Healing and Social and Emotional Wellbeing
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples embrace a holistic concept of mental and physical health within a broader context of social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB). This recognises the interconnectedness of physical and mental health with spiritual and cultural factors and connection to Country, community and traditions.
The lasting impacts of colonisation have resulted in intergenerational trauma and social and economic disadvantage at individual, family and community levels. This can result in multiple stressors such as unresolved grief and loss, trauma and abuse, domestic violence, removal from family, substance misuse, family breakdown, cultural dislocation, racism and discrimination, which challenge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s mental and physical health and wellbeing.
Trauma, grief and loss as well as alcohol and substance use are key factors in Indigenous suicide deaths.
The important role of healing programs and services to promote social and emotional wellbeing and prevent suicide was highlighted in The Elders’ Report and Working Together.
The Healing Foundation identifies three key areas which support positive healing outcomes:
- Community-led healing programs to address the local impacts of trauma
- Healing networks, champions and organisations to promote healing at a national and community level, including trauma awareness and the importance of truth telling
- Advocacy by policy-makers and influencers for the benefits of healing and its long term nature.
The programs and services included in the Clearing House address all or many of these elements.
Browse Programs & Services
Alive and Kicking Goals (WA)
Alive and Kicking Goals is an Indigenous-led program from the Kimberley which aims to prevent youth suicide through football and peer education, one-on-one mentoring and counselling.
CONTACT
Kevin McKenzie – Phone: 08 9193 5904
Email: kevin@aliveandkicking.org.au
Alive and Kicking Goals (AKG) is a program designed to respond to local needs and interests, and to effectively engage young people. Operating under the Men’s Outreach Services and through peer education, this program is within the framework of suicide awareness and prevention. It takes a strengths-based approach by seeking to enhance protective factors such as capacity, confidence, competence and self-esteem and encourages positive help-seeking behaviours. Further, this program seeks to dismantle stigma by opening discourses around depression and suicidality. This is a community-based, community-developed and community-driven, peer-led, suicide awareness and prevention program which is grounded in continual learning.
In response to high rates of suicide among young people in the Kimberley, AKG was developed to provide a way for the community to work towards more effective prevention and a better understanding of protecting youth from suicide. Participants are shown that dreams are possible through hard work and passion. Services are based in Broome and workshops are conducted in nine other Indigenous communities across the Kimberley region. These are Derby, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek, Looma, Bidyadanga, Beagle Bay, Djarindjin Community, One Arm Point and Lombadina.
A Steering Committee oversees AKG and key personnel are a Project Mentor (PM) and Peer Educators (PEs). The initial model of delivery was developed with the Broome Saints Football Club (BSFC). This club was established in 1960 and has a predominance of Aboriginal members and a very high standing in the community. Initially, weekly meetings were held after Football Practice. At these meetings were the Project Mentor (PM) and the youth sub-committee who were well-respected sportsmen and training to be volunteer youth leaders. This training included the development of leadership skills along with suicide awareness and prevention. From these weekly meetings, emerged workshops where the young men from the youth sub-committee emerged either as PEs or remained on the Steering Committee. At the end of 2012, there were four full-time PEs; three young men and one young woman and by the conclusion of the pilot, there were 16 PEs1. Under the AKG program, PEs conduct holistic mini workshops which look at both protective and risk factors of Aboriginal suicidality. Participants learn healthy coping strategies and help-seeking behaviours for themselves and to impart to others. A safe space is provided where the young participants can discuss sensitive topics of importance to them.
The overarching goal is to reduce Indigenous youth suicide. It works to achieve this by conducting peer-led workshops which aim to:
- Engage Indigenous youth
- Enhance the protective factors for suicide
- Encourage positive help-seeking behaviours
- Provide a safe space which enables participants to discuss sensitive topics of importance
- Dismantle stigma by opening discourses around depression and suicidality
Training PEs
A DVD and associated workshop were developed to train PEs to implement the AKG program. Trainees reported that the content of the DVD were relevant and appropriate within the Kimberley context. Many of the trainee PEs reported that the narrators of the DVD told stories that they could relate to. They could see themselves using ideas from the DVD to make aspects of their workshops more tangible and relevant to participants.
Participants
The DVD and associated workshop was well-received by participants who responded positively to the use of local narrators and content specific to their community. Almost 45% of the pre- and post-workshop survey participants demonstrated a positive change in attitude towards talking about suicide, their feelings, and help-seeking. In the focus group for participants aged 16 years and older, those who had attended the workshop and watched the DVD provided confident and detailed answers about how to deal with a person with suicidal ideation as compared with those who had not attended the workshop.
Program
- The program is embedded in the community where it is delivered
- There are two types of workshops: one for those aged 16 years and older, and another for those aged 10-15 years
- The space where the workshops took place was safe so members were able to discuss sensitive issues of importance
- In total, 449 people completed at least part of the pre-/post-workshop surveys with 255 (57%) answering all questions of each survey
- The pre/post-workshop surveys indicated that most of the participants rated the DVD and workshop positively
- All participants noted positive changes which indicated a positive impact of the DVD on attitudes and knowledge
- Many participants had been touched by suicide
Resources
Tighe and Mackay1 conducted an evaluation of AKG during the period from November 2010 until 2012. A process and impact evaluation using participatory action research with largely qualitative data was chosen as the most effective and feasible way to evaluate the program. During the collection period, all AKG workshop participants were invited to participate in the evaluation. For the 16+ year group, both pre- and post-workshop surveys were taken, as well as a focus group. Participants aged 10-15 years were invited to attend a focus group at school after the workshop. In addition, principals and teachers were invited to participate in a survey to express their perceptions of the AKG workshops. By utilising a combination of surveys and focus groups with varied participants, a greater contextual understanding was obtained.
Participants
The various evaluation tools showed that the process and impacts of AKG are positive. The process evaluation covered an analysis of the appropriateness of AKG’s content and implementation within a Kimberley context. The impact evaluation looked at participant measured change in attitude and knowledge about suicide after the workshop.
Findings
Two significant findings emerged from the evaluation. First, there was the way in which some participants constructed their responses around the recognition of someone who was feeling down or depressed. There was more a sense of physical presentation of the susceptible person, about how the person looked (face and body) and their physical and emotional isolation from their family and community. Second, some participants were shouldering the responsibility of saving people’s lives when, sometimes, a suicide may not be able to be prevented. People who take on supporting roles need to know that a suicide death is not their fault. They need to know that suicide prevention is a shared effort, not an individual one. When care-givers do not take care of themselves, they put themselves at risk of burn-out, and worse. While well-intentioned, these participants need to take care of their own well-being.
Three critical factors were found which underpinned the effectiveness and success of the program. These were:
- Initiative is embedded within the contexts in which it is working.
- The program is community-based
- The space where meetings took place was safe for participants
Alive and Kicking Goals building strengths and resilience in youth by:
- The provision of culturally appropriate community activities to engage youth, build cultural strengths, leadership, life skills and social competencies
- The development of life promotion and resilience-building strategies
- Improving access to well-being services among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males
- Using long-term, sustainable prevention strategies that build resilience and promote social and emotional well-being which have been specifically developed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth
- The provision of services that engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth and are appropriately linked with culturally competent services
- Providing counselling and therapeutic support, including services for families who have experienced suicide or traumatic bereavement
In summary, AKG is promising evidence of effectiveness and practice. It is a program designed to respond to local needs and interests and to effectively engage young people. It takes a strength-based approach focusing on enhancing protective factors and working to dismantle stigma, open a discourse around depression and suicidality, and encourage positive help-seeking among young people.
Akeyulerre Healing Centre
Akeyulerre Healing Centre, owned and operated by Arrernte people, was set up in Mparntwe Alice Springs in Central Australia by Arrernte elders to support and strengthen Arrernte culture and community.
CONTACT
Phone: 08 9193 5904
Email: admin@akeyulerre.org.au
Akeyulerre Healing Centre was established in 1999, when a group of Arrernte elders met outside a house across the road from the old Alice Springs Jail. They felt the need to set up a place where Arrernte people could come for traditional healing. The centre was named after the rocky hill behind the house that marks an important cultural site. They have been using the same house for more than 20 years to do healing and to make bush remedies, and they run cultural camps on country so kids and young people can learn their culture from their elders on their country.
The Akeyulerre Healing centre runs various programs that seek to maintain the Arrernte culture and support the Arrenrnte people such as Angkwerre-iweme (Traditional healing), Interrentye (Traditional remedies and personal care products), Ingkenteme Bush Schools & Family Nights (a bush schools program), Artwe-Areye Men’s Work Team, and Apmere Angkentye-kenhe (Arrente Language program). The centre also provides cultural consultancy on a wide range of services such as smoking ceremonies, bush medicine workshops, cross-cultural training and interpreting.
To be updated.
- being Indigenous led as it is registered as an Aboriginal Corporation under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act (2006).
- having partnerships with other stakeholders such as Children’s Ground and Flinders University to develop better protocols from the interaction between customary healers and mainstream healing services. They also partner with various artists and Arrernte people in the Angkentye-kenhe program to examine the potential of language exchanges.
- having impacted the community and building community capacity by forming social enterprises such as the Interrentye Traditional Healing Products, conducting programs such as the Artwe-Areye that aims to increase the employability of job seekers and the Ingkenteme Bush Schools Programs that aims to pass down knowledge about their land to the next generation. The elders of the Arrernte community are involved in the facilitation of the above-mentioned programs.
Arnott, A., Guenther, J., Davis, V., Foster, D., & Cummings, E. (2010). Evaluation of the Akeyulerre Healing Centre. Charles Darwin University, Social Partnerships in Learning Consortium.
As One Nyitting (WA)
As One Nyitting is a First Nations registered charity organisation founded in 2015 with the aim of keeping young people away from the justice system by sharing a deeper connection with country to encourage a greater sense of pride and purpose to Care for Country.
Centres, located in WA, educate visitors on the importance of Noongar connection to country whilst teaching nutritional value of food and understanding the stories and mulit-generational processes of giving language over to the next generation.
CONTACT:
Phone: 0400 928 147
Email: zoe.davis@asonenyitting.com
Founders and couple Robert and Zoe quit their jobs as a builder and an accountant in 2014 to commit entirely to creating and delivering programs to First Nations youth. As One Nyitting came from a realisation that there was a direct correlation between entering the justice system and taking youth off country, away from family and away from culture.
Cultural programs are delivered to youth and families across metropolitan Perth and the Wheatbelt, whilst expanding across Noongar country.
As well as Cultural programs, Cultural products are also created and sold such as Botanical Bush tea. This initiative protects sacred sites and ancient customs by harvesting across many Noongar biodiversity hotspots. It also assists in creating more Noongar crops to access in the future, without clearing.
The main vision is to improve people’s wellness through Caring for Country.
They aim to achieve this by:
– Providing sustainable Cultural Wellness products from Noongar biodiversity hotspots. This strengthens the deep connection to country,
– Producing quality Noongar bush food and botanicals
– Delivering SWAP Technology programs as a Caring for Country model
– Enhancing the rights of First Nation to create self determination.
– Since 2015, more than 2000 people have participated in cultural programs delivered by As One Yitting.
– A new centre has recently been launched in March 2023 (Djereedjee Mia), in Northam which explores traditional farming practices around the six Noongar seasons.
– The Botanical Bush Tea has won mulitple awares in the 2023 Golden Leaf Awards, with every tea purchase supporting sustainable harvesting and knowledge sharing as a model to protect the country.
To be updated
The As One Nyitting organisation is assessed to having:
– Indigenous Ownership: The founders, Robert and Zoe, are connected to Noongar, Yamatji, Wilman and Badamia nations.
– Capacity Building: Organisation members create artworks and tea products on-site and sell, with the proceeds going back in to the organisation. The programs delivered are improving the quality of life amongst a variety of First Nations by connecting them to culture and country, deepening a sense of purpose and integrity.
Baya Gawiy Buga Yani Jandu Yani U (Marninwarntikura Women's Resource Centre, WA)
Baya Gawiy Buga Yani Jandu Yani U incorporates early childhood learning, a child and parent centre as well as affiliated partnerships for the betterment and wellbeing of children and families of the Fitzroy Valley.
The aim of the Centre is to improve health and education outcomes for children and families by working in partnership with the community.
CONTACT
Phone: +61 8 9191 5284
Email: maninsupport@mwrc.com.au
The Baya Gawiy Early Childhood Learning Unit (ECLU) provides Fitzroy valley families a safe, trauma informed environment for their children. Culturally appropriate learning and care is provided to children 6 months to 4 years. It is commited to preparing children to walk in ‘two worlds’ throughout their lives whilst being respected, respectful and responsible. With smaller staff and child rations, customised and individual education and support is provided to the children to support them reaching their full potential.
The Child and Parent Centre (CPC) works to improve access to health and education for Fitzroy Valley families targeting children aged 0-7 years and their families. It is a welcoming, safe and dynamic space that tailors programs to meet the changing diverse needs of vulnerable families. The centre offers a diverse array of programs and services including mental health counselling, women’s and child’s health, and specialised paediatric teams.
Regular on-country cultural experiences for children and parents are held to help children connect to country, to engage with and learn in their natural environment. Elders embed language, music, story-telling, and art and craft activities through the programs to increase exposure and knowledge about culture. Programs include supported playgroups, mothers and babies group, young women’s empowerment group, dads time, toy making workshop, women’s bush dyeing worksho, parenting courses and a mobile playgroup to outer communities.
The aim of the Baya Gawiy Buga Yani Jandu U Centre is to improve health and education outcomes for children and families the Fitzroy Valley by working in partnerships with the community and connecting children to services that are culturally safe and trauma informed.
According to the 2023 Annual Report, in 2023:
– Collaborative research with Melbourne University and Tura New Music was undertaken which resulted in 14 songs in language and a preliminary songbook featuring 24 compositions. This project combines creativity and music as methods of preserving and maintaining culture and strengthening language.
To be updated
Marninwarntikura Women’s Resource Centre has been assessed to have:
Indigenous Ownership: 3 Indigenous women founded Marninwarntikura Women’s Resource Centre (MWRC).
Cultural Responsiveness: Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff and community members attend professional laerning and development to encourage mutually respectful and culturally safe relationships.
Capacity Building: Provides local educators the opportunity to obtain an early childhood education qualification through Kimberley TAFE.
Community Leadership: Partners with Goodstart under the National Partnership Agreement on Indigenous Early Partnership Agreememnt on Indigenous Early Childhood Development. This is positive because it contributes to the Reconciliation Journey, honours diversity in cultural differences and incorporates two-way learning.
Evaluation: Ongoing program evaluation is in place to ensure continuous quality improvement via Annual Reports, Strategic Plans and online updates.
Binmaga Yamatji Dancers (WA)
Binmaga Yamaji Dancers a 100% Aboriginal owned and operated business and is driven by a desire to share Yamaji culture. It was founded by a couple in 2021 after they recognised a gap in the local cultural tourism industry. There was no on-country cultural experiences in a town with 90% indigenous population.
Through Binmaga Dancers, youth are able to tell their stories, celebrate ancestors and reconnect with their culture.
CONTACT
Email: Binmagayamaji@gmail.com
Phone: 0436 322 946
Binmaga Yamaji Dancers a 100% Aboriginal owned and operated business and is driven by a desire to share Yamaji culture. It was founded by a couple in 2021 after they recognised a gap in the local cultural tourism industry. There was no on-country cultural experiences in a town with 90% indigenous population.
Through Binmaga Dancers, youth are able to tell their stories, celebrate ancestors and reconnect with their culture.
Cultural Dance Workshops are offered along with collaborative work and performances on country, and ongoing classes with Binmaga Dance.
To give youth an opportunity to express themselves and continue storytelling through dance and song, further enabling the continuity of the Yamaji Culture.
Binmaga Dance is successfully preserving and celebrating Indigenous dance traditions of the Yamatji people in the Mullewa region. This is through establishing collaborations with schools and community groups, integrating dance into educational curriculums and community events and offering an inviting dance space where the program can run regularly.
This year (2024), Binmaga Dance received a grant that will aid them in developing targeted programs to engage at-risk youth, thus preventing crime in Mullewa.
Demand has increased for local and overseas performances from Binmaga Dancers.
Sense of belonging has increased significantly for those particpating in the program, as they form strong bonds and share cultural experiences.
The program has been recognised on a large scale, as shown through invitations to cultural festivals and events across Australia.
To see how else Binmaga Dance has impacted the community and their plans for the future, please click here.
To be updated
Binmaga Yamatji Dancers has been assessed to have:
Indigenous Ownership: The founders are an Indigenous couple from Yinggarda Nation and Mullewa, Candice and Preston.
Community Leadership: Binmaga Yamatji Dancers work within the Indigenous community to deliver the dance performances.
Capacity Building: Binmaga Dancers seeks to build the capacity of the community by teaching them how to reconnect with their culture, through dance. Furthermore, they offer their dancers an opportunity to perform at local and overseas events.
Black Fulla Alternatives to Suicide (Blackfullaalt2su) (online)
Blackfullaalt2su is an online voluntary and non-clinical peer support group for Indigenous peoples to talk about suicide. The instagram consists of First Nations crisis support hotlines and the group’s sign up form for the support group.
It was founded to provide a culturally safe environment online that Indigenous peoples can talk about suicide, with an emphasis on healing and understanding the way oppression influences suicidality.
CONTACT:
Instagram: @blackfullaalt2su
The suicide prevention landscape in Australia reflects a carceral nature, often emphasizing punitive and institutional responses rather than the culturally responsive and community-driven approaches essential for addressing the nuanced challenges of suicide, especially within First Nations populations.
In response to this, Blackfulla Alt2Su emerged as the first Indigenous-led peer support group, offering a free, anti-carceral, confidential, and online platform for open discourse on suicide. The support group fosters an environment where participants support one another’s wellbeing. Valuing dialogue (Yarning) as a healing mechanism, purposeful storytelling emerges as a natural and integral aspect of Blackfulla Alt2Su, reflecting the cultural identity of First Nations people.
BlackfullaAlt2Su aligns with the Alternatives to Suicide Charter, and applies an Indigenist, decolonized, grassroots approach to suicide peer support. The group is anti-carceral, meaning that emergency services cannot be called on any participants and what happens in the group stays in the group. Read more on the Alt2Su Charter here: https://shorturl.at/dmCFL
Eight facilitators, all First Nations individuals with lived experiences of suicidality, including members who identify as queer and disabled, form this intersectional community to support First Nations peoples across Australia.
Groups run fortnightly with a rotating roster of volunteer facilitators from across the continent. All you need is a device (phone, ipad, computer) and an internet connection. To participate in the support group, you may find the sign up form on their instagram page.
Please note: Groups are only for First Nations peoples attending for their own support. Observers such as media, students, providers, and anyone else wanting to come for any reason other than to explore their own experiences are not welcome.
The objective is to create a space where Indigenous people can feel zero judgement and can be listened to with understanding and care about the unique trauma that Indigenous people face and individual suicidal thoughts. It aims to be a place for healing and support.
To be updated
To be updated
The Black Fulla Alternatives to Suicide is assessed to having:
Indigenous Ownership: Eight facilitators, all First Nations individuals with lived experiences of suicidality, including members who identify as queer and disabled, form this intersectional community to support First Nations peoples across Australia.
Bourke and Brewarrina Healing Project (Healing Foundation) (NSW)
To be updated
Bringing Them Home program (WA)
Bringing Them Home program is run by Geraldton Aboriginal Medical Services (GRAMS) and operates in Geraldton in WA.
Geraldton
60 Rifle Range Road, Rangeway WA 6530
(08) 9956 6555
The Bringing Them Home program provides counselling, family tracing, reunion services and support to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People from the Stolen Generations in the Mid West and Murchison region. There has been ongoing health and social effects for the Stolen Generations and their descendants.
The program aims to support the healing journey of many Stolen Generations members by providing services including:
• Grief and loss counselling
• Referrals to agencies to find your relatives
• Access to records and family tree
• Access to services relating to Stolen Generation support.
To be updated
to be updated
The governing body is the executive committee of GRAMS who are all Aboriginal peoples. GRAMs is an organisation of Aboriginal people, for Aboriginal people, controlled by Aboriginal. GRAMS recently launched the 2018 Suicide Prevention Project 2018, an event graced by Minister Stephen Dawson MLC Minister for Mental Health, Aboriginal Affairs, Industrial Relations. The launch included sharing of lived experience of community member who has benefitted from the services provided by GRAMS.
CAAPS Aboriginal Corporation (Darandirra Child & Family Centre)(NT)
The Darrandirra centre seeks to create a child and family focused services hub which is easily accessible and inclusive to all. The centre is achieving this through it’s community involvement, growing list of programs and services offered, continuous support and funding from sponsors, and positive feedback from clients.
To be updated
Central Australian Aboriginal Congress (NT): Psychological Support
The Central Australian Aboriginal Congress (NT) is one of the most experienced Aboriginal primary health care services in the country, a strong political advocate of closing the gap on Aboriginal health disadvantage and a national leader in improving health outcomes for all Aboriginal people. They provide psychological support for young people aged 12 – 25 years old and can give you support if you are depressed, anxious, worried or stressed.
CONTACT:
Phone: (08) 8959 4750
According to the 2022-2023 Annual Report, across the Central Australia Aboriginal Congress clinics and allied health workers (e.g., social workers, substance misuse worker, community services worker, psychologists), 8009 hours of care were provided for the residents of Northern Territory. In the same year, they provided service to 1357 new clients. For more information, please click here.)
To be updated.
Culture and Wellbeing Workshops are organised by the Djirra organisation. Djirra is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation governed by an Aboriginal Board of Directors who are elected by their members. Their journey started in 2002 when they were established as the Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention & Legal Service (FVPLS Victoria). Since then they have grown, expanded their services, and evolved as an organisation, and now they are Djirra.
Freecall: 1800 105 303
Phone: (03) 9244 333
Email: info@djirra.org.au
Sisters Day Out are one-day workshops that facilitate Aboriginal women supporting each other and receive beauty and relaxation therapies. It also provides information to Aboriginal women on their rights and options, and how to engage with support services. Young Luv caters to Aboriginal women aged 13 to 18 with half day activities facilitated by Aboriginal women, to engage Aboriginal teenagers to better understand important issues, and promoting healthy relationships. Dilly Bag is a small group, 3-day intensive residential program to promote healing through cultural principles and Aboriginal heritage.
Strategic goal is to ensure Aboriginal women stay strong, safe, independent, healthy and positive. Prevention of family violence through a focus on
a) cultural strength to increase resilience,
b) reducing social isolation,
c) promoting healthy relationships, and
d) creating awareness of ‘power and control’ dynamics of family violence.
Delivered 112 Sisters Day Out and 42 Dilly Bag retreats involving over 8,000 Aboriginal women between 2007 and 2017. Delivered 57 early intervention and prevention workshops across Victoria, involving 1,811 Aboriginal women in 2018-2019. Djirra delivered 2,410 legal and non-legal support services to Aboriginal women, a total of 611 clients. Provided immediate financial support to 164 Aboriginal women.
Evaluation of Young Luv Program (May 2017) conducted by staff members of Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service Victoria, comprising of experienced, professional Aboriginal women with strong links to their communities, and supported by non-Aboriginal workers who have completed cultural awareness training. Qualitative evaluation done through review of themes emerging from conversations with Aboriginal communities and advice from stakeholders, together with surveys to evaluate effectiveness of program. Positive feedback from participants, with 44% and 50% of respondents evaluating it “Very useful & worthwhile” and “Helpful & relevant”, respectively. Evaluation of Sisters Day Out and Dilly Bag were conducted in 2014 through face-to-face and/or telephone conversations with program participants, facilitators, and service providers, and results of Participant Satisfaction Surveys. The evaluation found these programs successful in the intended outcome including enhancing participants’ self-esteem, wellbeing, relationships, resilience, knowledge and understanding of family violence, support, legal services available.
CEO, Chairperson, and one (of two) directors are Aboriginal women. An Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation where programs are designed and delivered by Aboriginal women. Culturally and age appropriate facilitators for the Young Luv program with facilitators being young Aboriginal women.
To be updated in 2021
Cultural, Social and Emotional Wellbeing Program
The National Empowerment Project (NEP), Cultural, Social and Emotional Wellbeing (CSEWB) Program has been developed and designed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities across Australia based on extensive community consultation with eleven communities in response to high rates of psychological distress, self-harm and suicide.
The Cultural, Social and Emotional Wellbeing Program is currently being delivered at Langford Aboriginal Association.
Address: Langford Aboriginal Association
15 Imber Turn, Langford WA 6147
Telephone: (08) 9451 1424
Email: admin@laalangford.com.au
The National Empowerment Project (NEP) involved the following stages:
- The completion of extensive community consultations and production with individual site reports with results and recommendations.
- The development of the CSEWB Program.
- The delivery of the CSEWB Program in the NEP community sites.1
The National Empowerment Project conducted consultations with 11 Aboriginal communities across Australia as a response to address the disproportionate (five times the rate of non-Aboriginal Australians) and an upward trend of Aboriginal suicides in Australia. Community Reference Groups (CRG) comprising of Aboriginal Elders, Aboriginal-led organisations as well as government agencies and not-for-profit organisations were engaged throughout the research and continue to be engaged during the program delivery. Those consultations2 identified a number of factors that contributed to poor mental health and social wellbeing in these Aboriginal communities including:
- intergenerational trauma
- effects of stolen generations
- racism and discrimination
- high levels of psychological distress
- lateral violence
- interpersonal conflict
- domestic violence
- unresolved grief and loss
- high levels of unemployment, and
- severe poverty.
The research findings confirmed that Aboriginal people and their families become vulnerable to exploitation and ready access to alcohol and or drug substances. An evaluation of the NEP confirmed the program was successful in facilitating an alternative approach to empowering Aboriginal people to enhance their cultural, social and emotional wellbeing and adopt healthier coping strategies as a consequence of multiple disadvantages.
The CSEWB program was developed in response to the NEP research findings and is a comprehensive structured program designed to promote the CSEWB of Aboriginal participants incorporating empowerment, healing and leadership, building resilience and giving people strength. The CSEWB program was initially implemented and evaluated in Kuranda and Cherbourg in Queensland in 2014 to 2016.3
In August 2017, the Perth community re-engaged in a NEP CSEWB workshop to re-establish their commitment to participating in the NEP CSEWB program. These consultations provided evidence of Aboriginal people’s values regarding their cultural strength and identity as well as the need for culturally appropriate programs.
Key stakeholders continue to support program implementation at the local level. The facilitators are Aboriginal people from the local region who are trained specifically to deliver the program. The Langford Aboriginal Association (LAA) in Western Australia is the lead organisation supporting the program delivery in the Perth region and was part of the initial research and has had ongoing involvement.
In 2017, Relationships Australia WA (RAWA) applied to the West Australian Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) to fund the CSEWB program. RAWA engaged LAA to deliver the program at three identified sites in the Perth metropolitan area:
- Balga, Girrawheen, Koondoola;
- Kwinana and Rockingham;
- Langford, Kelmscott and Gosnells.
In 2018-2019 the WAPHA refunded the program through LAA who in partnership with RAWA delivered the CSEWB program twice in Kwinana, with 46 graduates and in 2019-2020 the program has been re-funded to be delivered twice at Langford with 21 participants attending the first program.
The Cultural, Social and Emotional Wellbeing (CSEWB) Program aims to provide participants with strategies to:
- promote their positive cultural, social and emotional wellbeing
- strengthen their mental health of their families
- build resilience, and
- prevent psychological distress.
A Community Reference Group (CRG) provides direction to ensure the effective and culturally safe implementation of the CSEWB program. The CRG provides the overall cultural governance for the program managers and facilitators who implement the program. The CRG includes the membership of Elders, other Aboriginal community members and organisations providing health and social services to the local community.
The CSEWB Program is delivered over a three-month period with 12 culturally-secure, sessions once a week including a field trip and a graduation ceremony along with an opportunity for participants to implement a community project. The program is available to Aboriginal people over the age of 18 years as well as non-Aboriginal people who are well-known in the community and want to participate in the program. In Western Australia, for example, this is delivered through Langford Aboriginal Association in partnership with Relationships Australia WA.4
Over the course of the CSEWB program each participant explores concepts of self including their personal understanding of how the legacy of colonisation has affected their understanding of Aboriginal social history, loss of culture, family and parenting concepts, leadership styles, personal development and self-esteem and efficacy. These concepts are further explored through group discussions.
Program participants are given a task to complete that involves a cultural project within the community. This project is developed through the group who design, develop and implement the project using their existing skills and knowledge and new resources learned through the program.
Participants have reported improvements in their confidence, parenting, family life, a sense of belonging and wellbeing, capacity to cope with life events and understanding of their personal life histories. Other outcomes have been noted in regard to participants which are:
- completing their first course post-high school
- gaining employment
- enrolling in further training or other courses
- completing a bridging course to gain admission to university medical studies
- increasing their confidence and wellbeing
- reducing alcohol or drug use
- increased confidence to take up new opportunities
- engaging in a small business training to become a self-employed artist
- becoming a Chairperson of an organisation, and
- becoming a facilitator of the CSEWB.
After some of the group participants overcome their initial shyness they begin to learn from one another, support one another in their learning, form supportive bonds, accept one another and encourage each other to attend forthcoming group sessions. It is the collective support that has ensured ongoing attendance by participants. This contrasts with individual counselling approaches whereas anecdotally people may attend one or two sessions and then cease participating. The program can accommodate up to 20 participants at any one time in order to ensure participants are given maximum opportunity to engage in activities and discussion.
Participants demonstrated an increased appreciation and understanding of Aboriginal history and the cultural impacts and how it connects to the current circumstances of individual, families and communities. For some participants the program reinforced what they already knew and for others it was the first opportunity they had to become fully aware of the social and cultural impacts of colonisation on their lives as Aboriginal people. This created a better understanding of connection to country and the role that Elders play through the cultural sessions and activities. There was also a new-found appreciation of Elders and how important they are in maintaining and creating cultural understanding. Participants developed a better understanding of ways in which they can utilise their knowledge to continue to make positive changes in their own lives.
Evidence from evaluations undertaken for two sites in Queensland2/3 and more recently for the programs delivered at three sites in WA strongly supports the intended outcomes being achieved. The evidence is based on observations of participants and feedback gathered over the duration of the program which includes a pre- and post-evaluation and Stories of Most Significant Change (MSC)2. The MSC is seen as being a culturally-safe way of gaining qualitative data. This data has been analysed within the individual evaluations of program delivery over the program implementation time in Western Australia and in Queensland.
The program administers the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale5 (K5) psychological assessment tool for each participant at the commencement of the program in order to identify participants who may require initial or ongoing support during their participation.
Evaluations6/7 of the program have indicated that the participants have:
- increased their confidence so that they are able to seek employment and become employed
- improved relationships with their children, partners and extended family and community including the prevalence of family violence
- increased knowledge about Aboriginal history
- a better understanding of the impacts of intergenerational trauma and therefore an increased understanding of determinants impacting on their own lives
- a better ability to speak up for themselves and therefore becoming empowered, and
- developed strategies to cope with their grief and loss around suicide, poverty, mental illness and deaths impacting on themselves, their families and communities.
A project evaluation of the NEP was conducted to determine how effective the NEP was in achieving its stated goals. The evaluation report8 summarises the development and implementation of the CSEWB Program in the communities of Kuranda and Cherbourg between 2014-16. A further evaluation3 focusing on specific outcomes and impacts of the CSEWB Program was undertaken in 2017 with participants from Kuranda and Cherbourg. The evaluation findings were based on an analysis of:
- current interview outcomes
- information summarised from the Stories of Most Significant Change (written after participants complete the Program), and
- the original data from the 2013 NEP consultations.
The evaluation6 identified the following eight themes:
1. Personal Strengths:
Participants reported increased self-awareness and self-esteem, improved confidence and more assertiveness in achieving set goals.
They acknowledged their own development of individual strengths, including public speaking skills and the ability to voice their own opinions and viewpoints in family and community discussions, business settings, and other situations.
2. Healthcare and Healthier Lifestyle Choices:
Participants reported an increased understanding of, and commitment to, their own health and wellbeing, and that of their children and families. This extends further to also be inclusive of the collective community’s overall health and wellbeing.
3. Relationships: Children, Partners, Family, and Community:
Participants voiced their increased knowledge and resolve around the importance of nurturing more positive relationships with their family members and the wider community. This resulted in a stronger commitment to reconcile in more positive ways that do not impinge on individual self-esteem and health.
4. Family/Domestic Violence and Incarceration:
There was increased awareness and networking support for participants where they shared a range of issues affecting their and their families’ wellbeing.
5. Life Skills and Life Planning:
Participants reported an increased awareness and development of skills to change situations and develop confidence. They reported a stronger understanding of the benefits of positive self-talk, and how this can dispel negative self-talk (bad thoughts, old negative habits/behaviours, aggressive actions and language) towards oneself, family members, and others.
6. Education, Training, and Employment:
Personal and professional development was seen as a positive aspect of the Program. Pursing higher education and training assists in individual growth, assertiveness, attaining a better life, and economic stability and sustainability for participants and their families.
7. Cultural, Social, and Emotional Wellbeing:
Participants reported a strengthened sense of identity, including cultural identity specifically. Completing the Program and undertaking a self-assessment of their progress via Stories of Most Significant Change enabled participants to better understand the series of success factors that aided their achievements over the duration of the Program.
8. Cultural Reconnection, Identity, Pride, and Community:
There was a renewed focus of the importance of reconnecting with country and culture. The positive benefits of feeling a sense of belonging, and family and community unity were also highlighted.
On an individual basis, participants identified positive outcomes in their physical and mental health and general wellbeing, enabling participants to focus on their personal and family’s needs in a more positive and constructive way, strengthening family and community relationships. Participants identified the value of strengthening culture and spirituality, which extends to self, family, others, all living things, and the natural world. A crucial outcome for participants was the realisation or affirmation around how everything is connected within a cultural context, and how this can bring a sense of inspiration, connectedness, and hope for individuals, families, and the wider community.
The findings of the evaluation are especially significant acknowledging the importance of ‘going back to country’ for cultural purposes, and for family and community reconnection to the land, and cultural ceremony. Participants reported being more confident and empowered after completing the CSEWB Program. The value of the CSEWB Program has been demonstrated throughout the evaluations that have been undertaken following each program delivery. This has been through direct statements and feedback from Program participants regarding their own positive experiences and journeys. Participants who completed the Program reported feeling a greater sense of wellbeing, greater resilience, and increased capacity to address and resolve many of the issues impacting on them, their families, and their communities. Participants have attained skills and knowledge that will assist them to succeed in a range of ways that have only been realised since participating in the empowering Program.
1. National Empowerment Project. Relationships WA.Duffin, W, Riley, B, Grogan, G, Butorac, A, Cox, A, Dudgeon, P & Swift, S. 2013,
2. The National Empowerment Project Kuranda. The University of Western Australia: Crawley Western Australia.
3. Mia, T., Dudgeon, P., Mascall, C, Grogan, G, Murray, B., Walker, R. 2017, An Evaluation of the National Empowerment Project Cultural, Social, and Emotional Wellbeing Program, Special issue of Indigenous Suicide Prevention, Te Mauri Pimatisiwin. Volume 2, Issue 2, Article 3 pp 33-48
4. Cultural Social and Emotional Wellbeing Program. Langford Aboriginal Association. 2020.
5. Jorm, A, Bourchier, S, Cvetkovski, S & Stewart, G. 2012. Mental health of Indigenous Australians: a review of findings from community surveys. The Medical Journal of Australia. Issue 196, pp 118 – 121
6. Perth Evaluation Report September 2018. WA Primary Health Alliance and Primary Health Network WA.
7. Perth Evaluation Report September 2019. WA Primary Health Alliance and Primary Health Network WA.
8. Mia, T & Oxenham, D. 2017. National Empowerment Project Cultural, Social, and Emotional Wellbeing Program Evaluation 2014 – 2017. The University of Western Australia: Crawley, WA.
Further reading at The National Empowerment Program website. https://www.nationalempowermentproject.org.au/publications
Dudgeon, P, Cox, K, D’Anna, D, Dunkley, C, Hams, K, Kelly, K, Scrine, C & Walker, R. 2012, Hear Our Voices: Community Consultations for the Development of an Empowerment, Healing and Leadership Program for Aboriginal people living in the Kimberley, Western Australia – Final Research Report. Commonwealth of Australia: Canberra.
Dudgeon, P, Walker, R, Scrine, C, Dunkley, C, D’Anna, D & Cox, K. 2012, Developing an Innovative, Culturally Responsive Healing, Empowerment and Leadership Program for Aboriginal People Living in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia. Research and Policy Brief. Department of Health and Ageing, Telethon Institute of Child Health Research: Perth, WA.
Mia, T. (2017). National Empowerment Project Cultural Social Emotional Wellbeing Program Evaluation 2014-2017. Sister Kate’s Home Kids Aboriginal Corporation.
Oxenham., D. (2017). The National Empowerment Project Phase Three Evaluation Report. (2014-2016).
Danila Dilba Health Service: STRONG Youth Outreach Program (NT)
Danila Dilba’s mission is to improve the physical, mental, spiritual, cultural and social wellbeing of the Biluru community of the Yilli Rreung Region through innovative comprehensive primary health care programs, community services and advocacy that are based on the principles of equity, access, empowerment, community self-determination and collaboration.
To be updated.
To be updated
Dardi Munwurro Brother to Brother 24 Hour Crisis Line (VIC)
Dardi Munwurro is an Aboriginal family violence service that tailors programs and support lines for Aboriginal men and youth. It allows them to develop responsibility and purpose for the future, breaking down cyclical intergenerational trauma within Aboriginal communities. The service was established in 2000 and is based in Victoria.
The service primarily aims to assist Aboriginal men and youth to identify their emotions and personal strengths, which allows them to develop personal responsibility and demonstrate purpose and a vision for the future. The service allows for a safe place for healing and personal growth and ultimately builds stronger and safer communities.
Since its establishment in 2000, the service has grown to a team of 30 facilitators for the programs that the service provides. These services have been accessed by over 1000 clients in recent years. In 2020, the service launched Brother to Brother, Australia’s first Aboriginal men’s counselling and crisis support line. This can be accessed at 1800 435 799.
In 2021, Deloitte Access Economics released an evaluation of Dardi Munwurro that summarised the programs and evaluated its efficacy. It found that monetary investments yielded a return of up to 190%. Moreover, the report found that participation in the programs contributed to a) reduction in the rate of incarceration from 13% to 4% post programs, with each avoided incarceration saving the government more than $90 000/annum, b) 80% reduction in reported domestic violence, c) 46% reduction in substance abuse and d) 100% reduction in homelessness.
Deloitte Access Economics. (2021). Strengthening Spirit and Culture: A cost-benefit analysis of Dardi Munwurro’s men’s healing programs. Canberra: The Healing Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.dardimunwurro.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/HF_Strengthening_Spirit_and_Culture_Dardi_Munwurro_Report_Oct2021_V5.pdf
Deadly Choices Leadership Camps
Deadly Choices is a social marketing initiative started in 2010 in South East Queensland by the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health. The aim is to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to make healthy daily choices around diet, lifestyle and regularly accessing local health services to prevent or manage chronic diseases. Deadly Choices Leadership Camps aims to build strong leaders for our communities, whilst empowering and encouraging ongoing participation in sports, culture, community activities, and health education.
Address: 22 Cox Road, Windsor Qld 4030
Phone: (07) 3828 3600
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students attend camps that involve team building, leadership, cultural activities, indigenous games, holistic health education sessions. Juniors (aged 8 to 12 years) are mentored by seniors (aged 12 to 18 years) to develop leadership qualities.
To promote and empower participation in sports, culture, community activities, and health education to build strong leaders for communities.
Deadly Choices have delivered 155 education programs with 2208 program graduates. 240 Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander students attended three concurrent camps.
We could not find any evidence of this program being evaluated.
To be updated in 2021.
To be updated in 2021
Deadly Families (NSW)
Deadly Families is a culturally safe, early intervention and prevention program to support Aboriginal parents who are faced with child protection notifications and interventions. Deadly Families aims to equip parents with skills to reduce their level of risk and involvement with FACS, shape their futures, navigate life’s challenges, heal, and take responsibility for development so as to thrive to be great parents.
According to the Deadly Connection Impact Report 2019 – 2021, Deadly Families was reported to have developed the capacity of Aboriginal parents, improving their parenting and life skills, promoting positive outcomes for participants and their families, and encouraging healthy, connected, strong, safe relationships with their children, through individualised, holistic, cultural and social support. In addition, clients reported 72% higher overall wellbeing as compared to new clients, and experienced greatest improvements in areas related to building and managing healthy relationships.
Deadly Connections. (2021). Impact Report 2019 – 2021. https://deadlyconnections.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Deadly-Connections-Impact-Report-2019-2021.pdf
Darwin Indigenous Men's Service (NT)
Darwin Indigenous Men’s service focuses on men’s mental health by provide individual mentoring, family violence counselling and education programs and healing activities for Indigenous men.
To be updated
Darwin Indigenous Men’s service. (2022). Annual Report 2021 – 2022. https://irp.cdn-website.com/76a54821/files/uploaded/DIMS%20Annual%20Report%202022.pdf
Equine Assisted Therapy Learning Program
The Equine Assisted Learning Program was developed in partnership with Katungul Koori Connections and a NSW Police Youth Liaison Officer. Katungul Aboriginal Corporation Regional Health and Community Services provides culturally appropriate health care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities on the Far South Coast of NSW (from Eden to Batemans Bay). Services include general practice medical, dental, allied health program for eye health, otitis media and maternity care, and outreach programs.
Contact: Katungul Aboriginal Corporation Regional Health and Community Services currently has three clinics that offer medical, dental and specialist services; Narooma, Bega & Batemans Bay.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students attend camps that involve team building, leadership, cultural activities, indigenous games, holistic health education sessions. Juniors (aged 8 to 12 years) are mentored by seniors (aged 12 to 18 years) to develop leadership qualities.
This program builds self esteem, confidence, patience and communication skills in youths through bonding with horses.
Since implementation, the program has been extended to include other demographics, including young men who have experienced trauma and violence, and/or battled substance abuse. Established scholarships for Aboriginal students to undertake health related studies.
Participants found the program fulfilling and effective in helping them become better people, including emotional stability, better relationships and health, and happiness.
This assessment is based on the organisation that partnered with the NSW Police to deliver this program.
Aboriginal elders established Katungul 24 years ago which is controlled and managed by Aboriginal People. It adopts a Katungul’s Holistic Wellbeing support model which addresses social, environmental, and cultural needs to ensure wellbeing. Key leadership and workforce strategies include:
a) develop community engagement strategy to include consultation and ongoing engagement,
b) strengthen relationships with Southern Local Health District, Primary Health Networks, Local Councils, and key government agencies,
c) undertake all elements of social determinants of health and wellbeing needs analysis of Aboriginal population of South East NSW,
d) Introduce new client feedback and complaints process that is accessible, responsive and confidential,
e) mandatory cultural awareness training for all employees, contractors, trainees and volunteers,
f) develop and train Aboriginal people to work in health and wellbeing industry, through volunteering,
g) Katungul has documents detailing complaints handling policy, procedure and process.
To be updated in 2021
Family Support Service (WA)
Yorgum is a respected Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation based in WA. It provides a range of services that empower Aboriginal people, their families and communities to have the skills and supports to improve and maintain their social and emotional wellbeing. The Family Support Service includes Intensive Family Support, Indigenous Family Safety, and Building Solid Families.
Phone: (08)9218 9477; 1800 469 371
176 Wittenoom Street, East Perth WA 6004
Yorgum provides a Family Support Service that offers:
1. Intensive Family Support – in-home practical support to parents and families who are referred by the Department of Communities (Child Protection and Family Support) to enhance the safety of their children so they can remain safe at home.
2. Indigenous Family Safety – an integrated service to Aboriginal families, particularly vulnerable and disadvantaged families, to improve child wellbeing and development, safety and family functioning, and to help build stronger, more resilient families and communities.
3. Building Solid Families – social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) services including culturally secure information, support and advice to Aboriginal communities particularly those affected by trauma, grief and loss, mental health challenges and at risk of self-harm.
The objectives of the Family Support Service is to ensure the safety of children at their homes; improve children’s well being and development; build stronger, more resilient families and communities and to support Aboriginal communities who are affected by trauma, grief and loss, mental health challenges, and those at risk of self-harm.
Annual Report 2019-2020: On average, around 300 Aboriginal people are engaged with the services at any one time.
Over 90% of clients say that working with Yorgum has improved their knowledge of SEWB and their knowledge of support services available to them. Almost all clients say getting help from Yorgum is easy and they would recommend Yorgum to family and friends if they needed healing support.
Yorgum is a well respected Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation in the community. All its board members are Aboriginals. Yorgum seeks to employ Aboriginal staff and provide cultural security training to all staff to ensure healing services are culturally secure. It publishes an annual report since 2013, with financial statements, on its website. Yorgum provided counselling services for the Perth Metro Regional Suicide Prevention Consultation sessions, where CBPATSISP was a part of.
Family Wellbeing Program (National)
The Family Wellbeing Program (FWP) is a Certificate II course, offered by trained facilitators, and which focuses on the empowerment and personal development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereon Aboriginal) people through the sharing of stories, discussing relationships and setting future goals. The survival experiences of course facilitators and participants are the program’s main learning resources. Workshops are held for both adults and children to highlight the various health and social wellbeing issues experienced by Aboriginal communities and the steps that can be implemented to deal with them.
The FWP takes a community development approach to address health and the social determinants impacting on health across the continuum of care and is a framework for social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB). Group processes play an important role in facilitating a safe and supportive learning environment in which participants feel comfortable to reflect and express feelings. The FWP articulates the human qualities necessary for leadership and healthy relationships such as vision, respect, empathy, and compassion. It advocates relationships that are based on wisdom, acceptance, freedom and honesty, and provides a safe forum for reflection and learning skills to achieve these personal qualities and relationships.
The FWP was initiated in South Australia in 1998 by a group of Aboriginal people affected by the Stolen Generations policies and practices. The Apunipima Cape York Health Council in Far North Queensland has modified the program to meet the specific needs of the local communities of Hopevale and Wujal Wujal. The FWP has also engaged in sustainability efforts by expanding the number of organisations that are certified to deliver this Certificate II program. In November 2014, the program extended to New South Wales after facilitators from the Griffith Aboriginal Medical Service were trained in its delivery. In 2016, the FWP was delivered in Mildura through the Mallee District Aboriginal Services whilst in 2017, the FWP was first offered in Western Australia (WA) at four locations (Perth, Roebourne, Geraldton and Bunbury) by the Aboriginal Health Council of WA. The program has also been successfully delivered in China where the founder ran workshops at the Shenyang University of Chemical Technology. Subsequently teachers there have engaged in teaching and researching in the area of family wellbeing1.
The Family Wellbeing Program seeks to:
- Engage and support individuals and groups in Aboriginal communities to take greater control and responsibility for their health and wellbeing
- Provide a safe and supportive learning environment and an opportunity for people to reflect on and share stories about important questions for life: Where am I going with my life? Who is benefiting and who is losing out? What can I do to change the situation? What would be the consequences?
- Foster the empowerment and personal development of Aboriginal people through discussing relationships, and identifying goals for the future
- Address the health and social issues experienced by Aboriginal communities and formulate steps that can be implemented
- Provide an ‘inside-out solution’ that builds on Aboriginal strengths
This comprehensive program facilitates empowerment at personal, family, group and community levels. It develops the ability to identify and address systemic level issues and thereby provides greater opportunities for participants and their communities to:
- Facilitate Aboriginal people’s empowerment and capacity to regain SEWB
- Rebuild the cultural and social norms of their families and community
- Address issues such as family violence and abuse, suicide and incarceration
- Take greater charge of issues affecting their health and wellbeing, give and demand more in their relationships, and participate more actively
- Analyse situations more carefully
- Improve skills to break new ground in areas such as values-based Aboriginal workforce development and organisational change
- Share stories and explore issues regarding contemporary Aboriginal spirituality
An extensive evaluation by the University of Queensland and James Cook University in 20062 demonstrated the effectiveness of the FWP empowerment approach as a tool for engaging participants on a wide range of issues affecting their health and wellbeing and those of their families.
Participants’ reported an enhanced sense of self-worth, resilience, problem-solving ability, and ability to address immediate family difficulties and to change their social environment; and a greater capacity to address wider structural issues such as poor school attendance rates, a critical housing shortage, endemic family violence, alcohol and drug misuse, chronic disease, and over-representation of Aboriginal men in the criminal justice system.
In 2018, a comprehensive evaluation3 summarised the key findings of several publications about self-reported qualitative and quantitative evaluations of FWP. These papers reflect the achievements of various program outputs including training FWP facilitators and producing research publications, and program level outcomes such as improvements in individual health and outcomes beyond the project level. This reflects the achievement of the program through tangible evaluations. The FWP has prolific outputs and evaluations which consistently demonstrate that it addresses the current needs of the communities it serves. These characteristics confirm the effectiveness and cultural appropriateness of the program in achieving its goals and documented uptake across Australia and beyond. The program is being increasingly incorporated into a range of health interventions, workforce training programs and school curricula.
The Family Wellbeing Program:
- Builds strengths and capacity in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and resilience in individuals and families
- Improves the capacity of communities to initiate, plan, lead and sustain strategies to promote community awareness and to develop and implement community suicide prevention plans
- Provides materials and resources appropriate for the needs of Aboriginal peoples in diverse community settings
- Identifies high levels of suicide and self-harm in communities and facilitate a planned response
- Provides culturally appropriate community activities that engage youth, builds cultural strengths, leadership, life skills and social competencies through the on-country trips, resulting in life promotion and resilience-building
- Is founded on long-term, sustainable prevention strategies that build resilience and promote SEWB
- Builds an evidence-base and strong standards in suicide prevention through the development of a locally accessible capacity to monitor risk behaviours and indicators of functioning for individual communities and regions in order to reduce suicidal behaviour and prevent suicide.
- Provides consistent evaluations of its programs to find ways to improve their effectiveness in meeting the needs of Aboriginal communities
- Develops and supports Aboriginal peoples in the suicide prevention and wellbeing workforce
- Develops high standards for community engagement and cultural awareness in wellbeing and early intervention services.
- Is one of Australia’s pre-eminent empowerment, healing and SEWB programs whose effectiveness and responsiveness has been clearly demonstrated over many years and through a rigorous and comprehensive evaluation process.
The review team rated the FWP very highly as strong evidence of effectiveness and best practice. It is an example of the impact of a sustainable and longer-term program and of the critical importance of empowerment to achieving SEWB.
- Family Wellbeing Newsletter, Issue 5, November 2017 [Available at https://www.cairnsinstitute.jcu.edu.au/fwb-newsletter/.
- Pearson KT. Evaluation Report 2006 [Available at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Komla_Tsey/publication/242484452_Evaluation_Report_2006/links/02e7e52d47979179d1000000/Evaluation-Report-2006.pdf .
- Onnis L-A, Klieve H, Tsey K. The evidence needed to demonstrate impact: a synthesis of the evidence from a phased social and emotional wellbeing intervention. Evaluation and Program Planning 2018; 70:35-43 [Available at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0149718917302872 .
Family Wellbeing Program (QLD)
Cherbourg Regional Aboriginal & Islander Community Controlled Health Services (CRAICCHS) aim to provide holistic social, health and wellbeing programs to empower and strengthen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, families and communities of the Cherbourg and South Burnett regions
Phone: 1800 698 600
72 Youngman St Kingaroy QLD 4610
Cherbourg (07) 4169 8600
Kingaroy (07) 4163 6566
https://craicchs.org/services/family-wellbeing-program/
Email: General enquiries – customerservice@craicchs.org
CRAICCHS provides culturally appropriate and holistic services to individuals, families and communities. The SEWB program focuses on connection to land, culture, spirituality, family and community. The FWB program promotes family wellbeing by empowering families to stay together and connect with self, culture, country and kin, by engaging all family members.
Build strong foundations for healing, empowerment, connection, wellness and resilience of the community, through engaging and building meaningful relationships with services in the community. Services include building self-esteem and life skills, support and referral to NDIS approved services, support and referral with Centrelink, support for mental health issues, grief and loss.
to be updated
to be updated
CRAICCHS provides culturally appropriate services and advocates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to achieve equitable health outcomes. CRAICCHS has affiliations with various organisations including Australian Government Department of Health, Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council, and SNAICC, which is the national voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
Gallang Place: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation (QLD)
- family conflict and violence
- managing anger and frustration
- feelings of grief, loss and trauma
- dealing with sexual, emotional or physical abuse
- drug and alcohol problems
- health, nutrition and wellbeing
- home and school issues
- problems with police and government agencies
- bullying and racism
- to provide a culturally appropriate counselling service to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, groups and families, within the greater Brisbane region;
- to promote the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, groups and families through counselling;
- to liaise with non-Aboriginal counselling services where there are a number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients;
- to provide support and service to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in custody and to their families;
- to co-operate with other organisations to assist in the improvement of the socio-economic future for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their families;
- to conduct research into the stresses, trauma and psycho-social issues that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people;
- where necessary, to act as an advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their families;
- to increase knowledge and understanding among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of their civil, legal, political, human and natural rights;
- to develop an Aboriginal framework to counselling;
- to develop a Torres Strait Islander framework to counselling;
- to conduct training courses for employed, retained and voluntary staff to assist in carrying out the objectives of the organisation;
- to promote the acquisition of recognised qualifications by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as will enable them to practice in professions related to the activities of the organisation;
- to support existing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community organisations by providing short term and long term counselling services;
- to promote and participate in state and national conferences of social work / counselling similar to this organisation; and
- to respect the self determination of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, families and groups.
To be updated.
To be updated.
Gan'na Healing Program
The Gan’na healing program works through a trauma informed lens to increase the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. It is working across most Central Australian communities.
Phone: Lukas Williams – 0455 558 625
Email: director.ganna@gmail.com
The program develops grass roots healing programs while at the same time implementing a unique healing model that helps to build pathways to long term change at individual and community levels. Gan’na provides trauma informed workshops; men’s and women’s healing camps, community healing circles, education and custom programs.
Gan’na is currently working with Aboriginal communities in Hermannsberg, Uluru and Santa Tersia. It was the first responder to a suicide in Yuendumu (a town in the Northern Territory). They are now implemeting the SEWB model into that community as well as Mt Theo out station.
To deliver best trauma informed practices to all Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, as well as skilling up the Australian workforce, through a unique Indigenous pedagogy, allowing all Australians the opportunity to learn and respond as frontline trauma specialists.
Gan’na’s objective is to deliver programs that see community people heal together using the SEWB wheel which keeps all community members safe.
Case Study – Gan’na delivered a trauma workshop to a football team in Alice Springs who had been impacted by suicide. 5 of the players had taken their own lives. Gan’na delivered the workshop using the SEWB wheel that now hangs in their clubrooms. Two months after the workshop the club won all 4 premierships and have not had any repeat suicides or suicide attempts. The community feedback was that the workshop for the participants was life changing.
The trauma workshop for the football team was internally evaluated.
Yuendumu is currently being evaluated, externally and from what we see is using this in a way that is creating some deep healing so that community can respond to crisis situations.
To be updated in 2021
To be updated in 2021
Jeffrey Morgan (The Lifestyle Program)
Jeffrey Morgan is an Indigenous mindset, leadership and Wellbeing Coach & Nutrionist. Coming from a rough childhood of crime and hardship, he has turned these destructive habits in to constructive ones. His mission is to help to change and save lives, one individual, one habit at a time.
CONTACT:
Email: hello@jeffreymorgan.com.au
He works closely with Aboriginal communities and organisations as well as others including Mission Australia, the Australian Defence Force, the NRL, NSW and ACT Health, Sydney City Council, and the University of Sydney. Jeffrey works with a vast number of communities, organisations, schools, juvenile justcie and individuals across Australia where he shares his passion and expertise in mental health & wellbeing and leadership.
His services include:
– The Lifestyle “Cut the Bullshit” Program where he empowers people to create sustainable, realistic and healthy lifestyle habits
– The Mindset Coaching Program
– Corporate Mindset, Leadership & Wellbeing Program
– Online Lifestyle Program Community
– Sunday Mindset Sessions
– Public Speaking
The main objective of Jeffrey Morgan’s Program is to improve the social and physical wellness of individuals through changes to a healthy mindset and beneficial habit creation. He has learnt a monumental amount through his experience in and out of prison for 18 years and wants to share the lessons he learnt so they don’t make the same mistakes he did.
– Helped postiviely change the lives of more than 650,000 Australians
To be updated.
The Lifestyle Program is assessed as having:
– Indigenous Ownership: Jeffrey Morgan is a proud Indigneous man.
– Community Leadership: Jeffrey works with Indigenous organisations and services to spread awareness of a physically and mentally healthy life.
– Capacity Building: Jeffrey runs a number of different training programs that are available for anyone to purchase, alongside one-on-one physical training.
Kalka Healing: Healing starts with you (National)
Kalka Healing is an Indigenous led and developed suicide prevention program which provides workshops which are practical, at the grassroots level, and culturally sensitive.
Contact:
Mobile: Cleavon Davis (Director) 0455033539 Email: kalkahealing18@gmail.com
Cleavon is a proud Aboriginal man from Mount Isa and an experienced and qualified counsellor with over ten years experience in providing social and emotional well-being counselling to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (hereon Aboriginal). For a long time, he has seen suicide as a devastating issue for Aboriginal people across Australia. Hence, Cleavon has compiled his knowledge, skills and sourced materials to develop workshops which lead to healing and empowerment for participants and their communities.
This Kalka Healing provides training which specifically addresses Aboriginal suicide prevention by providing tools for coping as an individual and responding to suicide in the community. Aboriginal people aged 14 years and older may participate. Further, non-Aboriginal people who want to better understand suicide in Aboriginal people may also attend. Importantly, the workshops are practical, at the grassroots level, and culturally sensitive.
Kalka Healing is wholly owned by Aboriginal people and the workshops are delivered by a qualified and experienced Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing Counsellor at a local level to ensure relevance to individual communities.
Training offered include a 14-hour suicide prevention, coping and response training program entitled Healing starts with you. Here, participants are supported to create a local prevention strategy. This is done by recording a detailed list of what best addresses the participants’ needs, community needs and the needs of families within that community. Participants are guided to respond and cope with their own suicidal thoughts, feelings of worthlessness and the associated pain. Participants are also guided to build a local and culturally appropriate strategy, designed to empower their community.
The second training session, Passport for life, is a four-hour workshop which is aimed at preventing suicide in at-risk youth. Here, safety plans are developed with young people. These plans aim to provide tools for young people to deal with uncontrolled thoughts by identifying and connecting with their community as well as to identify support networks and safe places.
This workshop is designed to support young people to create individualised safety plans that help to divert risks of harm and suicide ideation. By creating a Passport for Life, young people are guided to identify and connect with support from their families, schools, communities and professionals.
Our overarching goals are to reduce suicide in Aboriginal people by:
- Providing participants with the tools to lead a purposeful life while being connected to country, culture, community and family
- Enabling participants to turn away from suicide ideation and to grow more resilient
- Teaching communities to respond pro-actively to suicide, suicide attempts, suicide ideation and self-harm
Kalka Healing works towards the achievement of these goals through the following objectives within their programs, Healing starts with you and Passport for life by: The
- Showing participants how thoughts determine behaviour and how negative thoughts can lead to suicide ideation and/or suicidal attempts
- Teaching participants to identify and control negative thoughts and to turn them into positive ones
- Overcoming the sensitivities of Aboriginal people towards discussing suicide by providing support, involvement and education
- Providing a Healing Circle
- Strengthening culture and building confidence in participants
- Addressing participants in a culturally appropriate language and culturally safe manner
- Enabling participants to identify signs of an impending suicide attempt and to respond appropriately
- Providing support to those bereaved by suicide
- Providing individuals, families, groups and communities with culturally appropriate and culturally safe prevention strategies that action resilience against suicide
- Building a customised suicide prevention strategy responding to local needs
Workshop participants and their communities are provided with the means to develop a customised Suicide Prevention Plan that best fits themselves and their community. Participants are provided with the means to identify and control negative thoughts and to turn them into positive ones and to better identify with country, culture, community and family. Furthermore, participants are better able to provide support to those bereaved by suicide. In these ways, healthier-minded individuals emerged, and communities are empowered to manage the customised strategies created in the workshops.
This training program has not yet been formally evaluated. However, by community invitation, evaluation of the developed strategy proceeds three-months after the delivery of Healing starts with you. In these instances, Cleavon revisits the community and runs an additional workshop which guides participants to reflect on what has worked well, what has not, and what they would like to do differently. As required, additional information is provided for the group to move forward towards their goals. At the end of the workshops, Cleavon collects feedback forms from participants. These will enable him to continue to improve the workshops and also to monitor the success of the strategies developed and the extent to which people report feeling more empowered and positive about the future. To date feedback received points towards the success of Kalka Healing. Former participants reported better coping, feeling more positive and more able to express their feelings while some reported no longer feeling suicidal. In addition, participants expressed that the program reduced the stigma of talking about issues associated with suicide and affirmed the importance of culture, family and community. A key indicator of the effectiveness of Kalka Healing and the developed strategies is that participants acknowledged that it is their strategy, developed upwards from the grass roots level.
To be updated in 2021
Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa (KJ) (WA)
Karlka Nyiyaparli Aboriginal Corporation (KNAC): Kids on Country Junior Rangers Camp (WA)
Kimberley Empowerment Healing and Leadership Program (WA)
The Kimberley Empowerment Healing and Leadership Program is a program delivered by the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services (KAMS) team across the Kimberley in Western Australia.
CONTACT
KAMS, 12 Napier Street, Broome
Phone: (08) 9194 3200
Email: sewbadmin@kamsc.org.au
The Kimberley Empowerment Healing and Leadership Program was developed following the successful pilot of the Kimberley Empowerment Project initiated in response to the high rates of suicides in the region from 1999 to 2006. This course is delivered over 5 two-day blocks and a healing session over a 5-week period. In partnership with Centacare, this program is also delivered in the West Kimberley Regional Prison five times per year. It is delivered by the Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) team in the KAMS office.
The KAMS SEWB Team is supported by the Western Australian Country Health Service (WACHS) and the National Indigenous Australians Alliance (NIAA) to promote and support the social and emotional wellbeing of communities, and the capacity of the SEWB workforce, across the Kimberley.
The aims of the program are:
- Raise self-awareness of the individual’s identity and strengths
- Empower individuals to take control of their lives
- Heal – Allow behaviour change so that individuals grow in all aspects of their life
KAMS has received significant government funding for their suicide prevention efforts, reflecting the quality of their programs and services, specifically the KEHLP. The Kimberley site was one of the first suicide prevention trial site in Western Australia.
During 2018 and 2019, 126 participants registered to participate in the KEHLP and 14 courses were delivered across the Kimberley in Broome (6), West Kimberley Regional Prison (5), Kununurra (2) and Bidyadanga (1). Of the registered participants,
- 35 were Aboriginal Health Worker students who completed the KEHLP Module 1 only as part of their training
- 38 completed the KEHLP
- 4 completed the Train the Trainer
- 49 did not complete the KEHLP – of these, 19 attended one or more sessions
Participant evaluation/feedback demonstrated that the KEHLP
- increased participants’ knowledge of SEWB
- improved confidence and knowledge of relevant SEWB concepts
- increased positive aspects and decreased negative aspects of their SEWB
Participants also reported that KEHLP provided them with skills and tools to help them make positive changes to their behaviours. A significant outcome is capacity building where participants stepped into community leadership roles, progressed their careers and started a business.
The Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services (KAMS) commissioned the Rural Clinical School of Western Australia (RCSWA), University of Western Australia (UWA) to evaluate the effectiveness of the Kimberley Empowerment, Healing and Leadership Program (KEHLP) in improving the Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) of participants. The evaluation report can be found here.
KAMS is a member of the Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia and of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation. KAMS is a partner of the CBPATSISP with strong mutual working relationships. KAMS is governed by a Board of Directors which comprises of representatives from each of KAMS Member Services in the Kimberley region. KAMS was assessed as a strong community organisation that is well respected by the local communities, providing best practice programs and services.
Carlin E, Seear K, Spry E, Ferrari K. Kimberley Empowerment, Healing and Leadership Program Evaluation: Final report to Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services. Rural Clinical School of Western Australia, University of Western Australia, 2020. https://doi.org/10.26182/f307-zc62
Kurbingui youth and family development: Bridges Program (QLD)
The Bridges Program works collaboratively with schools, parents, and young people and the community towards improving educational achievements and overall outcomes for children and young people as well as creating positive educational experiences for other family members. The program is designed to enhance the capacity of parents/caregivers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to engage with schools and education providers and improve educational outcomes for their children.
Bridges staff aim to increase and maintain attendance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people at school and other learning environments with the objective to support them to achieve successful educational outcomes.
To be updated
Kurbingui youth and family development: Community Youth Response Divionary Program (CYRD) (QLD)
The Community Youth Response Diversionary Program (CYRD) is available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous young people who may make unsafe choices, are homeless or sleeping rough and may be at risk. The Kurbingui CYRD Team will provide support to youths and their families, that is culturally safe, flexible and reflective of the community and family strengths.
To be updated
Kurbingui youth and family development: Family-Led Decision Making (FLDM) (QLD)
Kurbingui Youth Development Family-Led Decision Making Program (FLDM) is a culturally appropriate approach aimed to work with young people to prevent re-offending through the participation of family, for the young people to be accountable to their own community/elders and work within their family on finding new ways to participate in important life and community activities, such as learning or earning (or both), they are in agreement to seek support or engage more in cultural and community events, sport and recreation, or address worries and concerns that can be mitigated by the family’s efforts.
To be updated
Kurbingui youth and family development: Indigenous Family & Child Connect (IFaCC) (QLD)
The Indigenous Family and Child Connect is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service for families that need some help. The program provides group activities and one-to-one support for children, young people and their carers/parents. Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people and their families is paramount to bridge the educational gap.
To be updated
Kurbingui youth and family development: Numula Family Safety Response Program
The Numula program aims to strengthen the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander community members by support and assistance provided to individuals and families to become strong, healthy and resilient individuals, families and communities. The objective of the program is to address and challenge domestic and family violence for men and women, children and young people within the home and community. The program works closely with other services throughout catchment area; encouraging stakeholders to work collaboratively to develop and promote safer communities.
To be updated
Kurbingui youth and family development: Yeaca Dhargo Indigenous Family Wellbeing Service (QLD)
To be updated
Kutjungka Youth SEWB and Crisis Prevention Service (WA)
Kutjungka Youth SEWB and Crisis Prevention Service is provided by Anglicare WA and funded by the Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Health.
CONTACT
Balgo: 0429 721 950
Kununurra: (08) 9166 5000
2 Banksia Street
Kununurra
This service provides counselling, social and emotional education and other community activities to enhance the wellbeing of young people in remote communities. It operates in Balgo, Mulan and Bililuna in Kununurra, WA.
The Kutjungka Youth Social and Emotional Wellbeing and Crisis Prevention Service provides counselling, psychosocial education and other community activities to enhance the wellbeing of young people. Kutjungka Youth SEWB and Crisis Prevention Services are provided to Balgo, Mulan and Billiluna communities on a weekly basis.
In 2020, Anglicare WA supported 42,376 West Australians, delivered 87 programs, along with 130 community partners in 55 locations. Anglicare WA have supported 20,715 people by strengthening family relationships, 3,123 people experiencing family and domestic violence, and 1,904 people to improve their mental health.
to be updated
to be updated
Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation: Healthy Engagement and Assistance in the Long Grass (HEAL) (NT)
Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation was set up in 1997 through the Northern Land Council to provide a corporate identity for Larrakia people to uphold Native Title claims. Growing over 20 years, LNAC is now able to deliver community and outreach services to the broader Darwin community with a shared mission to work together to care for the land, sea, culture and the people.
Larrakia Nation supports Indigenous people of all ages, in the Darwin region.
CONTACT:
Phone: 08 8948 3733
Email: reception@larrakia.com
Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation (LNAC) was set up in 1997 through the Northern Land Council to provide a corporate identity for Larrakia people to uphold Native Title claims. Growing over 20 years, LNAC is now able to deliver community and outreach services to the broader Darwin community with a shared mission to work together to care for the land, sea, culture and the people.
Below is a complete list of the services and programs that LNAC offers:
– Larrakia Patrol
– Healthy Engagement and Assistance in the Long Grass (HEAL)
– Return to Country
– Larrakia Host
– Visitor and Information Centre
– Palmerston Family Culture Centre
– Family and Children’s Intensive Support
– Aged and Disability Care
– Assistance with Care and Housing
– Tenancy Support Program
– Family Kinship (Minbani Bebe)
– Transport support
HEAL provides support to the homeless community living rough in Darwin and Palmerston. Through culturally appropriate and creative approaches, Larrakia Nation’s HEAL team coordinates the delivery of health and social related services, focusing on connecting clients with hospitals, medical appointments, advocacy services, education and supply of day-to-day living and hygiene necessities such food, laundry services and health checks. HEAL also plays an important role in working with service providers to assist with high priority groups in times of crisis and those who are harder to locate within the long grass community.
LNAC has many short-term and long-term objectives regarding a wide range of areas. Some include:
– expansion of ranger programs
– Changes in Legislation for the recognition of Larrakia people’s control of country
– Establish a Larrakia School of Languages and Culture for Larrakia.
– Build a new headquarters, including a Larrakia community centre.
– Develop a Larrakia Employment Plan to identify current and future employmen opportunities for Larrakia people.
– Establish a Larrakia equity fund to support Larrakia business and grow the Larrakia economy.
According to the Larrakia Nation 2022-2023 Annual Report, HEAL has:
– assisted 500 clients living rough
– assisted with 4,848 client referrals
– referred 4,835 clients to other programs
– hosted 40 Arts in The Grass session
To be updated
– Indigenous ownership: Larrakia Nation consist of only Indigenous Rangers as well as all members and 77% of employees being Aboriginal.
– Community Leadership: Larrakia Nation works with all Aboriginal Services in the Darwin region to implement and execute the comprehensive amount of programs and services they offer.
– Community Consultation and Co-design: Larakia Nation was established through the Northern Land Council by Aboriginal people with an aim to represent and speak on behalf of Larrakia people, while delivering services and programs tailored to the unique needs and wants.
– Capacity Building: Ongoing formal and inhouse training is prioritised within the program to ensure staff are kept skilled and confident in their work. 3 staff completed a Diploma in Leadership and Management
Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation: Palmerston Family and Cultural Centre (NT)
Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation was set up in 1997 through the Northern Land Council to provide a corporate identity for Larrakia people to uphold Native Title claims. Growing over 20 years, LNAC is now able to deliver community and outreach services to the broader Darwin community with a shared mission to work together to care for the land, sea, culture and the people.
Larrakia Nation supports Indigenous people of all ages, in the Darwin region.
CONTACT:
Phone: 08 8948 3733
Email: reception@larrakia.com
Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation (LNAC) was set up in 1997 through the Northern Land Council to provide a corporate identity for Larrakia people to uphold Native Title claims. Growing over 20 years, LNAC is now able to delivery community and outreach services to the broader Darwin community with a shared mission to work together to care for the land, sea, culture and the people.
Below is a complete list of the services and programs that LNAC offers:
– Larrakia Patrol
– Healthy Engagement and Assistance in the Long Grass (HEAL)
– Return to Country
– Larrakia Host
– Visitor and Information Centre
– Palmerston Family Culture Centre
– Family and Children’s Intensive Support
– Aged and Disability Care
– Assistance with Care and Housing
– Tenancy Support Program
– Family Kinship (Minbani Bebe)
– Transport support
The Palmerston Family and Cultural Centre (PFCC) provides a centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Families living in Palmerston to come to; to engage with each other, participate in meaningful activities linked to culture and learning, to connect with schools, and other mainstream service providers. PFCC supports many local community events and provide a range of cultural activities for all ages with a special focus on children, young people and their families. They connect families and children to their community, to support and service providers, and provide up to date information to support families to be well informed, confident and supported to engage in a range of mainstream services and programs in the community. Through our strong connections with families in the community we serve, we can provide guidance and knowledge in the planning and development of cultural events more broadly like NAIDOC Week celebrations, Harmony Day, Reconciliation Week, Couch Surfing, ATSI Children’s Week and other community events.
LNAC has many short-term and long-term objectives regarding a wide range of areas. Some include:
– expansion of ranger programs
– Changes in Legislation for the recognition of Larrakia people’s control of country
– Establish a Larrakia School of Languages and Culture for Larrakia.
– Build a new headquarters, including a Larrakia community centre.
– Develop a Larrakia Employment Plan to identify current and future employmen opportunities for Larrakia people.
– Establish a Larrakia equity fund to support Larrakia business and grow the Larrakia economy.
These are some of the outcomes the LNAC has achieved:
– One of Darwin’s leading community service organisations, delivering a wide range of esrvices and programs across the Darwin region.
– Is the peak body and cultural authority for Larrakia people, showing support through promoting social, economic and cultural well-being.
– One of the largest employers of Aboriginal people in Darwin
– The Larrakia Host Program delivered 18 cultural awareness sessions in the past financial year.
– The Larrakia Land and Sea Rangers have conducted 76 cultural activities and 131 visits to protected sites as well as 31 days of Marine debris collection (totalling to 1387kg of debris) and 55 days of training conducted.
– 117 referrals recevied, through the Kinship and Family Care Minbani Bebe Program, compared to 21 the previous year.
– 8,100 Meals on Wheels prepared and delivered by Aged and Disability Care.
To be updated
– Indigenous ownership: Larrakia Nation consist of only Indigenous Rangers as well as all members and 77% of employees being Aboriginal.
– Community Leadership: Larrakia Nation works with all Aboriginal Services in the Darwin region to implement and execute the comprehensive amount of programs and services they offer.
– Community Consultation and Co-design: Larakia Nation was established through the Northern Land Council by Aboriginal people with an aim to represent and speak on behalf of Larrakia people, while delivering services and programs tailored to the unique needs and wants.
– Capacity Building: Ongoing formal and inhouse training is prioritised within the program to ensure staff are kept skilled and confident in their work. 3 staff completed a Diploma in Leadership and Management
The Maga Brandi Social and Emotional Wellbeing Support team is operated by Geraldton Aboriginal Medical Services. (GRAMS). The service is available in Geraldton and Mt Magnet in WA.
Contact:
Geraldton
60 Rifle Range Road, Rangeway WA 6530
(08) 9956 6555
Mt Magnet
56 Attwood Street, Mount Magnet, WA 6638
(08) 9940 3222
The Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) team provides holistic and culturally appropriate social support services to support families and individuals in crisis. Counselling is available for adults and children for depression, anxiety, trauma, anger management and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The team consists of a social support coordinator, social worker, psychologist, social health worker trainee and a mental health trainee.
The service offers a range of support services from having a good yarn to developing strategies to help address and manage mental health issues including:
1) Domestic and family violence
Domestic and family violence can have a profound impact on the mental health of victims and witnesses. GRAMS can provide support by delivering culturally responsive counselling for children, their families and carers experiencing family violence and survivors of family violence.
2) Drug and alcohol abuse
Individual and group counselling for Adults and Youth. The GRAMS social and emotional wellbeing staff work closely with other agencies in the Mid West to provide the best support. GRAMS can provide brief intervention for Drug and Alcohol issues and can arrange residential rehabilitation and at-home detoxification if required.
3) Trauma and loss
The SEWB program helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander who has suffered from trauma and grief through removal from family, social injustice, loss of culture and colonisation of Indigenous land. GRAMS aim to support the healing for Indigenous people by empowering resilience and strengthening mental health outcomes.
4) Suicide Prevention
Unfortunately, the Yamatji people of the Murchison/Gascoyne region have the highest suicide rate in the world. GRAMS offer services to address psychological distress, self-harm and suicide. We also have regular suicide prevention workshops to provide a culturally safe space for an opportunity to share your experiences.
5) U RITE? Call Centre
If you are feeling helpless, sad, lonely, or not like your normal self, contact our social and emotional wellbeing team for support. If you know someone who requires emotional support, you can refer them to our SEWB program. If you need to yarn about your feelings and talk to someone, you can also call GRAMS on (08) 9956 6555 and press option 2.
To be updated
To be updated
The executive committee of GRAMS are all Aboriginal peoples. GRAMs is an organisation of Aboriginal people, for Aboriginal people, controlled by Aboriginal. GRAMS recently launched the 2018 Suicide Prevention Project in 2021, an event graced by Minister Stephen Dawson MLC Minister for Mental Health, Aboriginal Affairs, Industrial Relations. The launch included sharing of lived experience of community member who has benefitted from the services provided by GRAMS. GRAMS is led by CEO, Deborah Woods.
Ma-Guwag Suicide Prevention
- Access to cultural activities including ‘on country’,
- Access to wellbeing groups like YERINFIT,
- Therapeutic supports,
- Group training to better understand mental health and supports available,
- Access to information and resources, including after hours.
The Ma-Guwag official program was launch in April 2021 at Berkeley Vale with approximately 60 community members. This day incorporated Walk About Barber services and a presentation from Brian Dowd, The Glen Dancers providing cultural immersion through dance, and a heartfelt testimony given by a respected community member about her journey and suicide. Ma-Guwag continues to engage the community across many mediums mostly via social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and their Yerin Eleanor Duncan website. Their Facebook posts provide suicide prevention and mental health management information, reaching 4,000 people, and they have 1,000 followers on Instagram. Throughout COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns, Ma-Guwag moved outreach services online, and conducted wellness checks via phone calls. In May 2021, the Ma-Guwag team was invited to present at an AH&MRC Symposium in Sydney. Ma-Guwag also presented to young people and adults about the importance of being connected to culture, health and wellbeing at numerous schools, Men’s Groups and Wellness Clinics over the past year.
To be updated
Yerin Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Health Services is a non-for-profit, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation, to deliver holistic, comprehensive, and culturally appropriate health care to their community, demonstrating Indigenous ownership. Their Board of Management is elected by the locals. Yerin Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Health Services partners with various local community services to serve the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community on Darkinjung Country, demonstrating its community leadership. Some of their partners are Gudjagang Ngara li – dhi Aboriginal Corporation and Bungree Aboriginal Organisation. Finally, Yerin Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Health Services offers the opportunity to Aboriginal individuals to become members, attend their annual general meetings and participate in board elections, as evidence of their community leadership and building capacity of the local community.
Marninwarntikura Women's Resource Centre (Strengthening Families Team) (WA)
The purpose is to provide legal and therapeutic supports to women and families across the Fitzroy Valley who have been impacted by family and domestic violence, operating within a trauma-informed, healing aware, and holistic framework.
To be updated
Maruung Maruung (Good Good Deadly) also named Yarn Up Feel Deadly
A mobile device application (app), funded by the Hunter New England Local Health District (LHD) and developed through 12 months of yarning between elders and community members. Yarning circles provide rich information on the identify, culture, wellbeing and mental health experiences of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, and what to expect as a service user. The app also contains staff portals that facilitate implementation and reporting to NSW Aboriginal Mental Health Workforce Program, which is a resource for Aboriginal mental health trainees/workers.
Contact:
Lead Agency: Hunter New England LHD (NSW Government)
There is a contact form on their website.
Phone: Health Direct Australia 1800 022 222
Bron Rose, Manager, Yimamulinbinkaan, Aboriginal Mental Health Services and Workforce, Hunter New England Local Health District (LHD) has led the development of a mobile device application (app) called Maruung marrung (Good good Deadly), also known as Yarn Up Feel Deadly.
It is a culturally appropriate mobile device application, co-designed with Aboriginal communities and staff, supporting the Aboriginal communities and providing information, resources (e.g., video testimonials), and staff portals, to facilitate mental health professionals, including drug and alcohol workers, to work more effectively with Aboriginal people. Information includes website links and details on mental health services, mental health conditions and treatments, and local community events. Staff portals facilitate yarning groups, work hubs and presents case scenarios of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal clinicians that demonstrates appropriate ways to engage with Aboriginal people in practice.
1) To provide a stigma-free way to access information and resources on mental health-related issues, based on the experiences of Aboriginal peoples
2) To deepen understanding of Aboriginal culture and learn culturally appropriate ways for healthcare trainees/workers and clinicians to engage with Aboriginals, and for Aboriginal peoples to know what to expect as a service user.
The app has enhanced lived experience and carer engagement by providing a culturally considerate resource with a focus on Aboriginal communities. It connects Aboriginal people to mental health services as well as to each other who learn from their lived experience. While the app targets Aboriginal communities, it benefits everyone. The app is well used, with over 5,000 views in 9 months including almost 700 views in the 30 days to mid-March 2020. Users have also received over 68,103 email notifications from Ms Rose, who administers the app.
Pre and post surveys gather views about the app. Participant feedback included these comments:
“I want to know or see where I will sleep and what I can bring when I am a patient and when can my mob come and see me.”
“As an Elder I love watching other Elders talk about their story, it was so powerful.”
“I want to learn more about what I can do to help my people.”
Survey responses include increased confidence in accessing mental health services. The application was awarded the Mental Health Matters, 2020 Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing award and HNE MHS CTG initiative of the year award, and the Excellence in the Provision of Mental Health Services.
The application was inspired by an Elder and the Aboriginal community and Elders provided the content for the resources in the application. The various awards demonstrates endorsement for the program. The application has relevance to all Aboriginal communities and can be implemented widely at no cost as it is free to download. The implementation of the application is governed by the Local Health District Closing the Gap Committee.
To be updated in 2021
Mawarnkarra Health Service (WA)
Mawarnkarra Health Service is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation that provides sustainable health services to Indigenous people living in Roebourne, located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It is devoted to improving physical, spiritual, social and emotional wellbeing.
Contact:
Mawarnkarra Health Service is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation that provides sustainable health services to Indigenous people living in Roebourne, located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It is devoted to improving physical, spiritual, social and emotional wellbeing. Mawarnkarra operates under a board of up to 8 directors who are Indigenous and live in the community. It is accredited by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and the Quality Improvement Council of Australia. The organisation provides high quality and universally accessible services to its communities. The service has 3 full time doctors as well as a rotating visiting schedule of medical practitioners and allied health services. This allows for preventative and primary health programs including, but not limited to, chronic diseases, immunisations, early heart problem detection, adult health as well as gender specific programs. It also has an onsite pharmacy. Mawarnkarra also allows for patients to access telehealth services when it is not possible to travel to Perth or elsewhere. On top of medically based services and programs, social health programs focused on smoking, alcohol, nutrition, women’s health, social and emotion wellbeing and environmental health.
As a Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) focused service, Mawarnkarra focuses on proving holistic and culturally safe services for its clients. Current foci for the service – established in the June 2022 newsletter – include maintaining effective COVID protocols as well as social health programs.
The service covers Roeburne and the surrounding areas of Cheeditha, Mingullatharndo, Wickhan, Point Samson and Karratha. Moreso, it supports an outreach area of communities within the City of Karratha and Shire of Ahsburton. This broad service area means the clinic treats an estimated 3000 people per year.
To be updated
Meeting Where You Are
Meeting where you are is an Indigenous co-designed and developed online project to support the social and emotional well-being (SEWB) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people across Australia.
- engage with young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their communities to co-design, deliver and evaluate an innovative and culturally-safe social media campaign and online resources to promote the SEWB of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people.
- increase SEWB protective factors, focused on resilience, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people.
- increase SEWB help-seeking behaviour by Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander young people via online tools and resources.
- Incorporating Indigenous ways of being, doing and knowing into its overall business as usual.
- Providing a digital space that is designed to assist young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people understand more about their SEWB and how to seek support.
- Continued product and service testing with Indigenous communities through ongoing user testing and workshops.
- Providing an appropriate service to support the nuances and variations of the different lived experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people.
- Utilising the guiding principles from the project’s workshops (set out by young people) to establish a safe space for seeking social and emotional wellbeing support in a digital environment.
Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation (NT)
The Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation (MHAC) provides healthcare to Aboriginal people from the bushland of East Arnhem Land. Its vision is to build self-determining Yolŋu (Aboriginal people from the North-East of Arnhem Land), with a mission of building Aboriginal community-controlled healthcare services and public health programs across the entire East-Arnhem region. They provide walk-in health and mental health services, fixed clinics and outreach workers for our communities with an emphasis on preventative and acute care.
Ngangganawili Aboriginal Health Service (NAHS) (WA)
Ngangganawili Aboriginal Health Service (NAHS) was formed to provide health and medical services to the residents of the Wiluna shire and other people from outlying areas, the mining industry, the pastoral stations and tourists visiting the town.
The NAHS aims to provide health and medical services to the residents of the Wiluna shire and other people from outlying areas, the mining industry, the pastoral stations and tourists visiting the town.
To be updated.
Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjarra (NPY) Women’s Council (WA, NT, SA)
The NPY vision is to support all Anangu, especially women and children, to have a good life, guided by culture and sound governance, through the collective agency of women. Their values of being peaceful and calm, respectful (of each other and of the law), kind-hearted, strong, conciliatory, and united guide the way they achieve their vision.
To be updated.
Nirrumbuk Aboriginal Corporation (WA): Pinakarra Youth Counselling Service
To be updated.
MomenTIM (Tomorrow’s Indigenous Men)
MomentTIM is one of the programs under the Deadly Choices preventative health program that seeks to improve the mental health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young men and boys between the ages of 12 and 24.
MomenTIM is a part of the Deadly Choices Institute of Urban Indigenous Health flagship preventative health program. Deadly Choices operates mainly across South East Queensland and seeks to empower Indigenous people to make healthy choices for themselves and their families such as deciding to quit smoking, choosing health food, and exercising regularly.
- early intervention strategies; (e.g., educate and inspire young Indigenous men to get physically and mentally healthy),
- health outreach support; (e.g., encourage participation in Health Checks, providing a range of medical and social health services), and
- training and education (e.g., work with local leaders to provide opportunities for young Indigenous men).
- Reduce the stigma and shame associated with mental health issues by improving the level of understanding and increasing support networks.
- Increase access to best evidence and culturally appropriate mental health screening, treatment and referral practices through specialist training and support.
- Engage Indigenous young men and boys in positive, practical activities that promote participation in work skills and training opportunities, along with positive aspects of their culture and community.
- Empower young Indigenous males to take more control over their environment and creating opportunities for them to contribute positively to, and be positively accepted by, their community.
- Monitor and assess activities to ensure their effectiveness and validity to enable the project to be expanded and delivered in any community.
To be updated.
- Indigenous led; it is overseen by a Governance Committee that includes the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), CEOs from 3 Aboriginal Medical Services, IUIH Clinical Services Director, University of Queensland Research Officers, MomenTIM Regional Coordinator and IUIH Communications Team Leader 1.
- having community leadership as the program is delivered by Indigenous men and women in the community and organisations that they partner with.
National Empowerment Project (National)
The National Empowerment Project (NEP) is an Indigenous-led empowerment project that promotes positive social and emotional wellbeing and addresses social determinants of health using a Participatory Action Research approach (PAR).
Phone: (08) 6488 6925
The National Empowerment Project (NEP) is an Aboriginal-led community empowerment project that works with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to develop, deliver and evaluate programs that work to promote positive social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) and address social determinants of health and reduce suicide. Using Participatory Action Research (PAR) the NEP engaged 8 Indigenous communities across Australia in 2012 – 13, and a further 3 sites in 2013-2014, to identify:
- Risk and protective factors influencing mental health and SEWB of these communities
- Develop strategies to respond to these issues through a focus on individuals, families and communities, using the SEWB framework (Social Health Reference Group, 2004; Gee et al., 2014)
The NEP evolved from the Kimberley Empowerment, Healing and Leadership Project in 2012, which identified the need for programs in Indigenous communities that build on cultural strengths, work towards healing at an individual, family, and community level and facilitate active community leadership to address the broader issues that impact on community wellbeing and are precursors to suicide (Cox et al 2014).
With the dual aims to increase resilience and reduce the instances of psychological distress and suicide among Indigenous peoples by the promotion of positive SEWB factors, and the empowerment of communities to take affirmative action to address the social determinants that contribute to psychological distress, suicide and self-harm. This was carried out with strong Aboriginal governance using a community-led and community-based model (Cox et al., 2014; Dudgeon et al., 2014).
The key objectives of the NEP program in two phases are to:
Phase one aims to:
- Identify the main challenges impacting the SEWB of individuals, families, and the community along with strategies to strengthen cultural, social and emotional wellbeing to build resilience in facing these challenges through extensive community consultations
- Conduct a two-day workshop to strengthen the cultural, social and emotional wellbeing for community members by identifying strengths within each SEWB domain, as well as actions to take to increase their connection to these protective factors
Phase two aims to:
- Design and deliver the Cultural, Social and Emotional Wellbeing Program (CSEWB) to implement the community identified strategies to strengthen SEWB, to address the social determinants, as well as SEWB problems that exist in the community such as family violence and substance abuse
- Assist communities to secure funds to implement the program(s) (Cox et al., 2014; Dudgeon et al., 2014)
As the NEP was developed, key stages included:
- A NEP National Advisory Committee was established, comprised of leading Indigenous experts in mental health, suicide prevention and SEWB to ensure that Indigenous communities have an equal and empowered position within the research. The National Advisory Committee oversaw all aspects of the work of the NEP team, including the securing of Ethics approval for the project
- A CRG was formed to guide and assist the implementation of the program, strengthen community ownership, and avoid program duplication. The CRG consisted of senior representatives from each community, the main family groups, relevant service providers and key stakeholders who share the goals of the program
- The NEP team established strong relationships with community members and formal relationships with Aboriginal partner organisations in each community and maintained ongoing liaison and engagement with community stakeholders
- Community consultants were employed as co-researchers in each community and provide training and support through the NEP team to conduct community consultations in each site that involve focus groups and interviews (Cox et al., 2014; Dudgeon et al., 2014)
This process of community consultations took place in eleven diverse communities across Australia. While these communities differed widely, they all had a significant Indigenous population, a readiness to engage in community capacity building and the ability to undertake a community consultation and deliver a short program. Other requirements included the presence of a functional community controlled organisation and/or a Registered Training Organisation (Dudgeon et al., 2014). The NEP sites by State or Territory are as follows:
- Western Australia: Geraldton, Narrogin, Northam/Toodyay, Perth
- Northern Territory: Darwin
- Queensland: Cherbourg, Kuranda
- New South Wales: Toomelah, Sydney/Redfern
- Victoria: Mildura
- South Australia: Mt Gambier
The independent process and outcome evaluations by Walker & Scrine was undertaken to determine the extent to which:
- The key deliverables of STAR and Phase Two have been met
- The recommendations from previous evaluations have been implemented
- The key principles underpinning NEP have been successfully enacted
- The effectiveness and impact of STAR and any identified gaps/areas for improvement
- The outcomes of the key deliverables of Phase Two were evident (Walker & Scrine, 2014, p. 20)
An independent process evaluation of NEP was undertaken in 2014 by Walker & Scrine, which sought to determine whether the stated aims and objectives of the program were met in agreement with evidence-based and culturally informed consultation and development including the Support, Training, Advocacy and Research (STAR) component. A further evaluation of the program was done in 2017 (Dudgeon, Scrine, Cox, & Walker, 2017). The stories of most significant change as a way to capture the quality of importance in a survey and many interviews were used to inform the evaluation.
A 2017 evaluation highlighted similar grounds of the complex interrelationship between the cultural, social, economic, political and historical determinants impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Specifically, the 2017 evaluation focused on the CSEWB Program’s implementation between 2014 and 2016. The evaluation examined the following themes:
- Personal strengths
- Healthcare and healthier lifestyle choices
- Relationships – children, partners, family, and community
- Family/domestic violence and incarceration
- Life skills and life planning
- Education, training and employment
- Cultural, social and emotional wellbeing
- Cultural reconnection, identity, pride and community (Dudgeon, Scrine, Cox, & Walker, 2017)
Evaluation Findings
Key findings of the Walker & Scrine (2015) evaluation included:
- The importance of community-based research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people leading the direction, development, implementation and accountability of strategies in their own communities. Capacity building and support, training and ongoing mentoring is a critical factor in this aim
- The NEP community consultations have produced a large amount of data about issues around impacts on Indigenous mental health and wellbeing contributing to the evidence base regarding both the effect of adopting a CPAR research approach as empowering and the importance and effectiveness of community-based programs aimed at improving Indigenous mental health and SEWB
- The critical need for continuing the STAR approach for the community co-researchers who work in communities experiencing high levels of trauma and distress. The support of the NEP team was highly advantageous and provided co-researchers with an ability to share their stories and debrief, and support each other in their roles as NEP researchers and frontline personnel involved in suicide prevention
- The NEP reports crystallised the findings for communities including an overview of the identified issues in their communities, as well as plans to move forward
- Formalised processes for communication and dissemination at each site with relevant agencies greatly assisted the effective response of these agencies to community needs
- The STAR concept has great potential to assist NEP in achieving its goal
- The support of partner organisations is a critical determining factor in the effectiveness of the community consultants and the ongoing progress of NEP (Walker & Scrine, 2014)
Key findings of the Dudgeon, Scrine, Cox, & Walker, 2017 evaluation showed that after the CSEWB program, participants:
- Increased confidence, individual assertiveness and strengths in areas such as public speaking and voicing their opinions in discussions in various settings
- Became more conscious of their physical and mental health. Participants noted decreased use of substances such as cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana and noticing how those physical changes improved mental health
- Increased awareness and resolve to nurture more positive relationships with their children, partners, family members and the wider community
- Learned skills to deal with family/domestic violence and family breakdown
- Became more self-aware, recognising negative self-talk and its negative impacts on their behaviours. The program allowed participants to self-assess their behaviours and actions, and develop strategies to change their current lifestyles and situations
- Developed a renewed interest in education and training and the associated benefits of personal and professional development for individual growth
- Recognised the importance of reconnecting with their family, community, history, culture and country and how doing so provided a sense of belonging and enhanced cultural, social and emotional wellbeing
- Recognised the value of strengthening culture and spirituality in bringing a sense of inspiration, connectedness and hope for individuals, families and the collective community (Dudgeon, Scrine, Cox, & Walker, 2017)
Recommendations for Phase Three:
- To undertake in-depth qualitative research to understand the long-term impact of the NEP on peoples’ lives in order to further demonstrate over time the links between the underlying principles (such as: supporting self-determination, promoting context-specific solutions, incorporating Aboriginal knowledges and concepts regarding health and wellbeing, and acknowledging the pivotal role of family and culture) in developing and implementing programs that facilitate community transformation and empowerment (Walker & Scrine, 2014, p. 9)
The NEP builds strengths and capacity in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and resilience in individuals and families. Specifically, it promotes communities to have the capacity to initiate, plan, lead and sustain strategies to promote community awareness and to develop and implement community suicide prevention plans. It provides materials and resources appropriate for the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in diverse community settings. The project also identifies high levels of suicide and self-harm in communities and facilitate a planned response. In addition to prevention, the NEP provides postvention responses to support individuals and families affected by suicide. They provide culturally appropriate community activities that engage youth, build cultural strengths, leadership, life skills and social competencies, resulting in life promotion and resilience-building. The activity is founded on long-term, sustainable prevention strategies that builds resilience and promotes social and emotional wellbeing, specifically, developed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and children.
NEP provides access to effective strategies to target suicide prevention through targeted and specialist services by all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who are at risk of suicide or self-harm, links and partnerships between mainstream specialist mental health and wellbeing services, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander wellbeing services and community organisations. NEP also provides access to integrated and collaborative approaches across sectors responding to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who are at high risk, such as people experiencing mental illness, substance misuse, incarceration, domestic violence, etc. They have coordinated approaches to prevention through governance and infrastructure to support regional and local coordination of suicide prevention through improved community sector capacity and partnerships between services, agencies and communities.
Furthermore, the NEP has a strong evidence base for its work and provides clear standards and quality in suicide prevention. They provide locally accessible capacity to monitor risk behaviours and indicators of community functioning for individual communities and regions in order to reduce suicidal behaviour and prevent suicide. Their research is led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers to build an improved evidence base on the effectiveness of suicide prevention activity, including effective services and interventions, community initiatives, mental health awareness promotion and training and capacity development. They also have partnerships between researchers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and community organisations to evaluate evidence-based practices and provide support for program implementation and quality improvement. To establish standards and quality, they have comprehensive plans to develop and support Indigenous participation in suicide prevention and wellbeing workforce with a focus on early intervention into systems of quality improvement for social and emotional wellbeing and mental health care. It was rated very highly as strong evidence of effectiveness and best practice. Its community consultation and engagement, planning, implementation, community evaluation and feedback processes align strongly with the guiding principles underpinning the CBPATSISP Evaluation Framework. It aims to increase community capacity by supporting local-based programs that have been consulted and approved by stakeholders in the community. The program is also regularly evaluated to determine the efficacy of the program and provide recommendations towards suicide prevention.
To be updated in 2021
Oonah: The Belonging Place (VIC)
Oonah is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation—the first of its kind in the Eastern Metropolitan Region of Melbourne.
Within a cultural framework of ‘Respect, Caring and Sharing’, Oonah Belonging Place provides information, programs, services, and outreach to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in the outer east of Melbourne. These programs and services are focused on building a healthy, strong, and resilient community that is underpinned by cultural strengthening and self-determination.
- Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drug Outreach Support Services;
- Primary care services in psychology, counselling, paediatrics, dental van, youth worker, eye screening, immunisation, and Partners in Recovery (NDIS);
- Youth and adult services: education, employment, music, dance, art, cultural activities, health promotion and referrals, and connection to culture; and
- Tucker Bag: in partnership with Second bite, Foodbank VIC, and Coles Healesville; a program of food security and healthy cooking and eating.
TBA.
To be evaluated.
To be updated.
Project Yarn Circle (Brisbane)
Project Yarn Circle (PYC) was founded to seek to reconnect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youths to Culture through the traditional yarn circle. Creating art, boomerangs, yarning about culture, playing didgeridoo, learning Aboriginal dance and song, as well as enjoying bush tucker
CONTACT:
Get in Touch with Y2K to find out about their Programs for Australian Schools
Project Yarn Circle (PYC) brings together different cultural facilitators, is managed by Youth to Knowledge (Y2K) and supported by the Australian Government. Through fun, hands on activities PYC seeks to build resilience, yarn about mental health as well as to highlight youth support services available for young people. The Program, which is online and in person, seeks to increase cultural pride, enhance self-worth and build connection to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.
Through fun, hands on activities PYC seeks to build resilience, yarn about mental health as well as to highlight youth support services available for young people.
Through extensive consultation and collaboration with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander elders, Y2K developed a program that aims to reconnect students to culture, as well as educating them about mental wellbeing and resilience.
Researchers from Griffith University’s Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention (AISRAP) and Y2K have undertaken an evaluation of Project Yarn Circle, which has shown benefits for program participants.
The evaluation examined the effectiveness of the pilot delivery of the Project Yarn Circle to reduce suicidal thoughts and increase cultural connectedness for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
The evaluation showed that Project Yarn Circle participants had significantly lower suicidal thoughts and higher self-esteem on completing the program.
Please click here for full evaluation paper and here for a summary written by Life in Mind.
To be updated in 2021
To be updated in 2021
Red Dust Healing (NSW/QLD)
Red Dust Healing is an Aboriginal cultural healing program. It was initially focused on Aboriginal male offenders and those at risk of offending. Currently, it is also delivered directly in response to community suicide and self-harm, as well as addressing the precursors of suicide such as alcohol and substance misuse, incarceration, family violence and poor wellbeing.
The founder, Tom Powell is a proud Warramunga man who grew up in the town of Narromine in the central west of NSW. For fourteen years, he was an Aboriginal Program Officer for the NSW Department of Juvenile Justice. Tom moved on and began his work developing Red Dust Healing1.
Website: https://reddust.org.au/
Contacts: Tom Powell, Sascha Costigan
Mobile: 0419 489 275 Emails: tom@thereddust.com; Sasch.Costigan@gmail.com
Red Dust Healing was originally designed in response to issues within the contemporary juvenile justice system. Tom identified a model of oppression within the system by the removal of the four core values of identity, responsibility, relationships and spirituality from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereafter abbreviated as Aboriginal) people. The program addresses this oppression in ways that seek to reverse the colonisation process in terms of an individual’s self-image, their roles and responsibilities and their actions. The program offers an innovative approach to assisting men and women to heal and make better choices for themselves. Like other contemporary Aboriginal healing programs, Red Dust Healing explores the role of history and the associated trauma and invokes Aboriginal culture and spirituality as the core elements of the therapeutic process in an individual’s transformative journey.
Tom describes Red Dust Healing as a:
self-evaluating awareness program coming from an ancient Aboriginal perspective that gives individuals tools that empower them to be part of their own solutions.
Program personnel have delivered the program directly in response to community suicide and self-harm, as well as addressing the precursors of suicide such as alcohol and substance misuse, incarceration, family violence and poor wellbeing.
In addition to delivering the program in communities, the organisation trains former program participants to become community workers. After training, these workers receive the intellectual property rights to deliver the program within their community whilst emphasising the program’s aim to empower local communities and provide sustainability to the work of Red Dust Healing.
Red Dust Healing examines the intergenerational effects of colonisation on the mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing of Aboriginal people and families and directly addresses the determinants of wellbeing. In particular, many Aboriginal men lost their identity, responsibility and relationships through colonisation2. In response, this program targets Aboriginal males in recognition of the disproportionately high suicide rate among this group due to their heavy load of oppression and loss. Because of the authority of the father figure in Aboriginal culture, addressing the high suicide rates of Aboriginal males encourages the establishment of family harmony.
This program provides a culturally safe environment, mechanisms for healing, a shared discourse, along with language and tools to enable participants to gain a sense of understanding and control in their lives. The program also encourages individuals to confront and deal strategically with the impact of rejection, hurt and anger in their lives and to understand that rejection is the foundation of all hurt. Participants examine their hurt and rejection and reflect on how this is manifested in their actions towards the people around them. Participants are also encouraged to examine their own personal hurt in order to heal themselves. This is seen as the first step in addressing the hurt they inflict on others within their personal relationships, their family and the overall patterns of violence and abuse in their lives.
Participants engage with contemporary forms of Aboriginal knowledge and reconnect with aspects of culture in order to strengthen their sense of self and their Aboriginal identity. This reorients participants to a new meaningful existence. Cultural knowledge is seen as a mechanism for Aboriginal people to understand their actions, their work and how to live their lives. Although the main target of the program is Aboriginal people, the program will also assist non-Aboriginal people. Red Dust Healing emphasises the importance of personal responsibility for making the best possible choices as essential to the healing process, an individual’s transformation and the generation of self-respect and meaningful connections to others.
The design of the program acknowledges the need to approach the healing journey in an individualised and personalised manner so that participants can apply their new tools and knowledge to their own circumstances. This is done using narratives from an individual’s life and encouraging them to reflect on their own situation whilst applying the program’s messages.
Red Dust Healing promotes an individual’s empowerment to find their own solutions. A tool has been developed called POUCH which is a solution-based, problem solving concept allowing participants to deal with issues in their own lives. The name, POUCH is an acronym for identifying what Problems U have, what Options U have, what Choices U have and How U are going to deal with them. Discussing this tool encourages participants to look at solving some of their concerns and gives them the responsibility without blame.
The main objectives of Red Dust Healing are to:
- Restore the role of Aboriginal men in their families and communities by providing an understanding of rejection and an avenue for healing
- Provide Aboriginal people with an understanding of identity to equip them with self-evaluation skills, to develop future role models for fathers, and to restore family relationships
- Equip Aboriginal people with the tools to confront problems relevant to their lives
- Address ongoing patterns of negative behaviour
More than 15,000 people from almost 300 communities have now completed different stages of the program3. Outcomes include:
- Improved understanding of the impact of rejection, grief and loss, along with the impacts of colonialism and oppression along with the tools to overcome those impacts
- Restoring broken relationships and the strengthening existing ones
- Better understanding of self and the opportunity to address the hurt within their lives
- Improved self-esteem
- The ability to identify the links between emotions with behaviours and actions
- The ability to identify pathways for their families to access relevant service providers
- Increasing the capacity of Aboriginal men to contribute, plan, implement and evaluate a variety of strategies, projects and programs in their community4
In 2017 and 2018, Red Dust Healing was recognised nationally by the receipt of two awards. The first was the United Nations of Australia Award for services to human rights and the second, the Mental Health Matters Award in the category of Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing awarded by the Mental Health Association of NSW.
Caritas Australia undertook a formal evaluation of this project in 20185 using a mixed method approach while being primarily qualitative in nature. The qualitative evaluation used a participatory method, including semi-structured interviews which optimized the role of stakeholders in the evaluation process. Interviews were conducted with participants and the evaluators deduced that participants had an improved understanding of the impact of rejection, grief and loss, along with the impacts of colonialism and oppression and the learning tools to circumvent these hurdles. Other findings were improved self-esteem, the restoring broken relationships and strengthening existing ones. At a community level, families were connected to service providers and the capacity of Aboriginal men to contribute, plan, implement and evaluate a variety of strategies, projects and programs in their community increased5.
In a meta-evaluation of programs for Aboriginal healing and suicide prevention, Red Dust Healing was rated very highly as strong evidence of effectiveness and good practice. It is culturally responsive and supports Aboriginal social and emotional wellbeing and self-determination. It is also an example of an Aboriginal initiative aiming to equip participants with the skills to reassert their Aboriginal identity, responsibilities and roles within in a post-colonial society6.
In summary, the evaluators described Red Dust Healing as a program which can provide people with a means of dealing with severe trauma and in so doing, make transformations to their own lives to the benefit of themselves and the people in their lives5.
Red Dust Healing is rated very highly as strong evidence of effectiveness, commitment and alignment with CBPATSISP best practice principles. Importantly, the program is only delivered to communities where members have invited their assistance which respects the community’s rights of self-determination. Red Dust Healing builds strength and capacity in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, especially through providing materials and resources that are appropriate for the needs of Aboriginal peoples in diverse community settings.
Rekindling the Spirit (NSW)
Rekindling the Spirit is a collaborative primary health care service run by and for Aboriginal people, families and communities. They provide a range of services focus on improving one’s social and emotional wellbeing and increasing access to healthcare. They currently operate in NSW.
CONTACT:
Their vision is for Aboriginal people to live healthy lives that embrace social, emotional and cultural wellbeing, supported by Rekindling the Spirit.
To be updated
To be updated.
Shooting Stars is an initiative which uses netball to increase school engagement and attendance of young Aboriginal girls in WA’s remote communities and regional towns. The program was established in 2014, as part of the Indigenous Advancement Strategy, with a successful pilot program in Halls Creek. Shooting Stars Business Model is built on three pillars: Activities, Outcomes, Evaluation, and activities are guided by values of pride, respect, and success.
Website: http://shootingstars.com.au/
email: fran.haintz@shootingstars.org.au
Shooting Stars, backed by Netball WA, is an educational program using sports to increase school engagement amongst Aboriginal girls and women through collaboration with local community, schools and service providers. It creates equality for female leaders and generational change, with 85% of staff and 66% of Board members identifying as Aboriginal. Activities include reward camps, netball, health and wellbeing sessions and community events.
To empower Aboriginal girls and women in regional and remote communities to make informed choices about their education and employment journey. Uses netball to increase school engagement and attendance of Aboriginal girls in WA’s remote communities and regional towns. Activities seek to increase community engagement, empower Indigenous women, enhance positive attitudes and increase school attendance.
Outcomes are measured and reported using an Indigenous evaluation protocol.
1. Has more than four years of program delivery, engaging over 350 students in eight schools across the State.
2. Works collaboratively with the local community, schools and service providers to affect genuine change in the lives of over 375 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls.
3. Improved attendance in over 25% of participants term on term; 50% of participants with average attendance rate of at least 80%.
4. Expanded its reach in the Kimberley region, launching a new site in Fitzroy Crossing targeting 65 participants.
5. Lotterywest became a major supporter of Shooting Stars, contributing almost $1 million to ‘Yarning with the Stars’ research project and employment of new staff.
6. Traineeship and employment of local indigenous woman to run programs.
Programs are evaluated through attendance data, case studies, and the world-first Yarning Circles. Testimonials from participating schools principals are positive. 75% of employees are Indigenous. Targets Indigenous women to work in the Shooting Stars program, and local Indigenous women are offered traineeships to build capability in the local community.
Ownership: The board members are mainly Indigenous with extensive experience serving the Indigenous communities in housing, medical, legal, sports and arts. They include NAIDOC Aboriginal Artist of the Year and recipient of a Medal of the Order of Australia for contribution to the arts and promotion of Nyoongar culture, and Citizen of the Year in the Indigenous Leadership category. Capacity building: equip Indigenous women for employment with the Shooting Stars program.
Social and Emotional Wellbeing (QLD)
Cherbourg Regional Aboriginal & Islander Community Controlled Health Services (CRAICCHS) aim to provide holistic social, health and wellbeing programs to empower and strengthen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, families and communities of the Cherbourg and South Burnett regions
Phone: 1800 698 600
Cherbourg (07) 4169 8600
Kingaroy (07) 4163 6566
https://craicchs.org/services/social-emotional-wellbeing/
email: customerservice@craicchs.org
72 Youngman StKingaroy QLD 4610
CRAICCHS provides culturally appropriate and holistic services to individuals, families and communities. The SEWB program focuses on connection to land, culture, spirituality, family and community. The FWB program promotes family wellbeing by empowering families to stay together and connect with self, culture, country and kin, by engaging all family members.
Build strong foundations for healing, empowerment, connection, wellness and resilience of the community, through engaging and building meaningful relationships with services in the community. Services include building self-esteeem and life skills, support and referral to NDIS approved services, support and referral with Centrelink, support for mental health issues, grief and loss.
to be updated
to be updated
CRAICCHS provides culturally appropriate services and advocates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to achieve equitable health outcomes. CRAICCHS has affiliations with various organisations including Australian Government Departmart of Health, Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council, and SNAICC, which is the national voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
Spinifex Health Service (WA)
Spinifex Health Service provides culturally aware primary health care for the Tjuntjuntjara community living on the Spinifex lands north-east of Kalgoorlie-Boulder. It is owned and operated by the Paupiyala Tjarutja Aboriginal Corporation. It specialises in chronic disease management, child and maternal health, disability, aged care, and social and emotional wellbeing.
The community are the traditional custodians of the Spinifex Native Title Determination Area which covers 55 000 Km2. The isolation of the community means that the health service is essential to the community continuing to thrive. The service has three remote area nurse positions who specialise in child/maternal health, chronic disease management and continuous quality improvement. They are supported by visiting eye and dental clinicians and allied health professionals as well as the Royal Flying Doctor Service when needed. Spinifex Health Service complies with the requirements of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, ensuring the quality and safety of the service.
The service provides care to the Tjuntjuntjara community, which consists of approximately 150 people. Although small, the service is essential to the longevity and health of the community, which is widely considered a very strong one.
To be updated
Strong Foundations (NSW)
The Strong Foundations program provides for early intervention that includes culturally appropriate support to Aboriginal children and their families about mental health and wellbeing. The aim of the program is to raise awareness of mental health wellbeing, increase resilience, encourage help seeking behaviours, develop coping strategies, build positive self-esteem and increase cultural pride and connection.
Contact: Nathan Deaves, Executive Manager, Health and Wellbeing
South Coast Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation
T: 02 4448 0200
E: nathan@southcoastams.org.au
This program is delivered through the South Coast Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation (SCMSAC) which is situated in the Shoalhaven region of New South Wales. The program uses Aboriginal cultural activities, practices and influences, group sessions, capacity building workshops and individual counselling to promote help seeking behaviours, encourage resilience, and improve social and emotional wellbeing to minimise risk of suicide within primary school students and their families. The program is delivered to seven primary schools and has connections with appropriate governments and non-government agencies throughout the Shoalhaven region.
Strong Foundations has been built upon the success of the Koori Kids Wellbeing Program which was funded from 2007 to 2013 under the Commonwealths National Suicide Prevention Strategy1, the current form and delivery is funded by COORDINARE – South Eastern NSW Primary Health Network, until June 2022.
There are five components to the program, these include:
- the delivery of wellbeing education through group sessions in targeted primary schools.
- the inclusion of psychological or counselling sessions for children and parents
- community capacity building programs that are targeted towards suicide prevention awareness and mental health literacy.
- school holiday activities for children, their families and community, and
- data gathering and analysis to inform evidence-based program evaluations.
The program specifically targets Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander pre-primary and primary school students aged between 8-13 years, including follow-up to children transitioning to high school, their parents, family members and caregivers within the catchment area of the Shoalhaven.
Participants attending the group sessions are required to complete participation consent, signed by the parent or carer prior to attending weekly one-hour sessions which are delivered during school hours. Group sessions focus on specific topics, including:
- Understanding Self Others and Culture
- Communicating With Others
- Positive Thinking
- Help Seeking
- Building Support Pathways
The groups sessions use a variety of interactive activities to help students understand and grasp concepts of each topic, ensuring participants are actively involved and increasing outcomes. Some of these activities include:
- yarning circle
- art and craft
- Aboriginal cultural activities and practices
- outdoor group activities
- health and wellbeing educational games
- mindfulness techniques
- education of significant days, and
- story telling with community Elders.
The program uses “year, term and session plans” in delivering these activities, while the cultural content of these sessions is guided by the “SCMSAC Cultural Pack”, which has been developed by local Aboriginal people. The facilitators, who must be Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, are able to discuss with the parents or carers in a culturally safe manner that the child or themselves be referred to the SCMSAC’s primary health services, the family support section and psychological services. The facilitators liaise with the school principal and other staff to ensure that there is cooperation at all levels. If there is an Aboriginal educational assistant at the school, this person may co-facilitate where appropriate. Activities may also include the involvement of local elders, key community leaders and role models to provide support and encouragement to participants.
To access individual psychological and counselling activities, participants must be referred and undertake SCMSAC screening and intake processes to ensure needs are identified and the most appropriate service is provided. The counsellor and psychologist uses a variety of age-specific traditional and innovative techniques to support the needs of children and their families ensuring that the session is tailored to the specific needs of the participants. These include, but are not limited to, play and art therapy, narrative therapy, mindfulness, emotion-focused therapy and behavioural therapy.
There is an equal focus on recording data, analysing this data and reporting within the program and to the NSW Health Department through the Primary Mental Health Care Minimum Data Set. Independent evaluations are undertaken at appropriate intervals.
Strong Foundations has as its main objectives to:
- provide culturally inclusive and school based peer support and mental health literacy with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children/young people and their families, to build resilience and support early help seeking behaviours and overall social emotional wellbeing
- identify children and young people and families who require more intensive support and delivery of psychological therapies and techniques to those children and families, and
- deliver evidence based culturally appropriate mental health and suicide prevention education and training programs throughout selected school in the Shoalhaven region.
Through the SCMSAC, Strong Foundations employs professional psychological and counselling sessions that are evidence-based as well as being culturally safe to those who have been identified as being in need. Additionally, the program provides education and awareness to the community regarding mental health and factors leading to suicide risks in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Capacity building within families (such as gatekeeper training) is developed along with the community’s ability to recognise and attend to those who display poor mental health issues and behaviours that may lead to suicide.
Mental health literacy is presented using evidenced-based syllabi, Be You2. Be You builds on the success and learnings from five existing programs aimed at promoting social and emotional health and wellbeing for children and young people in the education space: KidsMatter Early Childhood, KidsMatter Primary, MindMatters, Response Ability and headspace School Support. Be You is building on the evidence base and ten years of experience of these programs. These programs are now integrated into Be You – one single, national initiative delivered through early learning services, primary and secondary schools.
Another syllabus used is Aussie Optimism.3 This is an evidence-based mental health promotion program for children in primary and lower secondary schools. Aussie Optimism is based on Martin Seligman’s theories that focus on strengths-based problem solving to deal with personal issues. This program was developed in 1997 and extensively evaluated. It intends to:
- reduce mental health difficulties
- increase recovery from depressive disorders
- reduce the incidence of suicidal ideation and behaviour
- increase the recovery from suicidal ideation and behaviour
- increase pro-social behaviour, and
- reduce the likelihood of drinking and smoking at later stages.3
Strong Foundations has established itself over a number of years as a reliable program in providing resilience skills development in primary school children. It is delivered in a culturally safe manner and provides for transition of these students into high school.
The program has provided skills and knowledge to families and the community. For example, during the six-month evaluation period, 47 adults attended Aboriginal Mental Health First Aid which was delivered by qualified SCMSAC staff.
The program, through the SCMSAC has provided physical and mental health services to children and adults in a seamless referral process. This includes case management for risks such as family relationship breakdowns and parenting programs as well as for substance abuse.
Strong Foundations liaises with government and non-government community organisations is the delivery and evaluation of the program.
Strong Foundations has had an independent evaluation undertaken on its activities during the first half of 2018.4 This evaluation included qualitative and quantitative analyses. Qualitative data included meeting minutes, session plans, teaching and learning materials, and informal interviews. Qualitative data was based upon two measures administered post-session. One was titled My Feelings which was developed for Koori Kids and uses a five-point Likert scale. The other is a dichotomous measure titled Understanding Culture. Seventy-one sessions were run during the six-month review period with a total number of responses of 231 for the first measure. The data was collected from six schools in two cohorts – one being Years 3 and 4 and the other Years 5 and 6.
The data collected is descriptive and does not allow for a statistical analysis of the efficacy of the program as a pre- and post-program administration of the measures could indicate. The program and the evaluation did not seek ethics approval which might limit on-going evaluations on the effectiveness of the program. The ability to track a child’s progress over time is not practical for the project as the data would need to be de-identified which is not something seems to be part of the program. Health data as it applies to the NSW Health Department is entered through the SCMSAC which might be able to be accessed at a later date. Additionally funding remains a difficult resourcing issue both for data collection and for resourcing operational staff.
In the My Feelings measure, the children were asked how they responded to their feelings. That is, did they have strategies for dealing with negative feelings and what self-regulation they employed. The evaluation suggests that as a result of the program, there may be some positive impact on the children’s ability to self-regulate and develop strategies to cope.
The evaluation suggests six recommendations:
- Ensure the evaluation and research proposal is assessed by a Human Research Ethics Committee, as great care and consideration is required particularly if considering the inclusion of capturing the children’s experiences.
- Adopt a study design that utilises a pre and post data collection method over a longer period of time (12 months) to assess impact of the program at the individual level.
- Collect qualitative data such as feedback from school staff, parents of the children and possibly the children.
- Evaluate the counselling and therapeutic support provided within the program, including the appropriate referral pathways.
- Include an evaluation of the impact and use of the Understanding Culture and My Feelings component of the program, exploring the validation of these tools.
- Assess the need for program scale up to further expand the program to other parts of the region, including the key partnerships that are required in order for scale up to occur.
The lack of recurrent funding for the program is noted as a barrier to the effective management and resourcing of the program. This funding model presents the operational staff with a lack of certainty for their continued employment. Additionally if Recommendation 6 were to be considered, then a significant increase in funding would be required which, as noted, would need to include other parties to become involved.
The evaluation’s literature review draws heavily on the work of the current literature regarding suicide prevention for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people which is consistent with ATSISPEP guidelines. However the evaluation suggests that more needs to be known about how to deliver suicide prevention programs to primary school children. The evaluation also suggests that Strong Foundations meets many of the requirements of the current understanding regarding suicide prevention programs.
Strong Foundations demonstrates many of the principles that makes for a successful suicide prevention program. There is a strong community and cultural focus, it adheres to the priniciples of Indigenous governance and is culturally respectful. Local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were involved in the development and are continuing to deliver the program through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander facilitators and supporting staff. There are strong links to the South Coast Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation as well as to other local services which are culturally safe.
The program seeks to gather information about the efficacy of the program and the benefits that come to the children, their parents, families and the community. While this information could be improved through pre- and post-testing, the program shows that it strengthens with children’s sense of cultural identity and self-regulation which in turn enhances their resilience. The program also builds family and community capacity through the gatekeeper program. The CBPATSISP rates this as an evidenced-informed promising program.
- Department of Health. Evaluation of Suicide Prevention Activities – Koori Kids Wellbeing Program.
- Be You. https://beyou.edu.au/
- Aussie Optimism. Curtin University Health Sciences.
- Strong Foundations Report, December 2018. Longbottom, M.; Clapham, K.; Kelly, P. Australian Health Services Research Institute (Centre for Health Service Development).
Strong Spirit Strong Mind (WA)
Strong Spirit Strong Mind promotes the uniqueness of Aboriginal culture as a central strength in guiding efforts to manage and reduce mental health and alcohol and other drug related harms in Aboriginal communities.
S
Western Australia Mental Health Commission (2016). Strong Spirit Strong Mind metro project: campaign evaluation. Perth: Western Australia Mental Health Commission. https://aodknowledgecentre.ecu.edu.au/key-resources/publications/32357/?title=Strong+Spirit+Strong+Mind+metro+project%3A+campaign+evaluation
Telling Story (WA/NT)
Telling Story are collaborative, place based mental health projects based on Narrative Therapy principles delivered in Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Telling Story commenced in 2015 in Kalumburu, following a request from community Elders for community members to meet, talk, heal and share hopeful stories.
Contacts:
Sudha Coutinho
Phone: 0403840293 Email: sudhacoutinho@gmail.com
Clare Wood
Phone: 0438859727 Email: clare.wood10@gmail.com
Telling Story supports people and communities to uncover and celebrate stories of strength, hope and resilience. The sharing of these stories supports people to stay strong in the face of community problems such as suicide and alcohol and drug misuse 1. 2. Telling Story facilitates intensive week-long projects in communities and provides a series of workshops to reach different groups in the community depending on community context. Telling Story and the narrative ideas used in these projects can be utilized across age groups and genders.
The methodology uses the principles of Narrative Practice and centers on people as the experts in their own lives viewing problems as separate from people. Narrative Therapy assumes that people have many skills, competencies, beliefs, values, commitments, and abilities that will assist them to navigate the problems in their lives 3. Telling Story is a strengths-based practice that honours the individual’s and community’s agency, focusing on the development and enhancement of people’s social and emotional competencies.
Telling Story collaborates with local clinical and community workers to help shape the project workshops to the local context and, where possible, co-facilitates with local health and community workers providing capacity building in narrative methodology. The workshops are held at a variety of community venues as well as ‘on country’ depending on community needs and wishes. Activity based workshops which use collective Narrative Therapy methodologies such as the ‘Tree of Life’ or the ‘Team of Life’ are facilitated at times within the project 3. These methodologies use the richness of meaning which can be found in ‘tree’ and ‘sport’ metaphors fostering connection to cultural practices and identity.3, 4. Stories arising out of conversations during the workshop are documented and returned to participants in variety of ways including the writing of therapeutic letters, audio and video recordings, as well as creation of posters.
Telling Story facilitators seek permission from storytellers to invite community members and people outside the community to listen and witness the audio and video stories as an ‘Outsider Witness Process’ 5, 6.
The sharing of the stories via online video platforms enables a broader audience to view and witness the stories and responses to be collected to return to the storytellers. 7.
Program objectives are determined in collaboration with local community navigators, who consult with Elders and the local context. Telling Story aims to:
- build capacity within individuals and the community by exploring their responses to loss, grief and trauma and the impact these experiences have had on their lives
- uncover stories of hope, strength and resilience to better equip individuals and communities to navigate the issues they are facing in their lives such as mental health concerns and suicide.
- Participants at the end of the workshop are able to identify the skills, knowledge and wisdom they possess to navigate and respond to problems in their own lives as well as issues impacting their families and communities.
- Participating communities create an archive of stories which lay testimony to their skills, knowledge and wisdom.
- Community members have the opportunity to learn from each other, provide peer support both within communities as well as between communities.
- Participants identified at the workshops as requiring additional support are linked to local networks of support. This includes physical health, mental health and community services providers.
Not yet evaluated
Telling Story aligns with the principles outlined in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Evaluation Project (ATSISPEP)1. Specifically, the program establishes a cultural and community focus by involving Elders and senior community members where possible and tailoring of the content to local customs and languages. The program strengthens Indigenous governance and capacity by using, where possible, local community members to co-facilitate the workshops. The program builds resilience and promotes social and emotional wellbeing within individuals and the community.
Telling Story is only delivered to communities where members have invited the facilitators’ assistance which respects the community’s rights of self-determination, governance and promotes a continued connection to culture and land. The program is inclusive of gender and LBGTI community members.
Telling Story uses primary healthcare organisations and considers the individuals’ health holistically by including community engagement and cultural awareness in wellbeing and early intervention services. The program has at its core the ability to refer those at risk to these services.
In summary, Telling Story is promising evidence of effectiveness and practice. It is a program designed to respond to local needs and the interests of community members. Ideally a formal and independent evaluation should be undertaken to better advise the program managers of the effectiveness and long-term benefits to the community and social and emotional wellbeing.
1. Wingard, B. (2001). Introduction. In B. Wingard & J. Lester (Eds.), Telling our stories in ways that make us stronger (pp. v–vii). Adelaide, Australia: Dulwich Centre Publications
2.Wood, C. (2014). The stories we need to tell. ABC Open: Real stories made by real people from all around Australia. Retrieved from open.abc.net.au/explore/80848
3. Denborough, D. (2008). Collective narrative practice: Responding to individuals, groups, and communities who have experienced trauma. Adelaide, Australia: Dulwich Centre Publications.
4. Chandler, M. J., & Lalonde, C. E. (2008). Cultural continuity as a protective factor against suicide in First Nations youth. Horizons – A Special Issue on Aboriginal Youth, Hope or Heartbreak: Aboriginal Youth and Canada’s Future. 10(1), 68–72. Retrieved from www2.psych.ubc.ca/~chandlerlab/Chandler%20&%20 Lalonde%20(2008).pdf
5. Hernandez, R. (2008). Reflections across time and space: Using voice recording to facilitate ‘long-distance’ definitional ceremonies. The International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, (3), 35–40
6. Denborough, D. (2014). Narrative therapy charter of story-telling rights. Retrieved from dulwichcentre.com.au/narrative-justice-and-human-rights/
7. Adelson, N., & Olding, M. (2013). Narrating Aboriginality on-line: Digital storytelling, identity and healing. The Journal of Community Informatics, 9(2). Retrieved from ci-journal.net/index.php/ciej/ article/view/740/1004
8. ATSISPEP Website
Tharawal Social and Emotional Wellbeing (NSW)
Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation provides various services to the community, including health related services to enhance social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal peoples, and medical and dental services. It also provides other services provided by Child and Family Centre and Housing Office.
Phone: 02 4624 9430 Email: sewb@tacams.com.au
187 Riverside Drive, Airds, NSW 2560
Website: https://tacams.com.au/social-emotional-wellbeing/mentalhealth/
Tharawal Social and Emotional Wellbeing has employed a team of passionate people to help their local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community better manage social and emotional wellbeing. The team is made up of a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, two Mental Health Workers (Male and Female), Psychologist and a Youth Worker. Services include counselling, case management/coordination, mental/physical health, legal, Centrelink, National Disability Insurance Scheme, housing, medical, emergency relief, community support, dental, social work, and drug and alcohol. A mental health nurse practitioner provides quality mental health care including advanced health assessment, diagnosis and treatment of health conditions, clinical investigations, and referral to medical specialists.
Provide a range of services to support and promote social, emotional, spiritual and cultural wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
To improve the social, emotional, spiritual and cultural wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and community.
The Mental Health Commission of NSW has presented case studies on the effectiveness of the programs and services at Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation including ‘Healing Through Art‘, ‘Collaborating across Service‘ which is a collaboration between Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation and South Western Sydney Local Health District to improve health outcomes for mental health clients, and ‘Caring for the Whole Person‘, which adopts a holistic approach to care for individuals.
To be updated.
The Glen Centre (NSW)
To be updated
The Healing Foundation
The Healing Foundation is a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation that partners with communities to address the ongoing trauma caused by colonisation and to support the healing and reconnection to culture.
Contact:
Phone: (02) 6272 7500/Email: info@healingfoundation.org.au
The Healing Foundation provides a critical role in supporting the healing and reconnection to culture for Indigenous individuals, families and communities – which is arguably a national priority to reducing the high rates of suicide in Australia. By funding locally driven, culturally strong healing initiatives across the country, The Healing Foundation is enabling Indigenous peoples to more effectively participate in employment, education, parenting, cultural and community life and self-determining health and wellbeing outcomes. As part of its overall evaluation and performance reporting process, The Healing Foundation requires all funded projects provide to data on agreed national outcomes and associated indicators. It also collects in-depth information through case studies. This data and the case studies provide a picture of the healing work and its effectiveness. A number of projects also undertake more in-depth evaluations with external organisations.
The Healing Foundation funds a large number of projects across Australia that aim to address the impacts of social determinants on social and emotional wellbeing of individuals, families and communities at key points across the life course. For example, they support parents and carers to create healthy, positive environments for children and young people to reconnect with schooling or prepare them for entering the workforce. Several projects work in partnership with government and community organisations to ensure communities are safe, by supporting families to address the role violence, gambling or substance misuse plays in their lives. All projects contribute to improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by creating healing from pain, suffering and trauma.
A core aspect underpinning best practice in programs funded through The Healing Foundation (HF) is the notion of cultural continuity and identity in Aboriginal communities. Cultural continuity is enabled where communities have an understanding and access to their past and share and have ownership of a common future. The Healing Foundation supports the delivery of services that are:
• Founded on strong culture and traditional ways of healing from trauma and loss
• Enabling self-determination
• Building stronger health, education and social services
• Working with women to participate in leadership and governance roles
• Supporting language
The HF draws heavily on international suicide prevention research which has compelling evidence to show that culture, cultural continuity and self-determination act as protection against youth suicide (Chandler & Lalonde 2008).
• Increased the number of people who have understanding and access to a wide range of healing services
• 137 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people employed in 17 projects
• 100 per cent of projects designed, developed and delivered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people ensuring contextually appropriate healing services for participants
• 2465 children, young people, families, men, women and Elders participated in healing activities, demonstrating the need for and importance of healing work
• Almost 650 cultural activities provided, helping people reconnect with culture and support, strengthening cultural identity and pride
• 99 per cent of participants reported improved physical, emotional, social, spiritual and cultural wellbeing as a result of participation in the healing projects
• Development of strong organisational partnerships and linked-up service delivery allowing for holistic services and interventions
• Positive publicity that has celebrated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and educates the wider community about healing
• Significant contributions to the Closing the Gap agenda in the areas of health, economic participation, safe communities and governance and leadership. (Healing Foundation 2013).
Evaluation pending
The Healing Foundation was rated very highly as strong evidence of effectiveness and best practice. It provides high quality integrated services, culturally appropriate community activities, engages youth, builds cultural strengths, supports leadership, life skills and social competencies, meets many objectives with regard to Life promotion and resilience-building strategies and emotional wellbeing, addressing racism, partnerships with community organisations and increased support for Indigenous.
The Healing Foundation is committed to developing an evidence base and disseminating information on best practice is described in a number of healing programs and initiatives available on their website.
To be updated in 2021
The Marumali Program (QLD)
The Marumali Program® promotes social and emotional wellbeing, training for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service providers to provide culturally appropriate support to Aboriginal Stolen Generations survivors who are healing from the trauma they have suffered as a result of removal. While the Marumali Program® is based in Brisbane, it is delivered throughout Australia.
Contact:
Shaan Peeters
Mobile: 0481 340 258 Email: shaan@marumaliprogram.com.au
Established in 2000, the Marumali Program® is based upon the lived experience of Lorraine Peeters, who was forcibly removed from her family at the age of four years. Aunty Lorraine’s reaction to this trauma was delayed until she was in her fifties. Marumali is a Gamilaroi word meaning ‘put back toghether’.2 She has used her experiences to develop the Marumali Journey of Healing Model. This journey develops the skills, knowledge and abilities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to help others to overcome intergenerational trauma through a series of workshops.
Several studies confirm that removal from natural family has been associated with higher rates of emotional distress, depression, poorer physical health and higher rates of smoking and use of illicit substances. It has also been associated with lower educational and employment outcomes. These consequences of separation not only affect those who personally experience removal, but can be trans-generational, impacting on children, families and communities.
The Marumali Journey of Healing Model was developed by an Aboriginal survivor for Aboriginal survivors; and is:
- culturally appropriate for those who were removed
- culturally appropriate for the families and communities they were removed from
- respectful of the autonomy and strength of survivors
- a clear path forward for survivors, regardless of how they were removed or what has happened since
- promoting community and cultural governance as it allows survivors to set the pace, rate and direction of their healing journey
- holistic and includes the spiritual dimensions of healing
- able to address the core issues which undermine survivors, and allows for personal growth, and
- able to address the trans-generational effects of removal.
The Marumali Program is delivered through a range of three workshops to service providers who are working with survivors and also directly to the survivors themselves including those within correctional facilities. One youth workshop is also available.
The Journey of Healing recognises that social and emotional wellbeing is based upon the recovery of Aboriginal identity and culture and not based on a Western biomedical or consumerist model of recovering from a mental illness. Additionally, the program recognises that healing occurs over differing periods for different survivors.
Workshop outlines
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Service Providers (4 day)
Provides counselors/ support workers with the knowledge and skills to provide culturally appropriate and culturally safe support to survivors. This includes strategies through which the complex issues of trauma can be dealt with at the pace, preferred setting and goals of the survivors.
Risk Management Workshop for Workers (2 day)
- Using the 4 day workshop as a prerequisite, this workshop assists counsellors to identify risk factors and the use of strength-based concepts to help survivors continue their healing.
- These two workshops (6 days) form the basis for recognition for one unit of competency in the Nationally Accredited Health training package.
Trauma-Informed Care For Stolen Generations Workshop For Non-Aboriginal Service Providers (2 days)
A workshop for non-Aboriginal counselors/support workers who wish to understand in greater detail how to ensure that trauma in survivors is not reactivated.
Marumali Journey of Healing Workshop (2 or 3 day)
This workshop is for survivors of removal and aims to effectively support healing through understanding that healing is holistic and that survivors may progress at differing speeds through the healing journey.
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders Within Correctional Facilities (4 day)
This workshop is for those survivors who are incarcerated and provides for a culturally safe approach towards dealing with trauma associated with removal, grief, loss and the dimensions of healing.
Youth Program
Using the basis of the Journey of Healing, this program is contextualised for young people’s social and emotional wellbeing using art and other activities in a culturally safe and age appropriate environment. Discussions involve identity issues, grief and transgenerational trauma as well as promoting cultural connection to community and country.
The Marumali program aims to:
- increase the quality of support available for Aboriginal survivors of removal policies;
- enable all Aboriginal people affected by past removal policies to identify and understand their trauma, the stages of healing from trauma;
- provide ways to respond to the trauma and support they may need on their ‘healing journey’; and
- improve service delivery by providing advice to service providers on how to work effectively with Aboriginal people affected by intergenerational trauma.
Key elements of the program are to:
- improve service delivery by providing advice and supporting participants and organisations to realize the widespread impact of removal and understand the potential paths for recovery
- recognize the signs and symptoms of trauma associated with removal in clients, families and communities and
- to avoid retraumatising survivors and their families; and respond by integrating knowledge into their policies, procedures and practices.
Between 2000-2019, more than 350 workshops had been delivered to more than 3400 participants, across all of Australia. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the majority were Aboriginal and most had a family member who had been affected by past removal policies.
Results from the workshop evaluations, a survey of past participants and two case studies confirmed the program had several strengths including:
- participants were satisfied with the program’s content
- increased awareness of the past removal practices
- it had increased participant’s understanding of their client’s needs
- it increased awareness of intergenerational trauma
- the knowledge participants had learned had been used in their workplaces
- promoted participants’ own personal development and self-awareness, and
- increased sense of cultural identity.
An independent evaluation of the Marumali Program was completed in 2014. The evaluation was funded by the Healing Foundation. The evaluation is not publicly available, though was analysed as part of preparing the practice profile for the Australian Institute of Family Studies3 website. The evaluation was developed and planned through a collaboration between Shaan Peeters, the Healing Foundation and the external evaluation team. It aimed to:
- assess the quality of three of the programs (these were: the five day Aboriginal service provider program, the two day non-Indigenous service provider program and the inmate program)
- describe the impact of the program on its target audience
- describe the strengths of the program, and
- describe its limitations and areas for improvement.
The evaluation drew on a mix of existing organisational data and new research, including the following data collections methods:
- organisational documents review
- analysis of previously completed workshop evaluation forms from between 2002-12
- online survey completed by 59 previous workshop participants
- two case studies of previous participants, and
- interview with the program’s key staff (Lorraine and Shaan).
The evaluation findings and the program staff highlight that the most effective aspect of the program in achieving success is that participants can relate to the experience of Lorraine Peeters and how her story can be used as a model to dealing with the trauma caused by the past removal from family. The evaluation found that the program builds individual, family and community capacity; was developed to address issues in the local community and that the workshops were based on culturally safe, trauma informed practice.
However, the evaluation did recommend actions to:
- improve community awareness of the program through a review of current marketing practices
- improve access through establishing partnerships with other organisations to deliver it in a variety of settings, and
- strengthen the ongoing monitoring and evaluation practices of the organisation.
These suggestions have since been considered and some have been integrated into the program.
Marumali meets many of the ATSISPEP and CBPATSISP principles and guidelines for best practice in Aboriginal contexts. The program has been written and developed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, social and historical context has been taken into account and there is ongoing activity in place to ensure a continuous quality improvement process.
An external evaluator, Professor Gail Garvey, was contracted by the Department of Health in 2000 to evaluate the pilot workshop. The evaluation was very positive and the Department funded the delivery of the Marumali Journey of Healing workshops to train Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander counsellors and case workers employed in Link-Up services and ACCHOs from 2000 – 2006.
The Marumali Journey of Healing model and workshop was endorsed by co-author of the Ways Forward report, Professor Beverly Raphael (Letter of Support, 2000) and Aboriginal organisations Link-Up NSW (2001) and the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) (2002) as being a safe, effective and culturally appropriate model to use with survivors who had been forcibly removed from their families, communities and country.
The Marumali Journey of Healing has been variously identified as a ‘good practice,’ ‘promising practice’ and ‘best practice’ Aboriginal model of healing for those who have been forcibly removed by the Moving Forward Conference (2002), the evaluation of the Bringing Them Home and Indigenous Mental Health Programs.4 5 The National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Mental Health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing 2004–2009 identified the Marumali Journey of Healing as an initiative that achieved the key result area of ‘recognising and promoting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander philosophies on holistic health and healing’.5
- Peeters, L. The Marumali Program: An Aboriginal Model of Healing. In Working Together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Wellbeing Principles and Practice (First Edition) (2010) eds. Purdie, Nola; Dudgeon, Pat; and Walker, Roz, pp 285 – 292.
- Peeters, L., Harmann, S & Kelly K. The Marumali Program: Healing for Stolen Generations. In Working Together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Wellbeing Principles and Practice (Second Edition) (2014) eds. Dudgeon, Pat; Milroy, Helen and Walker, Roz, pp 493 – 507. [Available: https://www.telethonkids.org.au/globalassets/media/documents/aboriginal-health/working-together-second-edition/working-together-aboriginal-and-wellbeing-2014.pdf Accessed 2019 December 9
- Marumali Healing Program Knowledge Circle Practice Profiles. Australian Institute of Family Studies. [Available: https://apps.aifs.gov.au/ipppregister/projects/marumali-healing-program Accessed 2019 December 10
- Wilczynski A, Reed-Gilbert K, Milward K, Tayler B, Fear J, Schwartzkoof, J. Evaluation of Bringing Them Home and Indigenous mental health programs. Report prepared by Urbis Key Young for the Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health. Canberra; 2007.
- Social Health Reference Group (SHRG). In: National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander People’s Mental Health and Social and Emotional Well Being 2004–09. National Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander Health Council and National Mental Health Working Group. 2004. Canberra: Department of Health and Ageing.
Additional reading:
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC). Submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee on the Inquiry into The Stolen Generations Compensation Bill. 2008. [Available: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/legal/inquiry-stolen-generation-compensation-bill-2008 Accessed 2019 December 9
The Mentoring Program (ID. Know Yourself) (NSW)
The Mentoring Program supports Aboriginal children (from 5–19 years old) who are in, or leaving, the foster care system by establishing a sense of belonging, discovering purpose and empowering positive choices. The Program aims to connect these young people to culture and community and prepare them with essential life skills for life after care.
The Mentoring Program supports Aboriginal children (from 5–19 years old) who are in, or leaving, the foster care system by establishing a sense of belonging, discovering purpose and empowering positive choices. The Program aims to connect these young people to culture and community and prepare them with essential life skills for life after care.
To be updated.
Uti Kulintjaku Project (NT)
The Uti Kulintjaku Project is under the direction of Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (NPY) Women’s Council. Now in its sixth year, it is an innovative mental health literacy, capacity, and resilience-building initiative led by respected Anangu (Aboriginal) cultural and community leaders who are working at the interface of two knowledge systems, Anangu and Western.
Contact:
Liza Balmer (CEO)
Phone: (08) 8958 2345 Email: Liza.Balmer@npywc.org.au
Organisation Email: enquiries@npywc.org.au
Postal address: PO Box 8921, Alice Springs, NT 0871
Uti Kulintjaku is an innovative mental health literacy, capacity and resilience-building initiative led by respected Anangu (Aboriginal) cultural and community leaders who work collaboratively with mental health professionals. The program operates at the interface of two knowledge systems which operate in three languages (Pitjantjatjara, Ngaanyatjarra and English) and draws on the best of both knowledge systems to find new ways to address the challenging issues related to improving Anangu social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB).
The Uti Kulintjaku Project is grounded in cultural knowledge and focuses on healing, the strengthening of SEWB, community capacity and resilience, whilst also encouraging help-seeking behaviour. Its reach and sphere of influence extends beyond the Anangu domain to the local non-Aboriginal domain to support both universal and selective improvement of SEWB. Anangu team members share stories of supporting young people in their communities experiencing distress which are likely to be preventing suicide and encouraging help seeking behaviour.
A key aim of the Project is to develop mental health literacy and promote the discussion of mental health issues using animated drawings with English sub-titles. Each animation has two versions, one in Pitjantjatjara and another in Ngaanyatjarra. Young people from the Anangu community are the key audience for these animations which are shown on ICTV, the program website or by video recordings. Within program workshops, participants are provided with nurturing therapies and art to support healing.
Identifying the protective factors that enhance the SEWB of Aboriginal communities, as well as those factors that contribute to community distress and suicide, is paramount. It requires an in-depth knowledge of the historic, social, cultural and economic risk factors at play in each community, which are best known and understood by community residents themselves The Uti Kulintjaku Project takes a long-term view on achieving change to improve Anangu mental health and wellbeing. It recognizes that while external change agents can help to catalyse action or create spaces for people to undertake a change process, healing and empowerment can occur only by communities creating their own momentum.
The overarching objectives are to:
- Develop a team of Anangu experts in mental health and wellbeing who will take their knowledge into their leadership roles in other organisations and communities, to their families and workplaces and to young people on bush camps.
- Encourage and enable Anangu team members to share their understanding or experience in mental health and wellbeing, including traditional and cultural knowledge as well as contemporary and lived experience.
- Encourage and enable Anangu team members to deconstruct and combine western mental health knowledge with Anangu knowledge.
Essentially, the Anangu team deconstructs western mental health knowledge, compares and combines it with Anangu cultural and traditional knowledge, and reconstructs it into meaningful information in their own languages that also draw on Anangu knowledge. The team encourage Anangu to use this information to make informed decisions in their various roles and workplaces. They also offer a two-way knowledge exchange with western mental health services in the area so that they may better understand and respond to the Anangu experience.
The Uti Kulintjaku Project has created a unique space for Anangu and non-Aboriginal people, who share a commitment to make a difference, come together and discuss issues, share knowledge and learn how to unite and better respond to improve Anangu wellbeing.
In addition, the team has responded to a need for Anangu leaders to be engaged in considering and addressing the complex and concerning issues in their communities. A model, Uti Kulintjaku Iwara which translates as the path to clear thinking, has been developed which facilitates safe ways to talk about difficult issues, nurtures healing and empowerment, and finds new ways of enhancing mental health and wellbeing. A multi‐lingual dictionary of words and phrases has been created and other novel resources have been produced. Very importantly, partnerships with mental health services have been strengthened1.
References
- Togni SJ. Uti Kulintjaku Project | Summary Report. Available upon request from Angela Lynch, Manager Ngangkari Program, NPYWC via Angela.Lynch@npywc.org.au.
A developmental evaluation conducted by Togni1 utilised data collected through ten three‐ to four‐day workshops over three years, reflective practice, participant observation, focussed discussion groups with Aboriginal participants, and 21 semi‐structured, in‐depth key stakeholder interviews. The evaluator concluded that the healing, empowerment and leadership outcomes for the Aboriginal participants were consistent with programs identified as most effective in enhancing the social and emotional wellbeing and suicide reduction in Aboriginal communities. Further, it was confirmed that the program had resulted in a range of outcomes at personal, group and project levels including the capacity development of a team of senior Aboriginal women, and the achievement of bi‐cultural understanding of mental health and an acknowledgement of culture as enhancing Aboriginal mental health and wellbeing.
A follow-up evaluation was completed in late 20182. This report described the way of working developed through the Uti Kulintjaku Project as effective in supporting Anangu and non-Aboriginal people to learn from each other and work together to identify ways to respond to challenging issues related to mental health and wellbeing in communities. The essence of this way of working comes from the Pitjantjatjara and Ngaanyatjarra phrase ngapartji ngapartji meaning reciprocity in relationships.
Importantly, the 2018 evaluation indicated that the risks associated with suicide had been reduced by the sharing of bi-cultural learning with Anangu families and mainstream mental health and social service providers.
Conclusions
The Project’s model and the healing, empowerment and leadership outcomes for the Aboriginal participants are consistent with programs identified as most effective in enhancing the social and emotional wellbeing and ‘suicide proofing’ of Aboriginal communities. The Uti Kulintjaku Project has secured six years of funding for suicide prevention. The model developed has potential application to address other complex social and health issues in various contexts1.
References
- Togni SJ. The Uti Kulintjaku Project: The Path to Clear Thinking. An Evaluation of an Innovative, Aboriginal‐Led Approach to Developing Bi‐Cultural Understanding of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Australian Psychologist 2017;52(4):268-79.
To be updated in 2021
Wellmob Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander SEWB website
Wellmob is an online collection of resources made by and for Aboriginal peoples, with a focus on social and emotional wellbeing. It includes websites, apps, podcasts, videos, social media, and online counselling.
Contact:
David Edwards
Phone: (02) 6621 1107 Email: d.edwards@sydney.edu.am
Wellmob was developed by eMHPrac (e-mental health in practice) in collaboration with the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet. Wellmob is for all frontline health and wellbeing workers, including:
– community health and wellbeing workers
– mental health workers
– family support
– education and youth services
The inspiration for the website came from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers and communities. They wanted one place to find online wellbeing resources that are culturally relevant.
Workers can feel confident sharing online wellbeing resources with their clients and customers. There are also training resources to support frontline health and wellbeing workers in the community, and resources to help them look after themselves. Wellmob is a safe online place for Aboriginal communities to access all kinds of digital wellbeing resources.
To be updated.
Wellmob provides useful and culturally safe online resources that are developed by, and for, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Yalu Aboriginal Corporation: Family Support Services (NT)
Yalu’s objectives are to nurture and support cultural practices and language for future generations, whilst encompassing the core values of Indigenous law: harmony, sharing and respect.
Yalu Aboriginal Corporation: Men's and Women's Djalkirri (NT)
Womens Djalkirri focuses on helping young women develop and maintain wellbeing and increasing opportunities to cultural activities through connections with elder women. Some things women do in this program are:
– learning bush medicine
– visiting aged care for yarning
– learn to weave
– connecting with baby hub and other cultural practices for baby and mother relationships
Mens Djalkirri focuses on supporting men develop wellbeing, connecting with culture and educating about community safety. It incorporates the following:
– cultural training/education
– following the lore in Indigenous oath
– teaching songs
– spear making
– hunting and collecting bush materials
CONTACT:
Email: hello@yalu.org.au
Yalu’s objectives are to nurture and support cultural practices and language for future generations, whilst encompassing the core values of Indigenous law: harmony, sharing and respect.
YAM: Youth Aware of Mental Health
A school-based program for young people age 13 to 17 years where they learn about and discuss mental health through role-play, presentation and discussions.
Schools will need to contact a partnering organisation to find out if YAM is available in their local area. More information is available by contacting Education team at:
CONTACT
Email: education@blackdog.org.au
YAM is delivered in schools in five one-hour sessions where students role-play and discuss everyday situations. Topics discussed that are important to them include relationships with peers and adults, mood changes, feeling sad or stressed. Students then reflect on how they might feel and discuss how to handle challenging situations. YAM is delivered in Australia in the ACT as part of the LifeSpan Trial, and across NSW in partnerships with organisations.
YAM has been adapted to be culturally appropriate for delivery with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people.
The objective of YAM is to raise awareness about suicidality and factors that protect it. This is done by improving mental health literacy and teaching skills to cope with adverse life events and stress, so that young people seek help before reaching crisis point.
The results demonstrated that YAM was effective in reducing new cases of suicide attempts and suicidal ideation by 50% and new cases of depression by 30% in youth participating in YAM.
YAM was evaluated in a European union-wide randomised controlled trial with over 11,000 youth participants. YAM has the strongest evidence base of school programs with outcomes specific to reducing suicidal ideation and behaviour, and depression and anxiety, thereby encouraging healthy lifestyle choices among young people.
YAM is evaluated in an Australian context through the LifeSpan Suicide Prevention Trials, based on the ATSISPEP recommendations for suicide prevention in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities highlighted in the ‘Solutions that work: What the evidence and our people tell us’ report.
The evaluation highlighted the success factors of YAM, with the creation of an open, non-judgemental safe space being more critical than having Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander instructors, which was considered not an important factor.
In 2017, a review was commissioned by Black Dog Institute and led by Leilani Darwin and Julie Turner, experts in suicide prevention and school-based programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. The review indicated that YAM is relevant and appropriate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth. Cultural changes have been made to the language used in YAM to make it culturally safe and appropriate for delivering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. Various other culturally appropriate changes made include delivering an Acknowledgement of Country in the opening session of YAM, creating an open space for sharing, and ‘Yarn with Elders’ in order to feel better.
Yawardani Jan-ga (Equine Assisted Learning, WA)
Kimberley Aboriginal Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) program, run by Aboriginal people for Aboriginal people aged 6-25 years. Individual, paired, and group sessions are offered where participants are guided through different experiences with horses designed to increase mindfulness, awareness, confidence and regulation.
CONTACT
Professor Juli Coffin
Phone: 0436454422
Email: yawardani.smb@telethonkids.org.au
Through attending EAL sessions young people develop their own leadership style to support them with life’s challenges. Corporate and referrer demonstration sessions are also available, aimed to enhance Yawardani Jan-ga’s integrated service model and increase community and service provider understanding of the program. Yawardani Jan-ga (Horses Helping) is the first program of its kind in the Kimberley, in Australia and in the world. Program is available in Broome, Halls Creek, Derby and outreach sites on request.
Remote communities outside the regional centres will have access to Yawardani Jan-ga with portability supported by the new horse truck and more than 20 local Aboriginal people certified as EAL Practitioners across the Kimberley. This mobile service is funded by:
- Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services and Yura Yungi Medical Service (training of community members in 2021)
- The National Indigenous Australians Agency (horse truck)
- Mineral Resources, Healthway, and NHMRC
The program aims to increase awareness and regulation of emotions to achieve a calm state, through interactions with horses. EAL Practitioners explore seven broad themes, including boundaries, healthy relationships, kind and helpful thoughts, feelings as natural, and facing life challenges, Program is self-directed and participants have many choice points, where they have control and choice over which horse they want to take for the session, how they want to engage the horse. These choice points give participants a sense of control which improves self-esteem, emotional wellbeing and develops self-confidence, which in turn improves engagement with life. This enhanced engagement with life provides the necessary foundation for youths to improve engagement in school.
Building resilience and confidence through greater awareness and better regulation of emotions, healing for trauma, and leadership development. Facilitators report that youths demonstrated greater confidence through their body language and improved engagement in school.
A total of 850 EAL sessions have been delivered to approximately 500 participants with 70 currently engaged in the program. The EAL program has been featured in multiple media coverage since it commenced in 2019:
Broome Advertiser: Indigenous trainees saddle up to help kids (September 2020)
Outback Magazine: Horses helping kids (May 2020)
Telethon Kids: Social and Emotional Wellbeing of Aboriginal Young People(Project Page)
An evaluation will be conducted on the program across different areas including community, participants, and practitioners. Data is currently being collected.
Program is designed and implemented by Aboriginal community members in the Kimberley region, and delivered by trained EAL Aboriginal Practitioners to Aboriginal youths. Program is built on evidence based Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) to meet the individual needs of participants that facilitate their re-engagement in their education. The program is an evidence-based official clinical trial. Professor Juli Coffin is an Equine Assisted Learning specialist, certified in Equine Assisted psychotherapy.
Coffin, J. (2019). The Nguudu Barndimanmanha Project-Improving Social and Emotional Wellbeing in Aboriginal Youth Through Equine Assisted Learning. Frontiers in Public Health, 7(278), 1-11.
Yirralka Miyalk (NT)
Yirraalka Miyalk is a not-for-profit social enterprise, founded through women in the Yirralka Rangers program in 2011. They have used their ecological knowledge to develop their own personal care products incorporating healing plants, and generations of knowledge and wisdom.
Products are available online and the enterprise is based in the Northern Territory.
Yirraalka Miyalk is a not-for-profit social enterprise, founded through women in the Yirralka Rangers program in 2011. They have used their ecological knowledge to develop their own personal care products incorporating healing plants, and generations of knowledge and wisdom.
Products are available online and the enterprise is based in the Northern Territory.
The enterprise is part of the Laynhapuy Aboriginal Homelands Corporation which supports Yolŋu people to live on the homelands of the Laynhapuy IPA in North East Arnhem Land.
Product Ranges include:
– Nambarra: treats cold and flu symptoms
– Gaḏayka: treats various ailments such as skin infections and skin sores.
– Butjiriŋaniŋ: soothes aching muscles, skin ailments and inflammation.
Enabling the Miyalk rangers to live and work off their land whilst spreading awareness of natural properties of native plants through their innovative personal care products.
Yirralka Miyalk is supported by the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation’s Real Jobs Program. Through this program, over a 12 month period, almost 250 Indigenous people were employed. This includes women at Yirralka Miyalk that are also Miyalk Rangers. This program is buiding and strengthing individuals personal and professional capabilities by securing job placements in professions where they can work from the land and remain connected to culture.
It has been in business for over 10 years and now they are looking to expand the product range to use other native botanicals and also to offer healing services through a purpose-built healing centre.
To see more on how Yirralka Miyalk has influenced the community, please click here and here.
To be updated
Yirralka Miyalk is assessed as having:
Indigenous Ownership: The founders are Indigenous women who work as rangers in the Yirralka Rangers program.
Capacity building: Yirralka Miyalk builds the capacity of the community by teaching them how to make personal care products using native plants and providing them a source of income by selling the handmade products. They also help their rangers to secure job placements, ensuring employment.
Youth Empowerment and Healing Cultural Camp (YEaHCC)
The one-week camps led by the Burrongglo Aboriginal Corporation provides the opportunity to focus on the protective, cultural factors young people who are considered at risk by learning about sharing, caring and community values through greater connection to culture and country.
Contact:
Geraldine Shadforth
Mobile: 0487 249 145 Email: burrongglo290@gmail.com
The Burrongglo Aboriginal Corporation (BAC) hosts the Youth Empowerment and Healing Cultural Camp (YEaHCC)1 which is run as six independent one-week camps during school holidays. The camp is located on the Dampier Peninsula approximately 190kms north of Broome, Western Australia. In response to having experienced the trauma of suicide in the communities in the Kimberley, the BAC recognised the need to offer assistance to those children and youth who were at-risk throughout the Kimberly region of Western Australia.
The content of the camp emphasises importance of strengthening wellbeing and resilience through social empowerment and healing which centres on re-establishing young people’s sense of identity and spiritual and cultural connection with self, family, community, country and sea. Additionally, the camp offers training and guidance with the development of leadership skills, learning about bush medicine, bush food and hunting.
Potential participants are referred through a form which includes descriptions of the:
- risk factors for client / family
- services provided by referral Agency to date
- services provided by other known Agencies / Organisations to date
- behavioural issues for staff OH&S (if applicable)
- special requirements (medical, dietary, cultural)
Between seven and ten youth attend each camp at a cost of approximately $1,500 per participant which includes food, transport, supervision and activities. Two community-nominated participants may attend without charge.
The YEaHCC camps for young people considered at risk aim to:
- increase engagement by providing a culturally safe and inclusive space that fosters support and imparts life skills
- promote and strengthen cultural, social, emotional, health and wellbeing by engaging young people in cultural and social activities and outings on country
- enhance and promote cultural identity, belonging and knowledge
- encourage and strengthen peer support amongst young people
- develop, empower and nurture leadership, resilience, confidence and healing,
- increase awareness of local youth support services and programs available; and strengthen young people’s natural support networks, and
- promote the process of recovery, empowerment and healing from the trauma, grief and loss associated with suicide.2
The camps provide the chance to increase the understanding of the harmful impacts of suicide as well as the importance of life preservation. The camps build an understanding of the importance of:
- identity
- belonging and culture
- acknowledgement and worth of self
- respecting others and Elders and,
- capacity building of resilience and self-leadership
Additionally, the camps:
- strengthen traditional and contemporary Aboriginal culture and
- ensure that the participants have the skills and ability to successfully coexist as a young Indigenous person living in modern and traditional societies.
An internal evaluation of the two years that the program had run was undertaken towards the end of 20183. The ages of participants were between 8 and 18 years, comprising both male and female participants. Self-report measures showed that 70% of the participants perceived that the causes of suicide were due to bullying, family issues and loneliness with the other factors of academic pressure and stress comprising the remaining 30%.
Feelings of the participants were measured with eight categories being mentioned. All participants expressed experiencing feelings of being alone and sad. The more common of these range from damaging property, feelings of uselessness, self-harm, making one’s self ill and causing injury to others. The less common feeling that was mentioned were feelings of anger.
As mentioned above, access to this program is through referral where it is known that the young person is a risk and all participants had had first-hand experiences of suicide. The participants reported that they were better able to deal with these feelings after attending the camp. However the participants also reported that suicide prevention and awareness within their community was lacking as were anti-bullying strategies.
The YEaHCC is rated very highly as strong evidence of effectiveness, commitment and alignment to CBPATSISP best practice principles. The self-sustaining program has been developed and managed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The program establishes an increased sense of community belonging through providing a greater connection to culture and country to enhance young people’s social and emotional wellbeing. The process is community-led and directed using formal partnerships. The YEaHCC addresses the important, local issues of dealing with the devastating after effects of suicide by promoting healing and hope for the future. All of the participants attending YEaHCC are identified by the communities that it serves
- Youth Empowerment and Healing Cultural Camp (YEaHCC) Newletter Vol 1 Issue 1. 7 November 2017.
- Youth Empowerment and Healing Cultural Camp (YEaHCC): A Youth Suicide Prevention initiative at a grassroots level to lead real action and mobilise change. Information brochure 2019.
- Youth Empowerment and Healing Cultural Camp (YEaHCC): A Youth Suicide Prevention Initiative at a grassroots level to lead real action and mobilise change. Geraldine and Shonelle Shadforth, Burrongglo Aboriginal Corporation 2018.
Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Service (Maayu Mali) (NSW)
To be updated
Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Service (Social Emotional Wellbeing Program) (NSW)
Email: enquiries@wachs.net.au
Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Service (WACHS) is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation which has been running for over 35 years, located in the town of Wellington. Wellington is a small rural community with a shire population of approximately 8,831 people of which 1,897 are Aboriginal (2016 Census Stats). WACHS offers professional, holistic health care to enhance the health and emotional wellbeing of the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities in Wellington and surrounding districts including Dubbo, Moree, North West and Far West Regions of NSW and Greater Western Sydney covering Mt Druitt, Penrith, Nepean and Blue Mountains. It has three clinics: Wellington, Dubbo, and Moree.
The SEWB Team can help with issues such as trauma, transition to school, family breakdowns, family violence, sexual assault, drug and alcohol, sexual health, self esteem, family support and health promotion programs.
To access this service you must get referred either internally (through a doctor, nurse, or other WACHS Program), externally (from another service provider), or you can self refer.
Referral Forms and Evaluation Forms are found on the link here.
To be updated
Women's Yarning Circle on ‘Butchulla’ Country
- The weekly average attendance was 25 participants
- There was regular ongoing weekly attendance by at least 20 women.
- There are also women who flow in and out of the circle.
- There was contact with 1200 individuals including Elders, leaders, women, young teenage girls, and representatives local service providers
- Connections were established with at least 20 service providers including:
- Local Indigenous community organisations
- Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation
- Butchulla Native Title Aboriginal Corporation
- Kaláng Respite Care Centre
- Galangoor Duwalami Primary Health Care Service
- Uniting Care Community
- Central Queensland Indigenous Development
- Australian Red Cross
- University of the Sunshine Coast
- Headspace Hervey Bay
- Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre
- Hervey Bay Youth Justice Service
- Hervey Bay Community Justice Group
- Bridges Health and Community Care
- Queensland Mental Health
- Education Queensland
- Queensland Child Safety
- NDIS service providers
To be updated.
Wunan Foundation (The Bedford Downs Stock Route Walk)
The Bedford Downs Stock Route Walk initiative aims to break the cycle of offending behaviour and improve community safety by providing at-risk youth with a transformative experience.
To be updated.
To be updated.