Concurrent Session 4Eb: Yarning Circle - Yarning About Research: When Community Leads the Way
Tracks
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| Wednesday, November 11, 2026 |
| 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM |
Details
In this yarning circle, we will share some of our experiences working with Aboriginal communities, universities and health services in the alcohol and drug sector — what has worked, what has not, and what we have learned along the way.
We will yarn about what can happen when research starts with community and is shaped by what community says is important. We will also look at some of the challenges when projects are driven by universities or health services with little community input. Using vignettes, we will explore how this can affect relevance, community buy-in and what happens with the work afterwards.
Speaker
Ms Lynette Bullen
Clinical Research Officer
La Trobe University
Co-Presenter: Yarning About Research: When Community Leads the Way
10:00 AM - 10:30 AMBiography
Lynette is a Wiradjuri woman, clinician-researcher with the Priority Populations team, in the Priority Populations group (Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, La Trobe Uni), and a senior drug and alcohol clinician in the Involuntary Drug and Alcohol Treatment Unit based in Orange (Western NSW Local Health District). Lynette has worked in the drug and alcohol sector for 30+ years. In 2021, she was recognised with the Clinician Award by the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and Drugs. Lynette is the Deputy Chair of ACDAN and Co-Chairs the Aboriginal Strategic Collaboration Group for NSW Health’s Centre for Alcohol and Other Drugs
Ms Taleah Reynolds
Administration And Research Support Officer
La Trobe University
Co-Presenter: Yarning About Research: When Community Leads the Way
10:00 AM - 10:30 AMBiography
Taleah is an Anaiwan woman and Administrative and Research Support Lead in the Priority Populations group (Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, La Trobe Uni). She provides coordination, governance support, and day-to-day project delivery. She holds a Graduate Diploma in Indigenous Health Promotion and brings strong experience in community-led research and culturally safe practice. Taleah has contributed original artwork to both the Grog App and the Drug App. She is the lead for on-the-ground data collection for the Drug App and Grog Check studies, working closely with communities, health services, and research partners to support ethical recruitment, accurate data collection, and meaningful knowledge translation across diverse Aboriginal community settings.
