Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Theses
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Theses
    • View Item

    Promoting the social and emotional wellbeing of West Kimberley Aboriginal children and youth

    120230_Omari2008.pdf (1.895Mb)
    Access Status
    Open access
    Authors
    Omari, Melinda Claire
    Date
    2008
    Supervisor
    Prof. Jan Piek
    Assoc. Prof. Clare Roberts
    Assoc. Prof. David Vicary
    Assoc. Prof. Brian Bishop
    Type
    Thesis
    Award
    PhD
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    School
    School of Psychology
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/1459
    Collection
    • Curtin Theses
    Abstract

    Aboriginal young people experience a high rate of family violence, alcohol and drug misuse, suicide, sexual abuse, and socioeconomic disadvantage (Gordon, Hallahan & Henry, 2002; Hunter, 1990, 1991c; Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services Council, 1999; Memmott, Stacy, Chambers & Keys, 2001; Swan & Raphael, 1995). Over the last decade a burgeoning array of policy, services and programs have been developed to combat the social and emotional problems in Aboriginal communities. Despite some successes, Aboriginal children and youth consistently demonstrate poorer outcomes than non-Aboriginal youngsters across most domains of living, including health, mental health, education and vocation (Zubrick et al., 2005). While the evidence-base related to problems in Aboriginal communities has expanded, there is a deficit in knowledge about practical and sustainable interventions to build strengths in remote young Aboriginal people and families, to promote youth and community wellbeing. Even less has been done on the ground to assist remote Aboriginal communities to take action in tackling the problems they face (Atkinson, Bridge & Gray, 1999; Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services Council & Westerman, 2002; National Aboriginal Health Strategy Working Party, 1989).This qualitative participatory action research project conducted in the West Kimberley Western Australia from 2001 to 2004 was in collaboration with agencies based in Broome and the Bardi people of Ardyaloon Community, One Arm Point. The investigation aimed to (1) identify and explain the mental health and social and emotional problems affecting Aboriginal young people and families living in remote communities in the West Kimberley; and (2) identify and describe goals and methods for intervention to promote social and emotional wellbeing and build resilience in young people and communities. The third aim was to feed back and culturally validate the research findings. The overarching goal of this project was to work in partnership with Ardyaloon Community in prioritising community-based solutions to youth problems. An Aboriginal Project Advisory Group was formed to guide the research and several local project assistants were employed to assist with the field work. The project involved three studies. Overall, 32 Broome-based youth, parents and service providers, and 59 Elders, parents, youth and service providers from One Arm Point were involved in interviews and discussion groups. The findings were discussed and validated by 101 agency and community people. The results indicate a number of risk and resilience factors operating across the individual, family, community and socio-political sphere, including cultural and historical factors influencing youth wellbeing. From the findings, a model for community-based mental health promotion intervention was developed to address youth problems and build strengths prioritised by Ardyaloon Community.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Integrated Aquaculture Networking Workshop - Report To The Indigenous Land Corporation
      Evans, Louis; Cronin, Darryl (2006)
      OverviewThe Northampton workshop was convened by the Centre for Sustainable Mine Lakes (CSML) and the Central West College of TAFE in association with the Ngalang Boodja Council, Collie. The workshop was conducted at ...
    • Developing health promotion methods in remote Aboriginal communities.
      Spark, Ross L. (1999)
      This thesis investigates the development and implementation of health promotion strategies and methods in remote Aboriginal communities via the Kimberley Aboriginal Health Promotion Project (KAHPP), a project funded under ...
    • Adolescent empowerment programmes in two vulnerable populations: a cross-cultural study in rural Australia and rural India
      Mohajer, Nicole (2009)
      Poor adolescents who are not attending school are a low priority in the minds and budgets of the people of the world. They are understudied, highly at risk for poor health outcomes and are less likely to be able to access ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.