Acknowledgement to Country Acknowledgment of Country: Wanarua people

1. Acknowledgement to CountryAcknowledgment of Country: Wanaruapeople

2. Family Tribes An innovative program for young Aboriginal carers Prepared by:Suwana Combo and Tracey Brown Health Education Officer and Manager Youthblock Youth Health Service Community Health Sydney Local Health District June 2016

4. Overview Background to the project The program delivered The resource card The outcomes for the young Aboriginal carers Lessons learnt Where to now….

5. Background • Increased presentation of young Aboriginal carers to Youthblock • Consulted with 4 young Aboriginal carers – still clients • Program to be run in the Redfern area • Aim is to increase cultural connectedness/ support and education and improve young carers health outcomes • Food provided each workshop and transport provided • Post program education course • Development of the resource card • Resources given – journals for evaluation/stationary/first aid kits/Yhunger cook books/ Qi Gong DVD

6. yhunger Cooking Books

7. Topics covered: • Young Carers health and wellbeing and yarning circle • Stress and mindfulness and healthy relationships • Living skills and local services • Nutrition and budgeting • Employment and driving • Education and post program course • Aboriginal art and dance workshop • Outing to the Australian Museum with the Aboriginal curator • QiGong – Chinese yoga

8. Brendan Kerin Reegan CarrAboriginal artist, musician, Young Aboriginalstoryteller and dancer carer

9. Young Aboriginal carers resource card One Mob (family)

11. Outcomes – 10 week course, 10 workshops • 8 participants, aged 15 – 24 years of age • Courses 3 x Barista Master basics – level 1 and 2 2 x RSA/RCG package 1 x First Aid and CPR course • Employment 1 Administration officer with an OOHC service, part time casual. 1 Administration officer for Aboriginal Education Consultative Group Inc • Education 1 x certificate 4 traineeship in marketing with the City of Sydney through Aboriginal Employment Strategy 1 x assisted to return to high school to complete HSC

12. Outcomes – 3 week course, 6 workshops • 3 participants aged 17-25 years of age • Birth registration 2 x registered with births, deaths and marriages • Housing 2 x crisis accommodation 1 x relocation from private housing to subsidised housing • Food Security 2 x emergency food vouchers supplied 3 x participants provided with food to take home after each workshop • Clothes 2 x emergency clothing • Courses 2 x enrolled into barista course • Education 2 x enrolled to UNSW Art Degree

13. Lessons learnt • 10-12 weeks was to long – young clients are time poor • Trying to cook a meal together was impossible as time would run out • Eating together at the table whilst the group was running was a great way to engage the young carers • Transporting the young carers was important • The carers did not want us to read their reflective journal • Most were not aware of their local support services

14. Lessons Learnt • Having multiple guest speakers helped keep the young people engaged and also inspired • Try to keep all groups in the one spot as the young people were not really interested in going on a field trip • Bringing the cultural experience to the group was more acceptable for the carers than going to the museum • Designing of the resource card should of taken place from the start and possibly setting 30 minutes aside per workshop • 3 week course is more effective in engaging the young carers • 2 sessions per week was preferable to the young carers

15. Where to now…. • Youthblock have moved to new premises in Redfern and a new modified program will be delivered soon based on the evaluations received • The Family Tribes project has been refunded for 2015/2016 and two programs will be delivered • A third program will be piloted over one full day in August 2016 to see what is more appropriate for this target group • A vignette will be filmed of the August program, participants and presenters • The three pilot programs will be evaluated and submissions for further funding in 2016/2017 will be submitted

16. References • Australia Bureau of Statistics, Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: summary of findings. Cat, no. 44330.0, 2009, Author: Canberra • Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and Australian Bureau of Statistics, The Health and welfare of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples 2008, 2008, Author: Canberra. • Cass, B., Smyth, C., Hill, T., Blaxland, M. and Hamilton, M. (2009), ‘Young Carers in Australia: Understanding the Advantages and Disadvantages of Their Care Giving’, Social Policy Research Paper no. 38, Canberra: Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. • Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006 Census Community Profile Series: Indigenous Profile, cat. No. 2002.0, 2007, Author: Canberra • Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2011 Census of Population and Housing: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (Indigenous) Profile, cat. No. 2002.0, 2011, Author: Canberra

17. Contacts Suwana.combo@sswahs.nsw.gov.au Tracey.brown@sswahs.nsw.gov.au Youthblock Youth Health Service 288 Abercrombie St Redfern, 2008 Ph: 9562- 6540 Email: youthblock@sswahs.nsw.gov.au