Following NAIDOC week, today’s Friday Forum will be a chance to chat about issues that can affect social and emotional wellbeing.
This encompasses all aspects of health and wellbeing (physical and mental) while drawing on the importance on culture, connection to land, and connection to community in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Join the discussion here:
The Land and RAMHP have partnered to get more people talking about mental health.
The forum’s diverse panel is made up of Aboriginal leaders in health and community, who are ready to answer your questions about:
- Social, cultural and historical factors that affect wellbeing.
- How culture can shape behaviour and influence help-seeking.
- How indigenous communities describe mental health and mental illness.
- Support services and help available.
- Factors to help improve health and wellbeing
- Awareness and comfort in starting a conversation.
The panel includes Marlene Longbottom, from the Yuin Nation of the Dharawal and Dhurga language groups of the South Coast of NSW, who is a Research Fellow at the University of Wollongong. Her area of interest includes violence and trauma in Indigenous communities, gendered studies, public health, race, political studies and critical Indigenous research methodologies. She has extensive experience of working with Indigenous Australian communities, translating complex health, policy and research information, to ensure Indigenous communities are active participants of the research process.
Jodie Adams-Brinkley works with the University of Newcastle as a lecturer on indigenous health for the School of Medicine. A medicine graduate, she has worked in nursing and was a paramedic for more than 17 years.
Gerald Power is a South Sea Islander (Kanaka) and Aboriginal (Girudala) from Bowen, Queensland.
He has lived in Orange for 28 years and been a part of and worked with Aboriginal Community Controlled Corporations, Community Working Parties, and Aboriginal Medical Services across NSW. For 10 years he worked with Family & Community Services (FaCS) as regional strategies officer with Aboriginal Child Youth Family Strategy (ACYFS) for Western NSW.
Donna Stanley is the clinical leader for Aboriginal mental health at the Western NSW Local Health District, based at Bloomfield Hospital in Orange. She is qualified through Charles Sturt University’s Djirruwang program, a health science (mental health) degree exclusively for Aboriginal students. The program has particular reference to the issues and needs that underpin Aboriginal people’s experience of emotional and social trauma.
- The forum is not a crisis service. If you require assistance, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.
