre, Mark Mayo (Mudburra and Mabuiag man). The turtle is depicted on its journey through the sea, representing the journey we all take through life. The lines connecting the circles signify the connections between people, and the way they support and protect the individual on their journey. The Centre is guided by overarching values of equity, reciprocity, self-determination, mutual support, and trust; these values are represented as the shapes on the back of the turtle:

Equity: the right for all of us to learn and be provided with education

Reciprocity: the sharing of all our unique cultures with one another

Self-determination: the right of the person to choose their path as a unique and special individual

Mutual support:    

Background:

In regional and remote areas of Australia, hurdles to education can be exacerbated by distance and extreme social disadvantage. Approximately 50% of NT youth do not complete high school. Low high school completion rates result in reduced training and employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth who live in regional and remote communities in northern Australia.

One of the main barriers to a local health workforce in northern Australia is a lack of supported pathways into employment for youth. This gap is addressed by the Menzies-Ramaciotti Centre. The Centre focuses on delivering high-quality training in order to develop a local health workforce for rural and remote northern Australia. Students benefit from training in the latest technology, industry partnerships, dedicated trainers, mentoring programs, internships across institutions, and access to Menzies School of Health Research teams and networks.

The Centre’s governance structure includes the Management Team, Steering Committee, and a Youth Advisory Group. Non-Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander representatives are included as members of these groups; however, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives are sought for the majority of positions. Youth advisors are included as representatives on the Steering Committee. This governance structure enables the Centre to grow and connect youth from across the NT to previously unimagined pathways into the health workforce.

Banner image: The Centre was gifted a Larrakia name, ‘Dawudlirra’ at a Saltwater Ceremony led by Larrakia Elder and Centre Cultural Advisor Dr Richard Fejo on Monday 8 July 2024.

Training Opportunities:

The Menzies-Ramaciotti Centre offers laboratory and non-laboratory training to the following groups:

• Work experience students: students 16 years and over seeking to undertake work experience in the field of health sciences
• Traineeships: school-leavers seeking pathways prior to, or instead of, tertiary study
• Cadetships: students currently enrolled in undergraduate study

Training Enquiries:

For all enquiries about work experience, traineeships and cadetships, please complete the training enquiry form. For any other enquiries, please email us.

Scholarship Opportunities:

The Menzies-Ramaciotti Centre is offering 3 month training scholarships to successful applicants.

In order to be eligible to apply, applicants must be:

• An Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander young person
• Aged 18 – 24
• Able to undertake a full-time 12 month placement with the Centre based at Menzies School of Health Research in Darwin, NT.

Eligible applicants must be able to enrol in post-secondary education qualifications (VET or university) or already enrolled.

More information about the scholarship opportunity can be found here.

Please send your completed application form and current CV to menzies-ramaciotti@menzies.edu.au.

Partners and collaborators:

• Biyamarr ma
• HealthLAB
• Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA)
• IAHA National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Academy

Funders and donors:

• The Ian Potter Foundation
• Perpetual, as Trustee of the Ramaciotti Foundations
• Bridging the Gap Foundation
• Integria Australia
• Barlow Impact Group
• Edwina Menzies and Ian Albrey
• Northern Territory Government

The Menzies-Ramaciotti Centre was established in 2020 with the funding from the Clive and Vera Ramaciotti Foundation Biomedical Research Award.

Staff

Centre co-leads:

• Mark Mayo, Associate Deputy Director, Indigenous Leadership and Engagement, Laboratory project manager and senior researcher
• Associate Professor Kalinda Griffiths, Director, Poche SA+NT, Flinders University & Research and Education Lead Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Alliance
• Professor Heidi Smith-Vaughan, Menzies School of Health Research Associate Director for Research (HDR and Ethics), Menzies HealthLAB Head

Laboratory supervisor:

• Kim Piera

Youth training and engagement officers:

• Jen Dillon
• Philip Mayo

Project officer and laboratory trainer:

• Jayde Hopkins

Centre administration:

• Charlotte Valle

For more information about the Centre, please email or call us on (08) 8946 8635.