- Director of the Centre of Best Practice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention (CBPATSISP), Lead... moreDirector of the Centre of Best Practice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention (CBPATSISP), Lead CI on NHMRC Grant Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing at the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, School of Indigenous Studies, University of Western Australia. Psychologist. Indigenous suicide prevention. Indigenous knowledges.edit
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Research Interests: Psychology and Indigenous
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Social journalism is an emerging field of practice that seeks to reframe journalism as an action-oriented service built on relationships and collaborations, rather than as primarily content or a product. It offers opportunities for... more
Social journalism is an emerging field of practice that seeks to reframe journalism as an action-oriented service built on relationships and collaborations, rather than as primarily content or a product. It offers opportunities for innovation that re-centre the public interest roles of journalism at a time when public interest journalism is in crisis. This article outlines a 10-point model for social journalism, drawing on case studies in health journalism connected to the online platform Croakey.org. These case studies show how using decolonising and participatory action frameworks can transform journalism research and practice, with potential benefits for the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. They also illustrate a dynamic process of knowledge exchange between journalism research and practice. Elements of the proposed model for social journalism practice include: standpoint; transdisciplinary practice; connectivity; relationships; responsive listening; reflexivity; immersion; transparency and trust; creativity and innovation; and an ethic of service and outcomes. It is a model in which transformative health journalism facilitates and enables transformation in spheres beyond journalism. This article also considers the constraints and challenges facing social journalism initiatives and practitioners, and makes recommendations for policy.
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Suicide is the fifth leading cause of death for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, compared to the 14th among non-Indigenous people. The 2013 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide rate is 2.1 and 2.4 higher for males... more
Suicide is the fifth leading cause of death for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, compared to the 14th among non-Indigenous people. The 2013 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide rate is 2.1 and 2.4 higher for males and females respectively when compared to the rate among non-Indigenous people. In particular, 15-24 year olds are over five times as likely to suicide as their non-Indigenous peers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people under 18 years of age accounted for 30 per cent of the suicide deaths in that age group over 2007-2011 despite comprising three to four per cent of the population.
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To understand the contemporary life of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, a historical and cultural background is essential. This chapter sets the context for further discussions about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander... more
To understand the contemporary life of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, a historical and cultural background is essential. This chapter sets the context for further discussions about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and issues related to their social and emotional wellbeing and mental health. The history of colonisation is addressed, the subsequent devastation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, and their resilience and struggle to claim equality and cultural recognition, and to shape the present is examined. Indigenous Australia is made up of two cultural groups who have shared the same struggle; yet often when using the term Indigenous, a Torres Strait Islander history is absent. In this chapter both cultures are equally presented. Brief overviews are given of pre-contact times, colonisation, resistance and adaptation, shifting government policies, and the struggle for recognition. Indigenous identity and meanings of belonging in co...
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... Rigney (1999:114) summarised these concerns: ... Dunbar, Terry, Allan Arnott, Margaret Scrimgeour, John Henry and Lorna Murakami-Gold 2003 CRCATH 1997– 2002: Working towards change in Indigenous health research, Cooperative Research... more
... Rigney (1999:114) summarised these concerns: ... Dunbar, Terry, Allan Arnott, Margaret Scrimgeour, John Henry and Lorna Murakami-Gold 2003 CRCATH 1997– 2002: Working towards change in Indigenous health research, Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal and ...
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Objective Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) describes the holistic model of health and wellbeing advocated for by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This research explored the experiences of Aboriginal peoples employed in... more
Objective Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) describes the holistic model of health and wellbeing advocated for by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This research explored the experiences of Aboriginal peoples employed in SEWB service delivery to identify enablers, challenges, and requirements of growing a sustainable, and empowered SEWB workforce. Methods We used a yarning methodology with seven Aboriginal SEWB workers located at Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations across the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Results Three key SEWB service delivery themes were identified: 1) Role of cultural identity; 2) Barriers and enablers of SEWB service provision; 3) Building the future of the SEWB workforce. Lessons Learned SEWB services, as delivered by Aboriginal peoples within Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, have great potential to comprehensively meet the health and wellbeing needs of Aboriginal peoples and communities. To optima...
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The social and emotional wellbeing of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be supported through an Indigenous-led and community empowering approach. Applying systems thinking via participatory approaches is aligned... more
The social and emotional wellbeing of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be supported through an Indigenous-led and community empowering approach. Applying systems thinking via participatory approaches is aligned with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research paradigms and can be an effective method to deliver a decision support tool for mental health systems planning for Indigenous communities. Evaluations are necessary to understand the effectiveness and value of such methods, uncover protective and healing factors of social and emotional wellbeing, as well as to promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination over allocation of funding and resources. This paper presents modifications to a published evaluation protocol for participatory systems modelling to align with critical Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander guidelines and recommendations to support the social and emotional wellbeing of young people. This paper also presents a cu...
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This thesis is a critical study of Indigenous women’s perceptions of their identity and sexuality, using both autoethnographic and narrative analysis methods of inquiry from an anti colonial standpoint. The author engages with her own... more
This thesis is a critical study of Indigenous women’s perceptions of their identity and sexuality, using both autoethnographic and narrative analysis methods of inquiry from an anti colonial standpoint. The author engages with her own lived experiences as an Aboriginal woman, woven with interviews from other Aboriginal women from the Kimberley region of North West of Western Australia, to understand and describe how the processes of colonisation have shaped perceptions of gender and cultural identity. The study was restricted to a particular locale – the Kimberley region. There are major differences between the north and the south of the state: with different periods and processes of European settlement, the north being settled by Europeans much later and in a different way than the south and the north was considered a frontier until recently. Contact and relations with non-Europeans, such as Asian people, were also more intense in the North West. Discourse on Asian/Aboriginal relat...
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The primary aim of the project was to develop an Aboriginal-led empowerment, healing, and leadership program that would appropriately meet the needs of the local community members. Community consultations were held to seek feedback from... more
The primary aim of the project was to develop an Aboriginal-led empowerment, healing, and leadership program that would appropriately meet the needs of the local community members. Community consultations were held to seek feedback from members on the development of such a program. Knowledge was also gained through a literature review and an examination of similar programs. The findings demonstrated an apparent need to support people to change their lives, with participants speaking of the need to initially focus on strengthening the individual and rebuilding family. Participants also spoke of the urgent need to focus on young people. The findings also demonstrated that the efficacy of a program was largely dependent on the program being culturally-based and the inclusion of traditional elements.
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To understand the contemporary life of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, a historical and cultural background is essential. This chapter sets the context for further discussions about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander... more
To understand the contemporary life of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, a historical and cultural background is essential. This chapter sets the context for further discussions about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and issues related to their social and emotional wellbeing and mental health. The history of colonisation is addressed, the subsequent devastation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, and their resilience and struggle to claim equality and cultural recognition, and to shape the present is examined. Indigenous Australia is made up of two cultural groups who have shared the same struggle; yet often when using the term Indigenous, a Torres Strait Islander history is absent. In this chapter both cultures are equally presented. Brief overviews are given of pre-contact times, colonisation, resistance and adaptation, shifting government policies, and the struggle for recognition. Indigenous identity and meanings of belonging in country, community and family are also briefly covered. Contemporary issues confronting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are included, with particular attention to racism. To appreciate the contemporary realities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, their cultural ways of life need to be understood
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System-wide racial discrimination and inequitable access to justice impedes Indigenous rights to health and wellbeing
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Research Interests: Sociology and Indigenous
Research Interests: Business and Empowerment
The 'Stolen Generations' refers to Aboriginal children who were forcibly removed from their families under the laws and policies of Australian Federal and State Governments during a large part of the 20th Century. The term was... more
The 'Stolen Generations' refers to Aboriginal children who were forcibly removed from their families under the laws and policies of Australian Federal and State Governments during a large part of the 20th Century. The term was coined following the release of the 1997 landmark report, 'Bringing Them Home', which analysed the impact of the laws, policies and practices of the forcible removal of Aboriginal children from their families for nearly a century of relatively recent Australian history. The report came as one of the results of the Australian Human Rights and Equality Commission's National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from their Families (1997), which systematically investigated these shameful past practices, including through the testimonies of a large number of witnesses.
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Research Interests: Psychology and Indigenous
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Background There is a significant push to change the trajectory of youth mental ill-health and suicide globally. Ensuring that young people have access to services that meet their individual needs and are easily accessible is a priority.... more
Background There is a significant push to change the trajectory of youth mental ill-health and suicide globally. Ensuring that young people have access to services that meet their individual needs and are easily accessible is a priority. Genuine stakeholder engagement in mental health system design is critical to ensure that system strengthening is likely to be successful within these complex environments. There is limited literature describing engagement processes undertaken by research teams in mental health program implementation and planning. This protocol describes the methods that will be used to engage local communities using systems science methods to mobilize knowledge and action to strengthen youth mental health services. Methods Using participatory action research principles, the research team will actively engage with local communities to ensure genuine user-led participatory systems modelling processes and enhance knowledge mobilisation within research sites. Ensuring t...
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Research Interests: Sociology and Psychology
Research Interests: Business and Empowerment
Research Interests: Sociology and Empowerment
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians make up 2.5 per cent of the Australian population and continue to suffer disproportionately from the consequences of European settlement. The life expectancy for Indigenous Australians is... more
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians make up 2.5 per cent of the Australian population and continue to suffer disproportionately from the consequences of European settlement. The life expectancy for Indigenous Australians is 10 years lower than that of other Australians; the death rates for Indigenous people are twice as high across all age groups; and intentional self-harm was the leading cause of death from external causes for Indigenous males between 2001 and 2005.' Although definitive national data about the incidence and prevalence of mental health disorders among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians is not available, it is clear there are enormous disparities in mental health outcomes for Indigenous people.
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This report details the methodology and findings of a research project undertaken in response to the high number of suicides in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The primary aim of the project was to develop an Aboriginal-led... more
This report details the methodology and findings of a research project undertaken in response to the high number of suicides in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The primary aim of the project was to develop an Aboriginal-led empowerment, healing, and leadership program that would appropriately meet the needs of the local community members. Community consultations were held to seek feedback from members on the development of such a program. Knowledge was also gained through a literature review and an examination of similar programs. The findings demonstrated an apparent need to support people to change their lives, with participants speaking of the need to initially focus on strengthening the individual and rebuilding family. Participants also spoke of the urgent need to focus on young people. The findings also demonstrated that the efficacy of a program was largely dependent on the program being culturally-based and the inclusion of traditional elements. Authored by Pat Dudgeon, Kathleen Cox, Divina D’Anna, Cheryl Dunkley, Katherine Hams, Kerrie Kelly, Clair Scrine and Roz Walker
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Culturally safe and responsive interventions that acknowledge Aboriginal models of selfhood are needed. Such interventions empower Aboriginal peoples and communities by increasing self-determination over individual and community social... more
Culturally safe and responsive interventions that acknowledge Aboriginal models of selfhood are needed. Such interventions empower Aboriginal peoples and communities by increasing self-determination over individual and community social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB). In response to this need, the National Empowerment Project developed the Cultural, Social, and Emotional Wellbeing Program (CSEWB). The CSEWB aims to strengthen SEWB and cultural identity and subsequently reduce psychological distress in Aboriginal peoples. An Aboriginal Participatory Action Research approach ensured community ownership and engagement. Seven research questions and a culturally modified adaption of the Most Significant Change technique informed a thematic analysis of the evaluation content. Aboriginal adults (n = 49; 53% ≥50 years, 66% female, 34% male) from three Western Australian urban communities participated in the program evaluation workshops. Participants reported the benefits of enhanced SEWB and...
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This review summarises the emerging researchand knowledge, key themes and principlessurrounding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islandercultural perspectives and concepts of healing andsocial and emotional wellbeing as they relate tosuicide... more
This review summarises the emerging researchand knowledge, key themes and principlessurrounding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islandercultural perspectives and concepts of healing andsocial and emotional wellbeing as they relate tosuicide prevention. These discussions will supportLifeline to enhance and refine their existingknowledge and practices to promote culturallyresponsive suicide prevention services for Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islander peoples. This reviewexplores the importance of the delivery of stafftraining programs to achieve this along with externaltraining and program development for Lifelineservices, including the telephone crisis line,Online Chat and emerging Crisis Text. Adoptingan Indigenous research approach, this reviewprioritises Indigenous knowledge of healing andwellbeing and provides examples of culturallyappropriate and effective practices.