Headspace Bega is helping promote a new national campaign designed to empower young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to "Take a Step" towards managing their emotional wellbeing.
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The campaign was created to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth to recognise the signs when something's not right and provide small practical steps towards feeling better.
This was in response to an urgent need for support with statistics released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare showing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 24 and under are three times more likely than other young people to die by suicide.
Headspace Bega was initially set to promote the campaign through local high schools, with the support of Katungul, Campbell Page and special guest Joe Williams. Unfortunately due to COVID-19 restrictions it was postponed.
Instead it reached out to ACM to let the community know that all the relevant information and access to the Take a Step support is available on on its website, headspace.org.au/takeastep/
Ngarrindjeri woman Nikia Bailey, 21, was part of the headspace Wominjeka youth reference group that led the development of Take a Step.
Ms Bailey said the campaign gives young people like her the tools to spot when something's wrong and start getting back on track.
"There is still a lot of stigma about mental health in the community and that can make it difficult to ask for help," Ms Bailey said.
"But I want people to understand how our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures can empower us to take care of our social and emotional wellbeing."
Ms Bailey said when she was going through a hard time, it's her connections with other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people that help her understand she was not alone.
"We have a shared experience and can support one another," she said.
Headspace National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Practice and Engagement Coordinator William Oui said Take a Step took a close look at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing.
"This is a campaign for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who understand that it's important to yarn up and seek help when you're not feeling too deadly," Mr Oui said.
"Take a Step understands the need to think about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander wellbeing holistically, considering the ways our culture, identity, place and spirituality can make us feel strong."
Take a Step is an initiative of headspace and funded by the Department of Health and Minister for Indigenous Australians.
The resources provided in this campaign have been developed in partnership with the headspace Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Youth Reference Group (Womenjeka Reference Group), Marumali Consultations, the headspace National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group and headspace National.
