Issues faced by Indigenous peoples living in urban and semi-urban/regional areas have a commonality not just within Australia but across the globe, where upon the effects of colonisation and racism are irrefutable and equally undeniable is the strength of self-determination, resilience and the pride of Aboriginality.
Working throughout Australia in Aboriginal Community or as is culturally referred to as “country”, have notice that large disparities are evident in the delivering and understanding and providing Counselling in the field of Mental Health.
Aboriginal people have view mental health differently to mainstream where there is a need to blend culture, spirituality and connection to country to ensure a holistic approach is incorporated in treatment plans and counselling sesssions.
My work as Koori woman with extensive experience in this area has inspired me to devote my thesis to this subject in the hope of working towards addressing these disparities through the promotion of Indigenous knowledge into Mental Health.
My research has been an ongoing work in progress over the past 16 years where upon I have worked mental health in the following regions and utilised this research to create my thesis. Interestingly although all different tribes and clans there are similarities to the approaches we need to follow when making assessment of mental health condition in Aboriginal community.
Fortunately I have been able to blend my research from the following regions, conducting over a period a prolonged period of over 16 years conducted throughout North Qld referred to as Murri Communities, NSW region which is where I have connection to country and referred to as Koori Communities, lastly where I am based currently in Northern Territory, Yolngu Communities, who inhabit North East Arnhem land region.
My research questions the importance for mental health assessment and recovery for Aboriginal people suffering from a mental illness, most importantly it will draw attention to and recognize the interpretations and the meanings those diagnosed with a mental illness attach to their personal mental health experiences, often influenced by culture and provide the reader alternative explanations and understandings of mental health.
The question concerning Aboriginal mental health is embedded in a larger set of questions relating to culture and cultural differences, historical events, social and cultural change and coping mechanisms.

It is important at this point to highlight that mental health is viewed by Aboriginal people is based on current, historical and spiritual values and is a broad concept that incorporates the following aspects being:
• Social
• Emotional
• Cultural
• Physical
• Mental well being of the individual
• Mental well being of whole community

Based on this, culturally appropriate mental health assessment and treatment tools need to be developed in mainstream mental health services with clear treatment strategies to focus in on the mental health of children, youth, men, women and elders within the community.

This paper tells the story of a partnership between one of the largest community mental health organisations in Australia (Neami National) and a specialist Aboriginal health organisation (Sunrise Health) working together to establish a mental health support service in remote Northern Territory. Although the role of Neami National in the partnership was to be a mentor for Sunrise Health to establish the service in Ngukurr, NT, both organisation—through mutual respect and admiration for each other—established a deep and meaningful relationships with each other and the community; started a much needed mental health support service in the community; and gained valuable experience in delivering mental health services in a culturally appropriate way. Through the voices of the team members who participated in the project, this paper outlines how the team working in a partnership established a culturally appropriate service in a remote outback location; the challenges they faced; and values and strategies they held and used to underpin their work and address these challenges.

Background: Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) often receive grants to undertake health and social programs in their communities that may be associated with some sensitivity and stigma. When ACCHOs do not have trained and experienced personnel up front to run these programs, outcomes are likely to be delayed and mediocre. In such circumstances, empowering methods of program evaluators can make a difference to outcomes.

Content: We present how we used an enhanced form of participatory evaluation to evaluate an Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention program. We describe how two non-Aboriginal researchers were able to build trust with and support Aboriginal suicide prevention workers over a period of three years to generate the best possible outcomes.

Results: Despite several initial challenges that included staff turnover, changes in strategies and poor community buy in, the program resulted in the development of two successful programs for resilience building and early identification of psychological distress among Aboriginal people. Since then, the ACCHO has received more than $1M from the Victorian government for the replication of one of those programs to the entire Loddon Mallee region of Northern Victoria.

Spearheaded by the Mental Health Coordinating Council (MHCC), the Aboriginal Careers in Mental Health (ACIMH) workforce development project brought together a range of stakeholders from government and community-managed mental health organisations, to employ and support 46 Aboriginal people to enter the sector as trainees in mental health support work. The project supported trainees to complete the Certificate IV in Mental Health, and in August 2014, 32 trainees graduated with this qualification. Organisations reported increased capacity to employ and support Aboriginal workers, and better support Aboriginal communities and people. This paper will present the unique set of approaches that enabled the project to be so successful. Drawing on the external evaluation, reflections will include outcomes and benefits from the perspectives of organisations, trainees, Aboriginal mentors and trainers.

Keys to success included:
• Genuine partnership
• Flexible recruitment of trainees
• A multifaceted approach to workforce retention
• Strong networks of support across trainees, organisations and community
• A purpose built and culturally safe training program
• Shared and proactive commitment to outcomes

Presenters will include a graduate trainee and a trainer sharing their experience and the impacts of participating in the project. As shared by one trainee, “It has helped my community, as there are now more trained Aboriginal workers in the sector for the Aboriginal people to reach out to. It has helped my family by giving me the skill to support them both mentally but also financially”.