Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia

Our most recent position paper highlights the dual impact of social media on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. 📲 It recognises that while social media provides valuable opportunities for cultural expression, community connection, and skill development, it also exposes children and young people to risks like cyberbullying, racism, and harmful content that can negatively affect their mental health and social and emotional wellbeing. To view our most recent position paper visit https://ow.ly/abtH50UxFpK

Happy New Year you mob! ❤️💛🖤💙💚🤍 As we welcome the new year, lets continue looking after our communities, staying connected to culture, prioritising good mental health and improving our social and emotional wellbeing. Wishing you all a year of strength, healing, and good vibes! 🤩 If you, or someone you know, are feeling worried or no good, we encourage you to connect with #13YARN on 13 92 76 (24 hours/7 days) and talk with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter.

As the year comes to an end, we celebrate the amazing efforts that brought a new basketball court to Wangkatjungka! 🏀🌟 Made possible through partnership with House of Darwin, Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services - KAMS, and with support from Marninwarntikura Women’s Resource Centre, the newly refurbished court showcases the power of community, delivering a project that promotes positive social and emotional wellbeing outcomes for mob. 💪🏽 Here's to more projects in 2025!

Led by Gayaa Dhuwi, the renewal of the 2013 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Strategy has been overseen by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Governance Committee and a Steering Committee. The renewal involved a thorough consultation process, including inviting submissions against a discussion paper, hosting 13 roundtables with over 150 stakeholders, and inviting submissions against a Draft Strategy. A thematic analysis was undertaken on the outputs of this consultation process and informed the development of the now renewed NATSISPS, identifying six priorities built on those identified in The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Evaluation Project (ATSISPEP). Find out more about the NATSISPS priorities at https://ow.ly/qWby50UxbUJ

From all the team at Gayaa Dhuwi, we wish you and your mob a safe and happy holiday! 🎅🏾🎄 As we enter the Christmas and New Year break, we encourage everyone to look after themselves, their mob, and their wellbeing. Take this time to rest, reconnect with Country, and share moments with your loved ones. 💛 Our office will be closed over the Christmas and New Year period between Tuesday 24 December 2024 to Sunday 5 January 2025. If you, or someone you know, are feeling worried or no good this festive season, we encourage you to connect with #13YARN on 13 92 76 (24 hours/7 days) and talk with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter.

Today, on Kaurna Country in Adelaide, in partnership with the Australian government, we officially launched the renewed National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Strategy (NATSISPS). This renewed strategy is built on the foundation of listening to those most affected by suicide and mental health challenges, and it draws on the collective wisdom and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, at the heart of it is the commitment to community-led solutions. Now that the NATSISPS has been launched, its principles and actions will be rolled out across communities over the coming months and years. As we develop the implementation plan, it will be crucial that we continue to engage with and support those communities to lead the change, remembering that each community is unique, and support provided must be tailored to fit their needs. The Honourable Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care, also announced the Labor government would continue to invest in key social and emotional wellbeing and suicide prevention measures that are led and designed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Download a copy of the NATSISPS at https://ow.ly/Z2RA50Uqrea

It's the #workingtogetheranniversary this year; ten years after publishing the second edition of *the* landmark text on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and wellbeing, it's wonderful to hear from the editors of the book. Professor Helen Milroy is a Palyku woman whose homelands are in the Pilbara region of WA. She is Australia’s first Indigenous doctor and child psychiatrist, the Stan Perron Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Perth Children’s Hospital, and Honorary Research Fellow at the Kids Research Institute. She’s the Chair of Gayaa Dhuwi Proud Spirit, board member of Beyond Blue and a published author and illustrator of children’s books. #decolonisingpsychology

Check out our latest Annual Report to see how we have been building on the strength, resilience and healing of our communities through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, traditions and ways of being! 🖤💛❤️ Download a copy at https://ow.ly/Bcwq50UoPRz

"Recovering our sense of compassion allows us to heal individually, but also helps others to heal in the knowledge their story is understood. And connection is something that we all need to share both the joys and burdens in life." As seen in The West Australian by Gayaa Dhuwi Chair, Professor Helen Milroy AM. https://lnkd.in/gNiskfEW

We’re so proud to celebrate the incredible progress Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia has achieved this year! Their leadership in promoting culturally safe social and emotional wellbeing, mental health and suicide prevention for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities continues to set the standard nationwide. Their recently released 2023-24 Annual Report highlights some incredible work and achievements - and we’re proud to have partnered with Gayaa Dhuwi on these key initiatives: ✨ The Gayaa Dhuwi Declaration Implementation Plan, driving commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership in social and emotional wellbeing, mental health and suicide prevention. (p.19) 💛 The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Strategy, a vital framework for reducing self-harm and improving wellbeing. (p.20) 🔄 The ongoing refresh of the Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) Framework, ensuring a holistic approach to mental health and social and emotional wellbeing. (p.20) Gayaa Dhuwi’s impact extends far beyond individual projects—they’re paving the way for systems-level change, putting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices, leadership, and culture at the centre of social and emotional wellbeing, mental health and suicide prevention initiatives. Congratulations to their team on another impactful year, beautifully captured in their Annual Report. We’re so grateful to support this work and look forward to what’s next. Check out their report here to learn more 👉 https://lnkd.in/g6mwKFgK