Factors Influencing Well-being During Homelessness of Indigenous Australians

1. Factors Influencing Well-being During Homelessness of Indigenous Australians Yvonne Thomas, PhD James Cook University

2. Why consider Wellbeing? • The ‘wellbeing’ concept • ‘Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’ (WHO, 1948). • Two views of wellbeing: • Hedonic: happiness and life satisfaction (SWB) • Eudemonic: virtue, personal growth (PWB)

3. Wellbeing and Homelessness • Limited access to material resources • Lack of social support • Marginalisation from community • SWB not directly linked to wealth • Cultural differences • Positive self-assessment • Indigenous Australian wellbeing influenced by connection to culture and land (Dockery, 2009).

4. Indigenous Homelessness Spiritual forms of homelessness may derive from: • separation from traditional land • separation from family and kinship networks • a crisis of personal identity wherein one's understanding or knowledge of how one relates to country, family and Aboriginal identity systems is confused or lost (Memmott, Long, Chambers, & Spring, 2003, p. 15)

5. Methods • Case Study of Homelessness in Townsville • Higher rates of Indigenous homelessness • Interviews conducted at 3 locations • Drop-in centre • Overnight Hostel • Happy Valley • Interviews were recorded and transcribed • Thematic Analysis

6. Cultural Methods & Mentors • Ethical Research Process • School of Indigenous Australian Studies, JCU • Permissions • Cultural mentors • Building relationships

7. Results • 14 people provided 20 Interviews • 4 women • 10 men • Aged 30 – 55 yrs • 3 living in temporary housing • 9 living on the street • 2 were living at Happy Valley

8. Current Occupations • work • meals • washing • yarning • park cleaning • art • cannabis • painting • drinking • avoiding police • drinking and drugs • music • talking to elders • fishing • spending time alone • walking • painting • thinking • safety • being with others • clothes • getting a place • getting money • looking after elders • home making • gardening

9. Theme 1: Being with the Mob • “We haven’t got a lot but the most important thing we are together, we are together as a family, we are happy.” (Stan) • “Sometimes we drink and get chased around by police, but we are still one mob, family. It don’t matter if we have differences and carry on a bit silly some times because society turns in on us” (Chad)

10. Being with the Mob • “Hang around the rest of the ‘Parkies’ and drink along with them. We all mix together. I have got a lot of relations that call me Aunty. A lot of nieces that call me aunty and they have respect for me, too.” (Lisa)

11. Theme 2: Time on my Own – Reflecting on Culture • “I go to the beach, that’s where I have always go, so I can be with myself, keep my mind occupied … Better than listening to those other fella’s when they are drunk, they put my mind off.” (Pete) • “But when I had enough is enough, I just go and camp in the bush.” (Jack)

12. Time on my Own- Reflection on Culture • “That painting it keeps me occupied, and I am proud of what I do, the painting. It means a lot to me, even my art – it gives me a lift every time I sit down and paint, it’s in my blood you know.” (Mick) • “I go to [older persons home] and talk to the elders there, have a chuckle with them.” • (Neil)

13. Theme 3: Marginalisation and Trouble with the Law • “They just don’t like us having a good time by ourselves, without calling the coppers around and upsetting the whole thing and make us into criminals, and let real criminals get away.” (Chad) • “People might say you are doing something wrong, but why don’t you do something about it, help us, don’t lock us up because if you lock us up we are still going to go back there. You are not going to get rid of us.” (Stan)

14. Theme 4: Basic Survival • “I usually find places where nobody can find me. I move from different areas to the next area until I find a good spot.” (Ulna) • “... you don’t ask them where they slept because you don’t want to say that, because you don’t want a mob coming to you.” (Stan)

15. Basic Survival • “...like on the weekends you can’t find a meal for the weekends. It’s very, very hard to get meals, because we haven’t got money you know.” (Stan) • “Years ago I used to get pizza from the bin, we used to phone up and make out I was going to pick it up but then wait out the back until they throw all the hot pizza’s away and then we go and get it.” (Ulna)

16. Wellbeing: Fulfilment of Needs

17. Discussion: Deprivation and Wellbeing

18. Summary • Need for belonging • Experience of marginalisation/alienation • Importance of connection to country and to culture

19. “If they ever take these people away from me I will die too, we grew up together on Palm, we are all different tribes but we are all the same. If they take this mob away from me I will die, just their faces, how we talk, and my land…” (Mick)

20. References • Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19-22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61 States (Official Records of the World Health Organization, no. 2, p. 100) and entered into force on 7 April 1948.