Aboriginal Communities
Healing Through the Map
ICCWA has received funding from the Australian Government, Department of Health and Ageing to deliver Healing Through the Map in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
In January 2010 ICCWA project officers, Shaun Nannup and Rachael Stampfli, travelled to Broome to meet with front line mental health service providers to develop a plan. A framework has been designed to deliver The Map workshops to staff at our partnership organisations and to their clients.
‘The Map’ workshops are facilitated by Wisdom in Your Life and provide a set of practical tools for health professionals to engage the communities they serve on mental health issues whilst improving their capability for self care. The Map workshops are a key component of ICCWA’s resilience building and suicide prevention programs. See Resilience Project in the South West.
In a letter written last year to the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs by the Kimberley Mental Health and Drug Service (KMHDS) it was demonstrated that the Kimberley is in great need of the sort of assistance ICCWA can provide. The KMHDS outlined that the groups at greatest risk of suicide, and therefore in need of resilience building techniques, are present in high numbers in the Kimberley.
| Groups at Greatest Risk of Suicide |
Kimberley Statistics |
| Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders | Highest proportion in WA: 42.1% |
| Men aged between 20 and 54 | The Kimberley has the youngest population in WA with a median age of 30 compared to the State average of 37. |
| People with mental illness | 3% of Kimberley population compared to the 2% State average. |
| People living in rural and remote communities | The Kimberley has the highest number of remote communities in WA. |
Our partnership organisations include:
- Nirrumbuk Aboriginal Corporation Inc.
- Men’s Outreach Services Inc.
- Australian Red Cross (Kimberley)
- Kimberley Men’s Groups
The project focuses on supporting the healing process our partnership organisations give to; the long term unemployed, prisoners, families of prisoners, people in crisis and families and communities experiencing violence. A trial client workshop is scheduled to take place in April and phase two of the project is due to start in July.
The ‘Healing Through the Map’ South West project continues on as well. Two workshops will be held early next month. One workshop is for mental health service providers who requested a follow-up workshop and the other is for men in Bunbury Regional Prison. Grant applications to expand ICCWA’s work in Bunbury Regional Prison and to develop workshops to support families of prisoners due for re-entry are underway.
For more information on this project contact ICCWA on 08 9420 7212.
This project is supported by the National Suicide Prevention Strategy from the Australian Government, Department of Health and Ageing.
The Map -2 Day workshop
The Map was developed in 1999 by Roslyn Snyder, published in Journey to the Centre of Your Life – The Map. While appearing simple and easy to understand, the map is a powerful tool, which has been used in self-care, clinical practice and community development.
For more information visit www.wisdominyourlife.com.au