VACCHO

What VACCHO does

VACCHO is the peak representative body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing in Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Collingwood, the organisation is a non-profit, community-controlled incorporated association representing 34 member Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) that together support more than 65,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the state and are collectively the largest employer of Aboriginal people in Victoria. VACCHO's mandate combines policy advocacy, workforce development, and direct program delivery, with formal standing under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and co-chairing of the Victorian Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Partnership Forum with the Minister for Health.

Name

VACCHO

Legal name

Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Inc

Website

https://vaccho.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

VACCHO is the peak representative body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health in Victoria, coordinating 34 member Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations that serve over 65,000 community members through advocacy, accredited workforce training, social and emotional wellbeing services, and culturally safe health program delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services

NAICS

Health Care and Social Assistance (62)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Health & Health Equity Organizations (BPAGACAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tribal/Indigenous Public Health Authorities (HLAJAAAD), Community Health & Health Equity/Social Determinants Units (HLAJAAAO)

Keywords

• Aboriginal health advocacy
• Community controlled health
• Cultural safety training
• Aboriginal workforce development
• Social emotional wellbeing

Headquarters

HQ city

Collingwood

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government funding and grants: VACCHO receives significant government funding from the Victorian and Federal governments to support ACCO operations, infrastructure, programs, and policy initiatives. Funding amounts cited include $80 million in new funding for ACCOs over four years under Minister Thomas, $15.8 million for Koori Maternity Services expansion, $13.2 million for Balit Durn Durn Centre pilots, $12.5 million for DDACL, and $5 million in infrastructure investment for the sector.
2. Fee-for-service training and cultural safety services: VACCHO's Cultural Safety Services team operates on a fee-for-service model, providing cultural safety training, organisational audits, and accreditation programs to Members and external organisations.
3. Donations: VACCHO accepts tax-deductible donations above $2, which are used to advance the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Victoria.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

VACCHO is the peak representative body for the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria, providing advocacy, policy influence, workforce development, cultural safety training, and Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) services to and through its 34 member Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs). It supports member ACCOs that collectively deliver culturally safe primary healthcare, mental health, maternal care, aged care, disability services, and social wellbeing programs to over 65,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the state.

Product overview

VACCHO is the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and the peak representative for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing in Victoria. The organization serves as a collective of 34 member ACCOs supporting over 65,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the state. VACCHO operates a portfolio of interconnected services including: a Member Portal providing exclusive resources and tools to member ACCOs; the vaccho.trainingvc.com.au online training platform offering professional learning; Yagilaith Djerring (RTO No: 20739) delivering culturally safe nationally accredited vocational training; Cultural Safety Services providing training and accreditation programs; the Balit Durn Durn Centre of Excellence for Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing; BLKTRX, Victoria's first online suicide prevention service directory for Aboriginal people; and Rainbow Mob Services supporting LGBTQIASB+ community members. The organization also provides research resources through its Research Accord framework.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cultural Safety Services Training and organisational audit services designed to increase cultural safety in practice and spaces while strengthening relationships with Australia's First Peoples. Offered to members and external organisations including government agencies and mainstream health services on a fee-for-service basis.
• Yagilaith Djerring (Registered Training Organisation) VACCHO's Registered Training Organisation (RTO No: 20739) providing culturally safe, nationally accredited vocational training for the Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation sector. Named 'learning from one another' in Woi Wurrung language. Named Victorian Community Training Provider of the Year at Victorian Training Awards in 2023, with over 700 graduates.
• Balit Durn Durn Centre Centre of Excellence for Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing that coordinates expansion of SEWB services in ACCOs and mainstream mental health services, drawing on clinical, research and community expertise. Operates the Balit Durn Durn SEWB Wheel framework and coordinates SEWB scholarships.
• BLKTRX Victoria's first online suicide prevention service directory for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Created by Mob for Mob, it brings trusted culturally safe support services together in one place with an interactive map to locate local support.
• Rainbow Mob Services Resources and support for LGBTQIASB+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members, including Rainbow Mob Health Training, Rainbow Mob Community of Practice, inclusion posters, and support for ACCOs to achieve Rainbow Tick Accreditation.
• Aboriginal Health Workforce Program Program supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to start careers in Aboriginal Health, promoting roles including Aboriginal Health Practitioners, Doctors, Social and Emotional Wellbeing Workers, and Aboriginal Midwives.
• Research & Resources Research Accord framework (marra ngarrgoo, marra goorri), publications, and access to the Balit Durn Durn Centre research resources and evidence for social and emotional wellbeing models.
• Certificate IV in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Theory and Practice Nationally accredited vocational qualification (Victorian first) in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Theory and Practice, delivered by Yagilaith Djerring RTO in partnership with Lowitja Institute through the OCHRe network.

Quantifiable outcome

• VACCHO Members support over 65,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria.
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers22 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Rainbow Health AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVACCHO and Rainbow Health Australia have partnered to develop the 'Rainbow Mob Are My Mob' best practice model for Rainbow Mob inclusion in ACCOs. The partnership also includes the Wurru Wurru Health Unit delivering joint Rainbow Mob Health Training. Rainbow Health Australia is part of ARCSHS at La Trobe University and owns the Rainbow Tick accreditation program.
• Infrastructure VictoriamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVACCHO and Infrastructure Victoria jointly developed the research report 'Investing in Aboriginal health and wellbeing infrastructure,' which recommends the Victorian Government fund urgent repairs to make ACCO buildings safe, operational and efficient. The report recommends up to $150 million to meet immediate infrastructure needs.
• Lowitja InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVACCHO partnered with the Lowitja Institute to develop and deliver the Certificate IV in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Theory and Practice through its RTO Yagilaith Djerring. The Lowitja Institute is Australia's national institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research.
• Yirramboi Murrup Unit (Coroners Court of Victoria)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVACCHO collaborates with the Yirramboi Murrup Unit at the Coroners Court of Victoria on suicide prevention. The unit released a report on Suicides of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in Victoria (2020–2024) informing VACCHO's BLKTRX directory and advocacy work.
• Transitions to Sustainable Health Systems ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVACCHO participates in the Transitions to Sustainable Health Systems Consortium, a 16-organisation group led by Monash University that developed a national guide to help Australia's healthcare sector reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reach net zero.
• Victorian Government (Department of Health)coreOthersVACCHO works in genuine partnership with the Victorian Department of Health through the Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Partnership Forum (co-chaired by VACCHO CEO and the Minister for Health). This partnership has delivered significant funding for ACCOs including $80 million in new funding over four years, and supports policy development under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
• OCHRe NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVACCHO's Certificate IV in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Theory and Practice is delivered through the OCHRe network, which supports Aboriginal community-controlled health research workforce development.
• BlaQminorOthersBlaQ is the peak organisation for Aboriginal LGBTQIASB+ peoples and communities in NSW, listed as a partner organisation supporting Rainbow Mob on VACCHO's Rainbow Mob resources page.
• Thorne Harbour HealthminorOthersThorne Harbour Health is an LGBTIQ+ community-controlled organisation with an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health program, listed as a partner organisation supporting Rainbow Mob on VACCHO's resources page.
• Monash HealthmajorOthersVACCHO and DDACL are partnering with Monash Health to co-locate DDACL services at Monash Health's Integrated Care Centre in Cranbourne, enabling consolidation of DDACL's services under one roof.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia (AHCWA): Western Australian peak body for the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health sector, with a comparable structure supporting member ACCHOs via advocacy, training, and policy leadership.
• Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC): Peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Organisations in Queensland. Operates the same peak-body model as VACCHO in another state jurisdiction.
• National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO): National peak body for Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations in Australia. Directly comparable as the federal-level equivalent of VACCHO, performing advocacy, workforce development, and member support for ACCOs across states.
• Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT): Northern Territory peak body for Aboriginal community-controlled health services. Comparable member-network and advocacy model, with similar focus on culturally safe primary healthcare and SEWB.
• Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council (AH&MRC): Peak body for Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services in New South Wales. Closest state-level peer to VACCHO, providing advocacy, training, and policy support to member ACCHOs in NSW.
• Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia (AHCSA): South Australian peak body for Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations. Comparable member-supported advocacy, training, and SEWB service model to VACCHO.

Emerging players

• Lowitja Institute: Australia's national institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research. Strategic research partner of VACCHO; overlaps on research workforce development, publications, and SEWB frameworks.

Regional players

• Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre: Community-controlled organisation providing health, housing, legal, and cultural services to Aboriginal Tasmanians. Comparable community-controlled health and advocacy model in another Australian jurisdiction.
• Winnunga Aboriginal Health and Community Services: ACT-based Aboriginal community controlled health service providing primary healthcare, SEWB, and justice support. Comparable to a member ACCO of VACCHO rather than the peak body itself, operating in a separate jurisdiction.

Others

• Indigenous Primary Health Care Council (IPHCC): Canadian equivalent peak body for Indigenous primary healthcare organisations. Operates the same community-controlled peak-body model internationally, providing comparable advocacy and member-services functions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/VACCHO_org
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCL_WSTPv-domStWOFL8z1Aw
• Facebookfacebook.com/VACCHO
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vaccho-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/vaccho_org
• TikToktiktok.com/@vaccho_org

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VACCHO