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Walkern Katatdjin (Rainbow Knowledge)
Walkern Katatdjin is a national research project that aims to understand and promote the mental health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Asexual+) young people, and to work with services to develop appropriate interventions.
'Walkern Katatdjin' roughly translates to 'Rainbow Knowledge' in the Noongar language.
There is very little locally-specific information and guidance available for services that work with young people on how best to support someone who is both Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and identifies as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, or Asexual (LGBTQA+).
This means that young people (14-25 years) who are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and LGBTQA+ may not receive the same level of social support and health care as other members of the community.
This project has 3 phases:
1
Yarning with Aboriginal LGBTQA+ young people about their needs and experiences
2
An online national survey of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ young people's mental health and social and emotional wellbeing
3
Co-designing a Roadmap with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ young people, community, and services
In-depth narrative interviews and yarning groups in in Boorloo (Perth):
The final results of the Phase 1 qualitative interviews and yarning groups with 14 Aboriginal LGBTQA+ young people in Boorloo are available in our Community Report.
You can read the Community Report here:
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...or check out the summary of findings:
Online national survey of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ young people:
The Community Report of the Phase 2 National Survey is now available below.
619 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ young people participated in our National Survey. The survey included questions about social and emotional wellbeing, mental health and service experiences.
Walkern Katatdjin Phase 2 National Survey Community Report:
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Please be aware that some of these findings are distressing and include discussion of suicide. If you need help, we encourage you to reach out to:
Lifeline: 131 114 or www.lifeline.org.au
13YARN: 13 92 76
Brother to Brother: 1800 435 799
Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467
Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 or kidshelpline.com.au
Co-designing a roadmap to improve the social emotional wellbeing and mental health of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ young people.
You can read the Walkern Katatdjin Roadmap Report here:
...or see our 2-page Roadmap Snapshot here:
This report details a Roadmap to work together to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQIA+ young people to thrive. The end goal of this Roadmap is simple: to empower individuals, families, communities, services, and governments to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQIA+ young people are safe, healthy, and thriving.
The Roadmap model is underpinned by Aboriginal principles of caring and responsibility for kin. Each of us have a duty and obligation to care for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQIA+ young people in our lives, those who access our services, and in our communities.
This report is intended to be used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQIA+ young people’s family and community, services, government and the wider community. Each chapter of this report is dedicated to the actions that these groups can take to support the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQIA+ young people.
Roadmap authors: Shakara Liddelow-Hunt, Lily Hayward, Braden Hill, Yael Perry, Mirella Wilson, Natasha Stretton, MJ Anderson-Hyde, Lindey Andrews, Dorothy Bagshaw, Rhubarb Baptist, Natalie Bassett-Bokic, Michael Berry, Tahlia Blow, Danielle Cameron, Lynette Cox, Kate Daglas, Duc Dau, Yohann Devezy, Shania Eddy, James Fowler, Cheyeanne Henderson, Brenda Hill, James Hill, Alana Hunt, Jakob James, Tony Lee, Kurtis Makuru, Barbara McGillivray, Jim Morrison, Nathan Riley, Dion Storey, Natalie Strobel, Shirley Thorne, Anom Wade, Peter Waples-Crowe, Vivienne Weir, Kirsten Wells, Emery Wishart, Bep Uink & Ashleigh Lin
The Kids Research Institute Australia; Kurongkurl Katitjin, Edith Cowan University; Australian Indigenous Healthinfonet, Edith Cowan University; The University of Western Australia; Kulbardi Aboriginal Centre, Murdoch University
Contributing organisations: Blak Pride WA; Kimberley Blak Pride Ltd.; North Metropolitan Health Service Youth Mental Health; Sexual Health and Blood-borne Virus Program; Western Australian Department of Health; Sexual Health Quarters; Transfolk WA; The University of Queensland Poche Centre for Indigenous Health; Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO); Wungening Aboriginal Corporation; Yorgum Healing Services; Youth Pride Network
Artist: Kaeya Milton (@kaeangelwings)
Graphic designer: Kelli Savietto
More info about Walkern Katatdjin...
Aims
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Better understand risk and protective factors for poor social emotional wellbeing and mental health among Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ young people
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Learn how health services can support Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ young peoples’ mental health and social emotional wellbeing
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Document risk factors for poor social emotional wellbeing and mental health among Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ young people
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Understand similarities and differences in local community responses to the needs of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ young people
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Co-design place-specific interventions to meet the mental health and social emotional wellbeing needs of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ young people.
Ethics
Phase 1 (interviews and yarning groups) of this project has been approved by:
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Western Australian Aboriginal Health Ethics Committee (WAAHEC) #910
Phase 2 (national survey) of this project has been approved by:
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Western Australian Aboriginal Health Ethics Committee (WAAHEC) #1000
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Department of Health and Menzies School of Health Research Top End HREC (TEHREC) #2021-3997
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Central Australian Health Research Ethics Committee (CAHREC) #2021-3997
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Aboriginal Health Research Ethics Committee (AHREC) #04-21-924
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Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) #EO231-20210114
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ACON Research Ethics Review Committee #20211
Phase 3 (roadmap) of this project has been approved by:
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Western Australian Aboriginal Health Ethics Committee (WAAHEC) #1000 amendment
Funding: National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) (APP1157377) and 2023 STARS Student Scholarship (The Kids Research Institute Australia)
Governance and data use
To request the use of data from the Walkern Katatdjin national survey, contact the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQASB+ Governance Group.
For more information, contact Rainbow.Knowledge@thekids.org.au or call (08) 6319 1062.
Recordings:
Phase 1 (interviews and yarning) Community Forum
22nd October 2020
Presenters: Ashleigh Lin, Bep Uink, Shakara Liddelow-Hunt, Braden Hill
National Survey Community Report Launch
25th July 2023
Presenters: Bep Uink, Shakara Liddelow-Hunt
Panellists: Lily Hayward, Spiider Morticurrie, James Hill