Melissa Brickell facts for kids

Melissa Brickell is an Indigenous Australian welfare worker. She lives and works in Melbourne, Australia. She is known for her important work in helping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Melissa has held many key roles. She was the Director of Reconciliation Victoria. She also led the Stolen Generations Sorry Day Committee and the Stolen Generations Alliance. These groups work to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

About Melissa Brickell's Family

Melissa Brickell comes from the Yorta Yorta and Wiradjuri peoples. These are two of Australia's many Indigenous groups. Her mother was part of the Stolen Generations. This means her mother was taken from her family when she was a child.

Melissa has been involved with the Catholic Church her whole life. Her mother was a catechist. A catechist teaches about the Catholic faith. Her mother worked with the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry.

Melissa Brickell's Career and Work

Melissa Brickell is Catholic. She has spent her career working in church and welfare roles. Welfare work helps people and communities. She was the coordinator of Aboriginal Partnerships at MacKillop Family Services.

She has worked for many years in Aboriginal affairs. This includes working on justice and reconciliation. Reconciliation means bringing people together after conflict. She has especially focused on the Stolen Generations movement. She has spoken about these issues on ABC Radio National programs.

Leadership Roles in Reconciliation

Melissa was the director of Reconciliation Victoria. This group works for better relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. She also chaired the Victorian Stolen Generations Sorry Day Committee. This committee helps remember and heal from the Stolen Generations.

She also led the National Stolen Generations Alliance. This group works across Australia to support those affected by the Stolen Generations.

Work with the Catholic Church

Melissa Brickell has also been a leader in the Catholic Church. She served as chair of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council. This council supports Indigenous Catholics. In 2022, they gave her a Service to Community Award. This award recognized her great work for the community.

She also served as a commissioner on the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ecumenical Commission. This commission works to bring different Christian churches together.

Founding the Opening the Doors Foundation

Around 2001, Melissa helped start the Opening the Doors Foundation. She co-founded it with Vicki Clark, Carol Messer, and John Arthur. This foundation helps First Nations families get good education. It helps students access schools and learning opportunities.

In its first 20 years, the foundation helped over 3,000 students. It gave them educational resources and support. This helped many young people succeed in their studies.

Sharing Her Story and Ideas

Fiona Gardner interviewed Melissa for her book. The book is called Critical Spirituality: A Holistic Approach to Contemporary Practice. It was published in 2017. Melissa's chapter talked about her experiences. She shared how she combines her Aboriginal spirituality with her Catholic faith.

In 2009, Melissa spoke at the Parliament of the World's Religions. This big event was held in Melbourne for the first time. The theme was "Make a World of Difference: Hearing each Other, Healing the Earth." Melissa was also a guest on the ABC TV show Compass. The episode was about the 2009 Parliament.