Projects and campaigns
Beyond Blue has developed and funded a range o projects in partnership with First Nations Peoples communities and organisations. A selection of these projects are listed below.
Invisible Discriminator
Several studies have demonstrated a link between experiences of racism and poorer mental health among First Nations Peoples, including a greater risk of developing depression and anxiety, substance use and attempted suicide.
Beyond Blue's national anti-discrimination campaign, Invisible Discriminator, highlights the impact of racism on the social and emotional wellbeing of First Nations Peoples.
Proppa Deadly Project
The Proppa Deadly project was funded by Beyond Blue and managed by the Brisbane Indigenous Media Association. The project encouraged First Nations Peoples to take action against depression and anxiety through the telling of their own stories across the community radio sector.
Fifteen First Nations Peoples radio stations participated by developing 65 segments which were broadcast over a period of 26 weeks in 2014. Listen to the stories here:
Stories for Keeping Strong
From 2013 to 2015 Beyond Blue worked with Bangarra Dance Theatre, the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) and Alive and Kicking Goals: Young Aboriginal Women’s Suicide Prevention Program to produce culturally appropriate digital stories to support mental health literacy.
The objectives of the project was to equip people to recognise, talk about and help family and community members to eek professional support if experiencing depression and/or anxiety.
See the digital stories here:
Hitnet
In 2013 Beyond Blue launched three short videos, including Stories for Keeping Strong, via Hitnet community hubs for First Nations Peoples across Australia. Hitnet is a national network of community hubs, with interactive touchscreen kiosks and WiFi access for mobile devices, in First Nations Peoples communities.
Hitnet brings information and services to the hardest to reach people in the world, providing access to trusted, culturally relevant health information that empowers communities to live healthy lives. There are five videos that are now available: raising awareness of anxiety and depression, highlighting signs and symptoms, and providing culturally-appropriate information about healing and support. Check out the 'Keeping Strong' channel on the Hitnet Community Hub.
Indigenous Mental Health Audit Tool
Beyond Blue funded the Menzies School of Health Research to develop a Mental Health Audit Tool. The audit tool software is available for primary health care staff who work in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services. This tool enables health services to improve their management of mental health by systematically identifying patients with a major mental condition and auditing the services provided against current best practice. The Centre for Quality Improvement in Indigenous Primary Health Care (One21Seventy) is currently working to support over 200 Aboriginal Health Services and has provided training to over 500 primary health care staff in the implementation of the audit tool.
Beyond Blue/RANZCP Indigenous website
With funding from Beyond Blue, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) developed a website to provide mental health professionals with information about First Nations Peoples' mental health conditions. The site aims to increase knowledge and understanding to achieve better outcomes. Information can be accessed by mental health professionals as well as members of the general public. It is an interactive and flexible website with reading materials and seven training modules, including case studies that cover a range of mental heath conditions across the lifespan.