Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Young People

The Closing the Gap Clearinghouse has published a number of evidence reviews exploring particular youth work interventions and programs and their effects on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander youth. One such review synthesised findings from over 30 studies evaluating a range of sports and recreation programs and their impacts on surrounding communities (Ware & Meredith, 2013). The authors found that sport and recreational programs have been shown to benefit Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander youth in areas of school retention, physical and mental health and wellbeing, connection to culture, crime reduction, attitudes towards learning, social and cognitive skills, and social inclusion and cohesion. Importantly, Ware and Meredith (2013) noted that sport and recreation activities linked with traditional culture, such as hunting, are more likely to be engaging to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander youth. 

The Closing the Gap Clearinghouse has published a number of evidence reviews exploring particular youth work interventions and programs and their effects on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander youth. One such review synthesised findings from over 30 studies evaluating a range of sports and recreation programs and their impacts on surrounding communities (Ware & Meredith, 2013). The authors found that sport and recreational programs have been shown to benefit Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander youth in areas of school retention, physical and mental health and wellbeing, connection to culture, crime reduction, attitudes towards learning, social and cognitive skills, and social inclusion and cohesion. Importantly, Ware and Meredith (2013) noted that sport and recreation activities linked with traditional culture, such as hunting, are more likely to be engaging to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander youth. 

The Closing the Gap Clearinghouse has published a number of evidence reviews exploring particular youth work interventions and programs and their effects on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander youth. One such review synthesised findings from over 30 studies evaluating a range of sports and recreation programs and their impacts on surrounding communities (Ware & Meredith, 2013). The authors found that sport and recreational programs have been shown to benefit Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander youth in areas of school retention, physical and mental health and wellbeing, connection to culture, crime reduction, attitudes towards learning, social and cognitive skills, and social inclusion and cohesion. Importantly, Ware and Meredith (2013) noted that sport and recreation activities linked with traditional culture, such as hunting, are more likely to be engaging to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander youth. 

A mixed-methods study of a pilot Family Wellbeing program designed to foster socioemotional wellbeing among young Aboriginal men found positive impacts on capacity to manage relationships, engage in education and employment as well as mental and physical health (Whiteside, 2016).

Additionally, one Closing the Gap Clearinghouse review focused on programs that foster socioemotional wellbeing among Aboriginal people of all ages (Dudgeon et al., 2014); and one book chapter extracted effective elements of programs that deliver social and emotional learning to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth (Dobia & Roffey, 2017). Dudgeon et al. (2014) examined effective strategies to strengthen the mental health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people via a review of Australian literature and government health, mental health and social and emotional wellbeing policies and programs.

The authors found, firstly, that there is minimal research relating to the mental health and socioemotional wellbeing of Aboriginal Australians. Second, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people view mental health and social and emotional wellbeing differently to non-Indigenous Australians. Differences in traditions, values and health belief systems as well as the social and cultural circumstances surrounding health and wellbeing can mean that policy and service provision are not always culturally appropriate for Aboriginal cohorts. Despite these limitations, the authors noted a number of program and service delivery principles that are common amongst effective health and wellbeing programs. Swan and Raphael’s guiding principles contained within the National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People’s Mental Health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing 2004-09 (SHRG, 2004) remain critical in guiding design and delivery of these programs. The principles emphasise the importance of:

• Focusing on the physical, spiritual, cultural, social and emotional connectedness of the individual, family and community;
• Strengthening cultural values and commitments, systems of care and control and responsibility;        
• Working in partnership with the Indigenous community-controlled sector;
• Recognising the profound effects of colonisation as the starting point for addressing Indigenous people’s grief, loss, transgenerational trauma and ongoing stress and dislocation.

Weave: Speak Out

Program for young people with coexisting challenges related to mental health and alcohol and other drug use

What is it?

Speak Out works with young people aged 12-28 with co-occurring mental health and alcohol and drug-related challenges, and uses a holistic model of care that responds to the issues identified by young people as their priorities. The program includes supports around housing, justice system engagement, employment and education, family relationships and social and cultural connection in addition to supports for achieving mental health and alcohol and drug outcomes. 

What are its impacts for young people?

An evaluation report undertaken by Ryan & Gold (2021) found that approximately 75% of Speak Out clients identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. According to program participants, Speak Out is successful in achieving improved access to services, reduced problematic alcohol and other drug use, improved self-management of mental health and wellbeing and improved engagement with education and/or employment.

Dobia and Roffey’s (2017) chapter on social and emotional learning with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth summarised an evaluation of the Indigenous adaptation of the KidsMatter initiative. KidsMatter is an evidence-based social and emotional learning program for children and young people. One of eight schools that underwent pilot evaluation for an Indigenous adaptation of the KidsMatter program was demonstrably successful in engaging Aboriginal students in social and emotional learning. This was attributed to their adoption of a cooperative learning strategy framed around four core agreements that foster respect and inclusion (Gibbs, 2006). This approach was seen to benefit young people who were shy, and facilitate inclusion and responsible behaviours. Other aspects of the program delivery that were seen to be effective include:

• Program flexibility was found to be essential to support engagement;
•  Active involvement of Aboriginal facilitators was similarly essential for engagement and for development of social skills and responsible behaviour;
• The ‘right to pass’ or offering students a choice in whether and when they wish to contribute to group discussion was found to be valuable for overcoming shyness and encouraging ownership and agency;
• Acknowledging and working with differences in communication and relationship styles;
• Sharing planning and co-facilitation between Aboriginal and non-Indigenous teachers.