Kynesha Temple Varcoe
Adelaide Nursing School
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Kynesha Temple-Varcoe is a Ngarrindjeri, Narungga woman from South Australia, who works collaboratively within the Aboriginal community. She is a member of the AKction2: Aboriginal Kidney Care Together – Improving Outcomes Now Project Team, researching how to best meet the needs of Indigenous patients who are navigating the kidney care system.
Kynesha completed a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in International Development and sub-majoring in Indigenous Knowledges. During her time studying Kynesha joined the Wirtlu Yarlu Cadetship program where she worked with two Anthropologists, Dianne Rodger and Margaret Becker. The research program looked at how Hip Hop and how creative forms of expression helped Indigenous people with understanding their identity and healing emotionally.
Kynesha hopes to help work towards creating culturally safe spaces, care and practices.
Ngadlu Yuringguru - First Nations Student Support Project
Timeline: September 2022 - December 2022
Description: Understanding how best to improve recruitment and retention of Aboriginal students is an on-going challenge. This project aims to develop approaches and partnerships to support and encourage Aboriginal students enrolling in the faculty of health and medical sciences, toward successful completion.
Role - Chief Investigator
Funding: Adelaide Education Academy Learning and Teaching Advancement Grant
Collaborators: Amy Graham, Kynesha Temple Varcoe, Melissa Arnold-Chamney and Dr Janet Kelly.
AKction2: Aboriginal Kidney Care Together - Improving Outcomes Now
Timeline: April 2021 – October 2023
Location: Adelaide Nursing School, University of Adelaide
Description: A collaborative action research project involving Aboriginal people with kidney disease and their families, health professionals, renal services, health and support services, universities and other key stakeholders. Methods include community consultations, patient journey mapping, priority setting and implementation of improvement strategies.
Role: Research Assistant & Admin Assistant
Funding: NHMRC Ideas Grant
Collaborations and Networks: Central Northern Adelaide Renal & Transplantation Service (CNARTS), SA Health, Kidney Health Australia, National Indigenous Kidney Transplantation Taskforce (NIKTT), Aboriginal Chronic Disease Consortium, Pika Wiya Health Service Aboriginal Corporation (Port Augusta), Ceduna Hospital (and more being established).
For Articles and Further Details:
https://linktr.ee/AKction
Positive impacts Hip Hop has for Indigenous Youth
Timeline: November 2017- December 2020
Location: Anthropology, University of Adelaide
Description: Exploring the design and impact of Hip-Hop workshops that seek to engage Indigenous-Australian youth. The project explores the motivations of Hip-Hop mentors and the benefits of Hip-Hop education from their perspective.
Role: Cadet & Research Assistant
Funding: Mountford Award
Collaborations and Networks: Dr Dianne Rodger, Dr Margaret Becker, Kynesha Temple Varcoe, Southern Deadly Sounds (Onkaparinga)
Research Interests
- Aboriginal health
- Collaborative research
- Cultural safety in clinical practice, education and training
- Improving renal health care for Indigenous peoples
- Indigenous health research
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Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2022 - ongoing Research Assistant University of Adelaide 2021 - 2021 Research Administrative Assistant University of Adelaide 2019 - 2019 Trainee, The Ironbark Program Flinders University 2019 - 2019 Cadetship, Mountford Award University of Adelaide 2018 - 2018 Research Assistant University of Adelaide 2017 - 2019 Retail Assistant Oxfam Australia -
Awards and Achievements
Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount 2021 Award Adelaide Graduate Award for Employability - Extracurricular Activities University of Adelaide Australia - 2018 Award Sharing Culture Student Award University of Adelaide Australia - 2017 Award Sharing Culture Student Award University of Adelaide Australia - -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title 2021 University of Adelaide Australia Graduate Diploma in Psychology 2017 - 2020 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Arts (International Development) -
Research Interests
Ngadlu Yuringguru - First Nations Student Support Project
Timeline: September 2021 - December 2022
Description: Recruitment and retention of Aboriginal students is an on-going challenge. This project aims to develop approaches and partnerships to support and encourage Aboriginal students enrolling in the faculty of health and medical sciences, toward successful completion.
Role - Chief Investigator
Funding: Adelaide Education Academy Learning and Teaching Advancement Grant
Collaborators: Amy Graham, Kynesha Temple Varcoe, Melissa Arnold-Chamney and Dr Janet Kelly.
AKction2:
Timeline: April 2021 – October 2023
Location: Adelaide Nursing School, University of Adelaide
Description: A collaborative action research project involving Aboriginal people with kidney disease and their families, health professionals, renal services, health and support services, universities and other key stakeholders. Methods include community consultations, patient journey mapping, priority setting and implementation of improvement strategies.
Role: Research Assistant & Admin Assistant
Funding: NHMRC Ideas Grant
Collaborations and Networks: Central Northern Adelaide Renal & Transplantation Service (CNARTS), SA Health, Kidney Health Australia, National Indigenous Kidney Transplantation Taskforce (NIKTT), Aboriginal Chronic Disease Consortium, Pika Wiya Health Service Aboriginal Corporation (Port Augusta), Ceduna Hospital (and more being established)
Positive impacts Hip Hop has for Indigenous Youth:
Timeline: 2017-2020
Location: Anthropology, University of Adelaide
Description: Exploring the design and impact of Hip-Hop workshops that seek to engage Indigenous-Australian youth.
Role: Cadet & Research Assistant
Funding: Mountford Award
Collaborations and Networks: Dr Dianne Rodgers and Dr Margaret Becker, Kynesha Temple Varcoe, Southern Deadly Sounds, Onkaparinga
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Committee Memberships
Date Role Committee Institution Country 2018 - ongoing Convener Precon University of South Australia Australia 2018 - ongoing Member Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Grievance Collective University of South Australia Australia 2017 - 2018 Member Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Committee The University of Adelaide Australia -
Editorial Boards
Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country 2018 - ongoing Editor Guest Editor On Dit, Adelaide University Union Australia -
Event Participation
Date Event Name Event Type Institution Country 2019 - ongoing Commissioner for Young People and Children’s Poverty Conference Conference United Nations Youth Australia 2017 - ongoing National Union of Students Conference Conference National Union of Students, Deakin University Australia -
Offices Held
Date Office Name Institution Country 2019 - 2019 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Officer Student Representative Council, University of Adelaide Australia 2018 - ongoing Elected Delegate Representative National Union of Students Australia
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