Brown, Cath (2011) You get help and you give help: my role as an Aboriginal Family Wellbeing facilitator. Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker Journal, 35 (1). pp. 24-28.

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Abstract

Education, training and employment have been identified in the last decade as a key priority for improving Indigenous outcomes. A huge gap exists in the relationships between the social determinants of health and the health outcomes experienced by Indigenous Australians. If we are to close the gap on these inequalities, and improve health and wellbeing, key strategies must include more Indigenous representation in social and emotional wellbeing training.

As the second paper in a three-part series, this paper describes the opportunities and challenges associated with the process of gaining personal empowerment and training to better help Indigenous communities. After I took the difficult first step of deciding to commit to the pathway of education training and a better job, I trained as a Family Wellbeing (FWB) facilitator and I am now involved in passing on these skills to others. The Aboriginal-developed Family Wellbeing Program works toward improving self-esteem and confidence of participants. Taking control and responsibility of one's own health and wellbeing is a necessary precursor to taking responsibility in education and training. Additionally, control is a determinant for improved benefits, such as having more representation in education, training and employment for Indigenous people.

This paper is based on reflections written during Family Wellbeing training and facilitation processes and draws upon data collected between 2007 and 2010. I used thematic analysis to code the reflections and evaluation feedback. I reviewed the resulting themes and created a mind map to see how the themes related to each other. This paper describes the cyclical process of my getting help and giving help to improve Indigenous education, training and wellbeing outcomes.

Item ID:	15673
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1037-3403
Keywords:	Aboriginal, Family Wellbeing, empowerment
Related URLs:	Publisher
Date Deposited:	13 Jun 2011 23:54
FoR Codes:	13 EDUCATION > 1303 Specialist Studies in Education > 130399 Specialist Studies in Education not elsewhere classified @ 100%
SEO Codes:	93 EDUCATION AND TRAINING > 9399 Other Education and Training > 939901 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education @ 50% 92 HEALTH > 9203 Indigenous Health > 920301 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health - Determinants of Health @ 50%
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