Professional crisis support is an essential, and widely used, tool for mental health support. Every 30 seconds a person in need phones Lifeline and their immediate support has been the saving grace for thousands across the country. Mental health issues are often deeply personal, and, for those in vulnerable communities it can be difficult to communicate sensitive topics in a culturally appropriate way. We recently collaborated with 13YARN, a crisis support service for the indigenous community, that provides culturally sensitive help for those in need, from a member of the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander community.
The film tells the story of Andrew Bacon, a proud Yamaji man who is associated with the Black Dog Institute. Andrew dealt with a difficult childhood and has battled with depression and anxiety for over 10 years. Consistent support enabled him to work through this difficult period and now shares his story with others to help them find solitude in their own mental health journeys. Unfortunately, there are many stories from the indigenous community that are similar to Andrews, revealing the need for a culturally sensitive service like 13YARN.
13YARN is working to establish the National Closing the Gap Policy on Social and Emotional Wellbeing and is necessary to this movement. As mentioned in our Closing the Gap blog, efforts to provide equal opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders have consistently fallen short of their targets. For many, a crisis support line that is completely aligned with the deeply personal battles of the indigenous community may be the saving grace they need to work through a challenging time. It has been a pleasure working with 13YARN thus far and we look forward to seeing the positive change they make.
If you wish to watch Andrews story please visit the 13YARN website at https://www.13yarn.org.au/.
Help is available.
If you require immediate assistance, please call 000.
If you are a First Nations individual in need, please call 13YARN on 13 92 76.
If you are in distress, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or chat online.
Have something on your mind? You can reach out to BeyondBlue at 1300 22 4636 or chat online.
Under 25? You can reach Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or chat online.