First Nations inequality is still indicated as having significant gaps in all areas, including health (Wright, P., & Lewis, P., 2017 ). Mental health, appalling living conditions, and past traumas have led to high suicide rates that are having great impact on Indigenous communities (Korff,2016 ).
There is a strong need for more proactive community initiatives to promote mental health and well-being.
Mind Blank is Actively Seeking Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health Collaborations
Our team is deeply saddened by the statistics that suicide is theleading cause of death of young people in Australia. Suicide deaths represent ahigher proportion of deaths in young Indigenous Australians compared to non-Indigenous Australians. From 2017 to 2021, almost a quarter (24%) of deaths in Indigenous Australians aged 0–24 were due to suicide, compared to 17% in non-Indigenous Australians in this age group[1]
Mind Blank is actively promoting early intervention and planning as a priority for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’s mental health outcomes.
We aspire to:
- Work alongside Indigenous communities to listen and share knowledge.
- Create sustainable change by supporting culturally driven and community-owned collaborations.
Information About Mind Blank programs
Mind Blank is a mental health promotion charity aiming to reduce the risk of suicide through interactive workshops in schools and communities.
We offer community groups and services providers an opportunity to collaborate. We aim to support community led programs led by youths focusing on their current mental health concerns. Our workshops include young people through interactive theatre to empower them to be proactive about reducing the risk of mental and emotional health. Students walk away with practical application of skills to: identify risk factors, stop and think about behaviour choices, and know where to seek help in a time of need.
We are also supporting schools and services with shorter program adaptations and awareness tours.
In 2019 this Mind Blank Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander collaboration was presented with the Mental Health Services Award for Mental Illness Prevention, which received international recognition at the Brisbane Convention Centre. Click on the link below for more information on the award.
Collaboration Case Study
For each geographical location local youth helped tailor the content to address the concerns in the local communities.
An example of a collaboration working with youths from the Top End of Australia can be demonstrated in our alliance with TeamHEALTH. Mind Blank has worked alongside team health since 2016 to host an annual mental health awareness tour.
“The actors were excellent in interacting with the students we have at our school. The show as the best I’ve seen in my 3 years at school… The topics covered were age appropriate and addressed the social skills we need in our area. Well done toeveryone!! The students talked about the actors long after they had left. Their presence made a big impact on our students.”
“I asked some of my students what they got out of the performance and this is exactly what they said- there’s always someone to help- you just have to ask. You have to communicate if you want people to know how you feel and to help you.”
Tour locations include:
- Darwin
- Palmerston
- Katherine
- Batchelor
- Belyuen
- Gumbalaunya
For each geographical location we tailored the content to address the age group and the concerns from the local communities. In the remote communities.
Collaboration themes:
- mental health education
- suicide prevention
- mental health help-seeking
- identifying signs and symptoms
Would you like to host a collaboration in your community? For more information click here.
