When people watch the new WellMob videos, they see practical tips for using digital Social and Emotional Wellbeing (d-SEWB) resources with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients. What they don’t see is the collaborative journey that brought the videos to life.
From the beginning, we knew we didn’t want to create resources about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, we wanted to create them with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Over many years, we’ve had the privilege of yarning with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across the country. Time and time again, they’ve shared what they want health professionals to understand, the messages they believe are most important, and what culturally safe practice really looks like in action. Those conversations didn’t just inspire this project, they shaped it.
From the very beginning, we engaged Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to guide the development of the videos. We recognised their expertise by paying them for their time and knowledge, sought their feedback at every key stage, and kept them involved throughout the entire process. Scripts, language, visuals and key messages were all reviewed and refined based on their input, ensuring the final videos reflected both professional evidence and the lived experiences, wisdom and strengths of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The project also reminded us that collaboration often looks different from what you might expect.
Like many health promotion projects, we had a limited production budget. Professional actors simply weren’t an option. So, we called on the people around us. Members of the WellMob team, along with our families and friends, generously volunteered to appear in reading the scripts out and also in the B-roll footage. What started as a budget solution quickly became one of the most rewarding parts of the project. The people featured in the videos aren’t actors, they’re people who genuinely believe in the importance of supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander wellbeing. It became a true community effort and, in many ways, the definition of collaboration.
Every decision along the way was intentional.
We thought carefully about how the videos would feel, not just what they would say. We considered colour palettes through a trauma-informed lens, choosing visuals that felt calm, welcoming and safe. We spent time refining the language, so it was clear, respectful and as strengths-based as possible. Rather than focusing on deficits or problems, we wanted the videos to invite practitioners into a different way of thinking, one that recognises strengths, culture, connection and community as central to Social and Emotional Wellbeing.
The finished series covers practical topics including why digital wellbeing resources can be valuable for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients, how to introduce WellMob resources into consultations, matching resources to a person’s digital confidence and preferences, following up after recommending resources, and using WellMob to support health promotion, client engagement and culturally safe practice. We also included videos to help non-Indigenous practitioners strengthen their cultural humility and allyship.
Our hope is that these videos do more than explain how to use WellMob. We hope they encourage meaningful conversations between practitioners and clients, increase confidence in using culturally safe digital resources, and ultimately contribute to stronger Social and Emotional Wellbeing across our communities.
Behind every video is a story of listening, learning, reviewing, adapting and working together. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who shared their expertise, gave feedback, appeared on camera, or simply said “yes” when we needed an extra pair of hands.
Finally, we’d like to extend our sincere thanks to Jack Nimble for bringing our vision to life. Their creativity, patience and collaborative approach helped transform our ideas into an engaging video series that reflects the heart of WellMob and the importance of culturally safe Social and Emotional Wellbeing resources.
We also gratefully acknowledge the Mental Health Branch, NSW Ministry of Health, whose funding made this project possible. Their support has enabled the development of practical, accessible resources that we hope will strengthen culturally safe practice and contribute to improved Social and Emotional Wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across Australia.
We hope you’ll enjoy watching the series and find new ways to use WellMob in your everyday practice.
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