Link Up
Link-Up Victoria provide a support service to the Stolen Generations to find their family and for family to find members who are Stolen Generations. The Stolen Generations are any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander who was separated from their family, community, traditional culture and traditional country. “Separated” can mean you or a family member or members were removed under past Government Acts i.e. Native Welfare Act, Aboriginal Welfare Act, etc. At Link-Up Victoria it can also mean you or a family member were adopted, fostered, placed in an institution under other government legislation.
Link-Up Victoria assist the Stolen Generations to confidently reclaim their Aboriginal identity, to wholeheartedly embrace their Aboriginal heritage, to happily return back into the caring arms of their people and to proudly walk on their traditional country. Their work is about breaking the cycle of assimilation that began long time ago when the governments of this country decided that it was best for Aboriginal babies and children who came under their care to not know who they were, where they came from and who they belonged to.
You need to be 18 years of age and over and resident in Victoria or Tasmania to be eligible for Link-Up Victoria’s services. Their support service is confidential, sensitive and culturally responsive. We can help with:
- Accessing records about separation from family including adoption files, records from children’s homes or other institutions
- Researching family and cultural connections – liaising with Traditional owner groups, interstate Link-Up services, record holders all over Australia
- Obtaining birth, death and marriage certificates
- Tracing and locating family members
- Initiating contact with family members
- Guidance with family issues
- Family research advice
- Providing cultural advice and information
- Reunions
- Yarning Up (Counselling)
- Referrals to appropriate services
- Advocacy
For more information regarding, please telephone (03) 9480 7377, email [email protected] or visit http://linkupvictoria.org.au/
The Koorie Heritage Trust - Family History Service
The Koorie Family History Service, provides confidential client-based genealogy research. They assist members of the Stolen Generations and their families, Koories in custody and members of the Koorie Community who are over 18 to trace their family history and access records including:
- Create family trees for members of the Stolen Generations, Koories in custody and members of the Koorie Community
- Access personal records on behalf of clients from government and non-government agencies
- Search government archives for information on family members
- Gain copies of written material that relates to an individual’s family tree and helps to create a sense of their family history
- Provide cultural information
- Referrals to support providers
- Provide family history advice for people searching for their heritage if we are unable to take them on as clients
As part of their work, they have built an extensive database of Koorie family trees and genealogy information. This confidential family tree database is a valuable tool, which their researchers use to assist Koorie clients searching for family, cultural and historical knowledge. They strive to ensure family trees are as accurate as possible.
The Koorie Family History Service will do their best to assist you and if are unable to take you on as a client, they will provide you with search advice and referrals.
For more information regarding the application process, please telephone (03) 8662 6329 and ask for the Koorie Family History Service or email [email protected].
All information that you provide will be treated in the strictest confidence.
Visit: http://koorieheritagetrust.com.au/koorie-family-history-service/