New Warwick Headspace campaign to better support Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander youths’ mental health

With Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people under 24 three times more likely to die by suicide, this new campaign aims to support and empower Warwick’s Indigenous community.

Care co-ordinator Chris Burt and headspace Warwick manager Travis Maguire. Photo: NRM

A new Warwick Headspace campaign is set to better support the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in the community.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged under 24 are three times more likely than other young people to die by suicide.

In an attempt to tackle the problem here in the Rose City, Warwick Headspace has joined the organisation’s national Take a Step campaign to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people to take charge of their social and emotional wellbeing.

The campaign and available resources have been developed in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members from across Australia.

Ngarrindjeri woman Nikia Bailey was part of the Headspace Wominjeka youth reference group that led the development of Take a Step.

The 21-year-old said the campaign would give young people like her the tools to spot when something’s wrong and start getting back on track.

“I know this will start some important conversations in my community and will hopefully encourage more young people like me to take the first steps towards better social and emotional wellbeing,” Nikia said.

“There is still a lot of stigma about mental health in the community and that can make it difficult to ask for help.

“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.

“When I am having a hard time, my connections with other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples help me understand that I am not alone. We have a shared experience and can support one another.”

Headspace Warwick community engagement officer Anna-Selina Kager said the campaign is important for the collective wellbeing of young people to help create awareness in the community.

“We will be facilitating workshops across several schools and in collaboration with our local community groups, which will provide young people with a toolkit to identify the signs that something isn’t right and to know what to do to get back on track,” she said.

“This campaign will form a foundation for young leaders to co-design peer-led activities to create a strong support network within the community.”

Take a Step television and radio advertisements will be broadcasted nationally and in select cinemas.

Originally published as New Warwick Headspace campaign to better support Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander youths’ mental health