Woorabinda youth yarning up

The Indigenous Australian population is a young population, with growing numbers of young people and fewer older people. Young people have different needs to older people. In addition, young people living in regional, rural and remote areas have different needs from those living in urban areas. To address the specific needs of Indigenous young people, policy makers and service providers need to improve their understanding of the issues that Indigenous young people face and the ways they think about their health and wellbeing. This report details a research project focussed on gathering new information about the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in the rural/remote Indigenous community of Woorabinda in Central Queensland. The key aim of the research was to: a) Explore how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in Central Queensland understand their own health and wellbeing; b) Understand factors which impact on the health and wellbeing of the young people; and c) Identify what young people need to build their capacity to support their health and wellbeing. The project used an exploratory, mixed methods approach to collect and analyse qualitative and quantitative data. Eighteen Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander young people from the discrete Indigenous community of Woorabinda directly participated in this research by attending the ‘Youth Yarning Up’ workshop. The research revealed that young people in Woorabinda see their health and wellbeing as a complex, multilayered construct influenced by a range of factors. They described health and wellbeing as being about ‘making good choices for yourself and your family’, having ‘healthy thinking’ and ‘being healthy in your mind’. They suggested that health is negatively affected by ‘isolation and neglect of all kinds’ and ‘loss’, particularly loss related to early deaths and suicide in the community. Participants felt that health and wellbeing are improved through ‘families coming together to heal’, having ‘balance’, ‘fun’, ‘not stressing out’, ‘having something to look forward to’ and positive influences such as ‘football, Indigenous art or any creative outlet’. The key theme emerging from this research is that young people need support. They need support from holistic, integrated, multi-disciplinary services that are available at the right time (particularly on weekends) and in the right location (preferably somewhere central but discrete). They need support for themselves individually, for (and from) their families, and for (and from) their community. For these participants, good support underpins good health and wellbeing. They understand health and wellbeing from an holistic perspective that includes a strong focus on education, employment and cultural practice. For policy makers and service providers, this research reveals that young people in Woorabinda are concerned about and interested in their health and wellbeing, and in the health and wellbeing of their community members. They want to be involved in projects to develop support for the young people in their community. Their holistic approach to health and wellbeing and the importance they place on education, employment and cultural practice provides food for thought for service providers and other key stakeholders. In particular, their emphasis on the things that may be missing in their lives – including access to work, access to education, hope for the future, strong personal identity, a strong cohesive family, a strong community and healthy thinking – gives valuable information about the kinds of services and support that could best contribute to improving youth health and wellbeing outcomes in the community. Although the study is based on a discussion with a small group of young people, its outcomes suggest that more needs to be done to provide a way forward for young Indigenous people to thrive, improve their social and emotional health and wellbeing, secure their own futures, and secure the futures of their communities.