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How to culturally adapt a wellbeing program. (#299)

Jacqui Francis 1 , Juanita Johnson 2 , Aaron Jarden 1 , Alex Couley 2
  1. The University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC, Australia
  2. Richmond Fellowship Queensland, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia

Background

Indigenous wellbeing is a holistic concept that includes connection to country, culture, community, family, mind, body, and spirit (Dudgeon et al., 2022; Gee et al., 2014), and the social, historical and political context influences the experience and expression of wellbeing. In Australia, 24% of Indigenous Australians have a diagnosed mental health or behavioural condition, and 31% report high levels of psychological distress (ABS, 2019). Wellbeing literacy involves intentionally communicating about and for wellbeing in contextually adaptive ways. Building wellbeing literacy builds the vocabulary, knowledge and skills about and for wellbeing (Oades et al., 2021). Richmond Fellowship Queensland (RFQ) is a leader in the provision of professional recovery-oriented psychosocial services and work with the Fraser Coast First Nations Community, through their First Nations run Health Centre (FNHC). RFQ, the FNHC, and the Centre for Wellbeing Science (CWS) at the University of Melbourne (UoM) collaborated to adapt a wellbeing literacy program for use by the FNHC. The program was designed to build wellbeing literacy.

Aims

To develop a culturally suitable wellbeing literacy program for use by the Fraser Coast First Nations run Health Centre.

Method

Program adaption included program review by the First Nations Team from RFQ, and by UoM Indigenous experts. Program re-development incorporated recommended and ethical approaches and practices, such as consideration of data sovereignty, including intentions of self-determination, storytelling, reciprocity, and seeking permission of Elders.

Results

A culturally adapted wellbeing program, piloted in the Fraser Coast First Nations community.

Conclusion

Cultural adaption of wellbeing programs are challenging and contextually sensitive, but possible by prioritising the voices of the people the program is intended for. We unpack our learning journey in culturally adapting the Wellbeing Literacy Program, and showcase some of the program piloted among the First Nations People of the Fraser Coast community, in Queensland Australia.

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