Our Journey
Looking Forward
Moving Forward
What we did
We partnered with ten mainstream mental health and drug and alcohol support organisations and Aboriginal Elders living in the Perth suburbs to co-design a service evaluation that promoted and captured organisational change. These changes are based on learning about the role Aboriginal culture plays in a person’s journey to wellness and good mental health.
The evaluation will build an evidence base to show how services respond in culturally secure ways so that Aboriginal people feel respected and safe when accessing services. The Elders have guided service leaders to better understand Aboriginal culture.
The project (2017-2023) was based on the findings of the former Looking Forward Project, whereby Elders and service partners co-designed the Minditj Kaart Moorditj Kaart Engagement Framework that originally brought these unlikely allies together (2015).
A key outcome from the project is the Call to Action Statement, developed at the Elders Community Conference held in May 2022.
“When other organisations start implementing this way, then you’ll see it affecting all the community” – Elder, 2018
What we learned
Community
The biggest impact in this work is the direct engagement between Elders and service leaders, boss to boss, or Boordiya to Boordiya. Elders have immense capacity and patience to hold people in their learning about Aboriginal culture. With these insights, the aspirations of community are foregrounded to services. When the community see this their confidence and trust in services rises, as they see that Aboriginal culture is valued and respected.
Services
The more service staff understand about Aboriginal culture and practices, the more likely they are to develop the confidence and skills to integrate this understating into their work practices. Service staff reposition themselves as learners and open themselves to new points of view and ways of working. For many this has had a profound impact on their views of Aboriginal people. They are transformed through the direct engagement with the Elders and the stories they’ve shared together.
Researchers
Using co-design, researchers can realise the value of engaging the community in research. Foregrounding community lived experience means that not only are challenges and innovations locally defined, but are more likely to be successfully implemented on the ground by those who serve to benefit the most from these actions.
“The Elders have taught me that the relationship is not just Biddiya to Biddiya, it’s personal.”– Service leader, 2017
Project Resources
Poster: Organisation Strategies and Actions
Want to know how to bring change and more inclusiveness within your organisation? Download our poster about Organisation Strategies and Actions, based on the outcomes of the Looking Forward, Moving Forward project.
Aboriginal Elder Co-Researchers
- Aunty Joanna Corbett
- Aunty Carmel Culbong
- Aunty Dot Getta
- Aunty Oriel Green
- Uncle Percy Hansen
- Aunty Liz Hayden
- Uncle Jim Hayden
- Aunty Helen Kickett
- Uncle Charlie Kickett
- Aunty Irene McNamara
- Uncle Albert McNamara
- Aunty Moya Newman
- Aunty Vivienne
- Uncle Mort Hansen
- Vale Aunty Louise Hansen
- Vale Aunty Margaret Culbong
- Aunty Charmaine Pell
- Aunty Millie Penny (Nee Walley)
- Uncle Fred Penny
- Aunty Cheryl Phillips
- Aunty Sandra Wilkes
- Uncle Peter Wilkes
- Uncle Mort Hansen
- Uncle Peter Wilkes
The Project Team
Project lead
- Associate Professor Michael Wright, Yuat Nyoongar man from the Moora and New Norcia area of WA.
Staff
- Tiana Culbong
- Margaret O’Connell
- Nicole Ilich
- Associate Professor Anne-Marie Eades
- Savannah Travia-Dann
- Dr Britta Biedermann
- Dr Helen Lette
- Rachael Pearson
- Kate Taylor
“I see it as empowering the community, and you [the research team] went about it the right way using the Elders. ” – Elder, 2018
Partner Organisations
- The Mental Health Commission of Western Australia
- Western Australian Association for Mental Health (WAAMH)
- Western Australian Council of Social Services (WACOSS)
- Western Australian Network of Alcohol & other Drug Agencies (WANADA)
- Hope Community Services
- MercyCare
- Palmerston Association
- Richmond Wellbeing
- RUAH Community Services
- St John of God Health Care Midland
Chief Investigators
- Associate Professor Michael Wright (Curtin University)
- Professor Alex Brown (South Australian Medical Health Research Institute)
- Professor Patricia Dudgeon (University of Western Australia)
- Mr Timothy Marney (former Mental Health Commissioner, WA)
- Professor Elizabeth Geelhoed (University of Western Australia)
- Professor Steve Allsop (Curtin University)
- Associate Professor Ashleigh Lin (Telethon Kids Institute,
University of Western Australia) - Professor Fiona Stanley (Telethon Kids Institute, University of
Western Australia) - Associate Professor Geoff Smith (Health WA, University of
Western Australia) - Mr Glenn Pearson (Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia)
Associate Investigators
- Dr Brad Farrant (Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia)
- Danny Ford (Cultural Consultant, Kambarang Services)
- Leanne Mirabella (Services Consultant, Perth Western Australia)
The Looking Forward Moving Forward Project was funded by a National Health and Medical Research Council Partnership Project Grant with financial and in-kind support also committed by the ten service partners.
The Looking Forward Moving Forward Project was approved by the Western Australian Aboriginal Health Ethics Committee (772) and the Human Research Ethics Committee at Curtin University (HRE2017-0446).