MakingtheLink: Promoting help-seeking for drug use and mental health issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students

Karina Hickey National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre (NCPIC)

MakingtheLink: Promoting help-seeking for drug use and mental health issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students

What is MakingtheLink?

A program for young people to promote help-seeking for cannabis use and mental health problems, which:     teaches young people to help each other and to seek professional help promotes the idea that Mates Help Mates reduces the barriers to seeking help from professionals educates teachers/adults about students’ help-seeking behaviour and how to assist them to seek professional help for cannabis use and mental health problems

MakingtheLink: Promoting help-seeking for drug use and mental health issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students

Facilitators of Help-seeking

Self Peers, Friends Parents, Family Teachers School Community Local Community

MakingtheLink: Promoting help-seeking for drug use and mental health issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students

Why an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander package?

Original program by Orygen Youth Health and NCPIC Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians   seek help differently differ in understanding of mental health issues Drug use problematic and increasing in some communities

MakingtheLink: Promoting help-seeking for drug use and mental health issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students

How is this resource different?

New package developed        new and amended activities literacy levels focus on movement and interaction focus on Gunja, Grog, Smokes and Sniffing more relevant examples- ‘Aunty’, solvents, sport Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander look and feel guided by a Reference Group

MakingtheLink: Promoting help-seeking for drug use and mental health issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students

Developing the program

    some activities adapted from original package new activities researched and created keeping specific cultural needs in mind consultation with a reference group tested with primary and high school Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in WA and NT

MakingtheLink: Promoting help-seeking for drug use and mental health issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students

Where was the package tested?

MakingtheLink: Promoting help-seeking for drug use and mental health issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students

So what is in it?

   10 activities 15 -40 minutes per activity 3-4 activities plus, ideally culminating in a class developed song using their gained knowledge

MakingtheLink: Promoting help-seeking for drug use and mental health issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students

Activity 1

MakingtheLink: Promoting help-seeking for drug use and mental health issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students

Activity 1 - Answers

MakingtheLink: Promoting help-seeking for drug use and mental health issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students

Activity 2

MakingtheLink: Promoting help-seeking for drug use and mental health issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students

Activity 3

MakingtheLink: Promoting help-seeking for drug use and mental health issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students

Activity 4

MakingtheLink: Promoting help-seeking for drug use and mental health issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students

Activity 5

MakingtheLink: Promoting help-seeking for drug use and mental health issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students

Activity 6

MakingtheLink: Promoting help-seeking for drug use and mental health issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students

Activity 7

MakingtheLink: Promoting help-seeking for drug use and mental health issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students

Activity 8

MakingtheLink: Promoting help-seeking for drug use and mental health issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students

Supplementary Activities

MakingtheLink: Promoting help-seeking for drug use and mental health issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students

Supplementary Activities

MakingtheLink: Promoting help-seeking for drug use and mental health issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students

Other elements in package

     background information for teachers/adults links and referrals list of ‘potential helpers’ alternatives and extensions for each of the activities (time, resources, literacy, etc.) available at no charge via

HYPERLINK (to be added when live)

MakingtheLink: Promoting help-seeking for drug use and mental health issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students

Acknowledgements

Thank you to the following people:      Dr Julia Butt, National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University Bruno Faletti, School Drug Education and Road Aware, Western Australia Jonathan Hermawan Tjapaltjarri, Northern Territory Department of Education and Training Bonnie Berridge, Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre, Eastern Health the staff and students of the schools in Western Australia and the Northern Territory where this program was piloted  Graphic Designer: John Fear of Fear Design

MakingtheLink: Promoting help-seeking for drug use and mental health issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students

For more information

 Clare Chenoweth [email protected]

and (02) 9385 0218  [email protected]

and (02) 9385 0208