FAMILY WELLBEING PROGRAM

1.INTRODUCTION

The FWB program is being increasingly incorporated into a range of health interventions across Australia. These include: mental health, schools health promotion, alcohol and prevention and rehabilitation, workforce empowerment, diversionary and rehabilitation for men entering the criminal justice system as alternative to imprisonment, rehabilitation within prison, reducing family violence, leadership and governance, Job Preparedness, and Self-care in Chronic Disease management. Although these are diverse areas of interest, they all share common core components in the need for people to gain greater control over their lives and situations and skills to make and sustain healthier lives.

Pormpur Paanthu Aboriginal Corporation is committed to working in a person, family and group-centred approach to recovery and healthy life style choices that emphasises health and wellness as a goal and promotes social emotional spiritual and physical health through enabling protective factors such as connection to land; and understanding the broader social determinants of Health that impact on the lives of Indigenous Australians. Included in this approach to community wellbeing is reciprocal maintenance: Taking care of each other, taking care of the community and taking care of the environment. This is a collectivism approach to empowerment.

2.SCOPE

To provide personal support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, adults, families and children affected by alcohol and violence, including those who are perpetrators of domestic violence and want to improve the safety and wellbeing of their families and community by understanding their role in improving personal and community wellbeing. Empowerment and control are common elements of the FWB Program that is effectively promoted across a range of health, education and employment services.

3.PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The aim of the Family Wellbeing program is personal transformation based on principles of psycho synthesis and grounded in Indigenous experiences of family survival. Psycho synthesis is a process of personal growth which involves harmonising the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of life through learning a range of practical techniques. The goal of psycho synthesis is to foster ongoing growth through the application of these techniques to everyday living.

Through a supportive group process participants develop the confidence and skills to address their personal wellbeing, family unity and community harmony. FWB articulates the human qualities necessary for leadership and healthy relationships such as vision, respect, empathy, and compassion. It advocates relationships that are based on wisdom, acceptance, freedom and honesty and provides a safe forum for reflection and learning skills to achieve these personal qualities and relationships.

4.TARGET GROUP

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples aged 16 years and older; corporate and non-government sectors or groups, Board and Shire Council Members; employees, community groups; Men’s, Women’s and Youth Groups;
Men’s Recovery Groups; or men released from prison.

5.OUTPUT DESCRIPTION

Activities that promote personal and social development and a sense of belonging in the community e.g. structured classes or group activities on various aspects of personal development. Stage 1 introduces participants to the course, the participants learn about basic human needs and the kinds of behaviour that can result when these are not met; dealing with conflict; understanding emotions; understanding crisis; the effect beliefs and attitudes can have on our choices; and practical skills in looking after ourselves and providing counselling and support to others.

FWB contributes to:

  • Mutual support and self-help
  • Social and personal development
  • Community Education
  • Community Development
  • Cultural Security/Safety
  • Job Creation pathways

6.OUTPUT ACTIVITIES

Community/Community and Group-Centre:

  • To develop awareness about how the group/community participants can get caught up in conflict and get stuck in negative relationship patterns.
  • To help understand that conflict is an inevitable part of life.
  • To help the groups understand the reasons why conflicts occur so that participants are better able to deal with and prevent conflict.
  • To learn how to get out of conflict and build healthy relationships at home, at work, and in the community that are better for health and wellbeing.
  • To develop human qualities of strength and leadership; and identify our own leadership roles, gifts and talents.
  • To understand the purpose and emotions or the way people express feelings.
  • To understand the links between the way in which people express feelings and its effects on health conditions (i.e. chronic disease, mental and social, emotional, physical wellbeing).
  • To develop new ways of expressing the way each individual feels.
  • To identify the common types of crisis in everyday life experience, and to find appropriate ways of dealing with crisis.
  • To understand the way participants can use crisis as a stepping stone to make change; and an opportunity for growth.
  • To examine your own beliefs and attitudes and how thee may help or hinder the individual from moving on in life.
  • To develop an awareness and understanding of beliefs and attitudes of others and how thee may affect the decisions each person makes.
  • To use the knowledge and skills from the Family Wellbeing Program to make changes in an individual, family and community life.
  • To make research (participatory action research) and reflection more relevant to individual, family and community daily life.