Building a Nyoongar work practice model for Aboriginal youth mental health: prioritising trust, culture and spirit, and new ways of working

ABSTRACT

Mainstream youth mental health services struggle to comprehend the connection between colonisation and service provision for Aboriginal young people. This is the consensus agreed by Aboriginal Elders from Perth, Western Australia and young Aboriginal leaders within their communities (Wright, Culbong, Crisp, Biedermann, & Lin (2019). 1–7). What is required is a more nuanced, culturally relevant approach to both an understanding of the impact of colonisation on mental health and help-seeking behaviour if they are to provide equitable access for Aboriginal young people.

In this paper, we report on a three-year participatory action research (PAR) project conducted on Whadjuk Nyoongar country in Perth, Western Australia. An innovative model of care framework developed from the project and described in this paper, focuses on key components that both inform and assist service providers in improving service provision to Aboriginal young people. The model, depicted as a tree, symbolises strength and growth, with the ‘roots’ of the tree, holding trust, culture and spirit. This paper details a culturally-safe co-design process that was held and directed with Elders, in partnership with young people, youth mental health service staff and youth policy staff.

KEYWORDS:

• Aboriginal
• Aboriginal young people
• mental health
• Aboriginal youth mental health
• youth mental health

Acknowledgements

Eight Aboriginal young people and seven Elders worked with the Investigator team alongside three partner organisations and three policy and advocacy partners. These young people include (in alphabetical order): Shae Anderson, Matthew Bill, Hunter Culbong, Lalin Manado, Agatha Manel, Ashton Ramirez-Watkins, Maeisha Ramirez-Watkins, and Ashah Wright. The Elders include (in alphabetical order): Aunty Muriel Bowie, Uncle Albert Corunna, Aunty Gwen Corunna, Aunty Margaret Culbong, Uncle Charlie Kickett, Aunty Helen Kickett, and Aunty Cheryl Phillips. The partner services include Headspace Midland, Government of Western Australia North Metropolitan Health Service Youth Mental Health Program (Youth Link, Youth Reach South & Youth Axis), Youth Focus, The Mental Health Commission, The Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia (AHCWA), and The Youth Advisory Council of Western Australia (YACWA).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 The name ‘Aboriginal’ has been used in this article to refer to both the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia. Our intention in using ‘Aboriginal’ is to acknowledge the significance of place and that this project was conducted on Aboriginal country in Western Australia with different clan groups. The authors acknowledge that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples may identify with their local clan or group name and mean no disrespect in using the name Aboriginal.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Healthway [grant number 31935].