Adapting the ‘Family Wellbeing’ empowerment program to the needs of remote Indigenous school children

Abstract

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.

Growth and Empowerment for Indigenous Australians in Substance Abuse Treatment

“…The GEM is a selfreport measure comprised of a 13-item Emotional Empowerment Scale (EES14) and 12 Empowerment Scenarios (12S). This tool was designed as a part of the Empowerment Research Program (a collaboration of the University of Queensland and James Cook University) to provide a measure of dimensions of empowerment that are important to Indigenous Australians, and was developed using in-depth interview data from 50 participants of the Family Wellbeing Empowerment Program who described their experience of empowering change (see Tsey et al 2005). The instrument was examined and improved through workshops in Alice Springs, Yarrabah and Cairns, with the help of Indigenous consultants as well as researchers experienced in the measurement of complex psychological concepts (Haswell et al 2010).…”

Disadvantage and discontent: A review of issues relevant to the mental health of rural and remote Indigenous Australians

“…47 In particular, real change will demand that these approaches are responsive to the needs of remote children. 48 There are existing examples of each (see citations). Ultimately it will also demand much broader social change, such as suggested by Noel Pearson.…”

Reducing recurrence of bacterial skin infections in Aboriginal children in rural communities: new ways of thinking, new ways of working

“…School-based empowerment programs for Aboriginal children in northern Queensland were shown to increase self-esteem, confidence, assertiveness and problem-solving abilities (Tsey et al 2005). This approach may be useful in engaging children to ask for treatment of their skin sores.…”