Objective: To adapt the Family Wellbeing empowerment program, which was initially designed to support adults to take greater control and responsibility for their decisions and lives, to the needs of Indigenous school children living in remote communities. Method: At the request of two schools in remote Indigenous communities in far north Queensland, a pilot personal development and empowerment program based on the adult Family Wellbeing principles was developed, conducted and evaluated in the schools. The main aims of the program were to build personal identity and to encourage students to recognise their future potential and be more aware of their place in the community and wider society. Results: Participation in the program resulted in significant social and emotional growth for the students. Outcomes described by participating students and teachers included increased analytical and reflective skills, greater ability to think for oneself and set goals, less teasing and bullying in the school environment, and an enhanced sense of identity, friendship and ‘social relatedness’. Conclusion: This pilot implementation of the Family Wellbeing Program adapted for schools demonstrated the program's potential to enhance Indigenous young people's personal growth and development. Challenges remain in increasing parental/ family involvement and ensuring the program's sustainability and transferability. The team has been working with relevant stakeholders to further develop and package the School‐based Family Wellbeing program for Education Queensland's New Basics curriculum framework.
Objective:To explore links between the social determinants of health, the 'control factor', and an Aboriginal empowerment program.Methods: The evidence that rank or social status is one of the most important determinants of health is briefly presented. This is followed by a critique of the Australian policy and intervention framework for tackling and reducing social inequalities. The concept of 'control' as an important element in addressing social determinants of health is examined next and the Family Wellbeing empowerment program is analysed to illustrate how the concept of control might be operationalised at program or intervention level. Implications for health practitioners are identified.Results: By providing a safe group environment for participants to explore sets of critical questions about themselves, their families and communities, through the process of participatory action research, Family Wellbeing has demonstrated its potential to 'enable' Indigenous people to take greater control and responsibility for their situation. While program participants first address personal and immediate family issues, evidence is emerging of a ripple effect of increasing harmony and capacity to address issues within the wider community Conclusions:The social determinants of health are complex and multilayered and so addressing them needs to involve multilevel thinking and action. The control factor is only one element, albeit an important one, and Family Wellbeing is providing evidence that 'control' can be addressed in Indigenous settings. For empowerment programs to achieve their full potential, however, there is a need to ensure that such programs reach a critical mass of the target group. It is also imperative that policy-makers and practitioners take a longer-term approach, including properly resourced longitudinal studies to document and enhance the evidence base for such interventions. As health practitioners it is vital we consider our work within this broader context, creatively seek to enhance linkages between services and programs, and support processes for change or intervention at other levels.
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