Strong Spirit Strong Spirit Mind Aboriginal Programs

Strong Spirit Strong Mind Aboriginal Programs has a key role in the development of knowledge and skills within the Alcohol and Drug (AOD), mental health and broader human services sector to work in culturally secure ways through workforce development initiatives and to contribute to a skilled Aboriginal workforce. Further roles include the provision of cultural secure consultancy and advice on policy, programs and resources across service areas within the Commission and broader AOD and mental health sectors.

Early in 2020, the Commission launched a new Strong Spirit Strong Mind website, which provides culturally secure information about mental health, alcohol and other drugs for Aboriginal people.

Strong Spirit Strong Mind Aboriginal Programs provides:

Training

Strong Spirit Strong Mind Aboriginal Programs is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO 50293) who provides culturally secure training programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working in the drug and alcohol, mental health and human services sectors.

Way of Working with Aboriginal People

This two part whole day program focuses on introducing participants to working with Aboriginal people. Anyone within the AOD and MH sectors working with Aboriginal people is encouraged to attend.

Click here for more information on Ways of working with Aboriginal People.

Resources

We produce a range of culturally secure resources for Aboriginal people covering a range of mental health, alcohol and other drug topics. These resources can be downloaded from here or ordered through this link.

This also includes a range of culturally secure QALT resources produced by the Quitline Aboriginal Liaison Team.

Strong Spirit Strong Mind Youth Project

The Strong Spirit Strong Mind Youth Project aims to raise awareness of the harms associated with alcohol and other drug (AOD) issues & improve social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) among young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their families and communities across Western Australia.

The Project focuses on young people aged 12 to 25 years and encourages these young Aboriginal people to develop the knowledge and attitudes to choose healthy lifestyles, promote healthy environments and create safer communities.

Project Activities

Below are the main campaign activities:

The Stronger You, Stronger Mob, Prevention Campaign,
Strong Spirit Strong Mind Community Grants,
An Aboriginal Youth Reference Group,
Targeted AOD and SEWB strategies for young Aboriginal people

The SSSM Youth Project team would like to acknowledge and thank all the young Aboriginal people who have contributed to our project activities.

For more information on the Youth Project, please contact Julie Spratt at sssmyp@mhc.wa.gov.au or visit the website

Events

Strong Spirit Strong Mind Aboriginal Programs, along with the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Committee, facilitate the commemoration of significant cultural dates and events within the Mental Health Commission. Some of these include:

Sorry Day
National Reconciliation Week
NAIDOC Week

Please check back for more up-to-date information.

Aboriginal dates of significance

MHC Aboriginal Advisory Group

The purpose of the Mental Health Commission (MHC) Aboriginal Advisory Group is to provide culturally secure consultation and advice on programs, resources, campaigns, workforce development initiatives, evaluation and research produced by the MHC.

Aboriginal people are a key priority area of the MHC with cultural security underpinning MHC’s values. Strong Spirit Strong Mind promotes the uniqueness of Aboriginal culture as a central strength in guiding efforts to manage and reduce alcohol and other drug related harm in Aboriginal communities. Strong Spirit Strong Mind guides cultural security and is the key concept and program that underpins all of the work of the MHC.

The establishment of an Aboriginal Advisory Group within the MHC acknowledges the cultural expertise of Aboriginal staff across directorates to support and contribute to MHC’s core business to embed Aboriginal ways of working. The membership of the group includes all Aboriginal workers in the MHC (including Next Step and Drug Alcohol Youth Service).

Aboriginal Cultural Protocols Policy

Events organised under the control of the Mental Health Commission will reference this policy to ensure appropriate Aboriginal Cultural protocols will be practised and observed. Click here to read the policy.