In honour of National Reconciliation Week, we have decided to explore the Digital Mental Health Resources developed with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in mind. These resources include culturally relevant and evidence-based information, advice, stories, support, and counseling.
There are a range of digital mental health resources available to support individuals, families, friends, and communities.
WellMob
WellMob is a website developed by the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet and eMHPrac to connect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community health workers with online wellbeing resources. The website includes a range of resources including apps, websites, audio, documents, videos, and online counselling organised under six categories; Mind, Body, Our Mob, Culture, Keeping Safe and Healing.
Beyond Blue
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/who-does-it-affect/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-people
1300 22 4636
Beyond Blue is an Australian mental health organisation, providing information and support for anxiety, depression, suicide prevention, supporting someone, parenting, grief, loss, substance use, and staying well. They provide online, email, and telephone counselling, as well as peer support through online forums on a range of topics relating to mental health and wellbeing.
Their website includes information on how depression and anxiety affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including personal stories and videos, as well as providing links to Beyond Blue discussion forums for peer support as well as other support websites and contacts.
MindSpot Clinic
Indigenous Wellbeing Course
https://mindspot.org.au/indigenous-wellbeing
The MindSpot Clinic is a free national service for Australian adults with stress, worry, anxiety, low mood, or depression, providing mental health screening assessment and training. One of the courses provided by MindSpot is an Indigenous Wellbeing Course to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults aged over 18 manage depression and anxiety. The course includes five lessons over an eight-week period, providing information and skills with the option to receive weekly therapist support.
Stay Strong
The AIMhi Stay Strong app was developed by Menzies as a motivational care planning tool to assist health professionals promote the wellbeing of their Aboriginal clients. The app was designed to help Aboriginal Health Workers, nurses, GPs, Allied Health Professionals and others facilitate the delivery of the structured brief intervention in clinical and community settings. With the Stay Strong app service providers and clients discuss social supports, strengths, worries and goals or changes they would like to make. Stay Strong is available on the App Store and Google Play for tablets.
iBobbly
https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/resources-support/digital-tools-apps/ibobbly/
iBobbly is a social and emotional wellbeing self-help app developed by Black Dog Institute for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians aged over 15, shaped by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members. The app is completely private and confidential, helping users manage their thoughts and feelings and decide what is important in their life. iBobbly has four main features; how do I feel, stuff I can use, how I’m going to beat this. These features include self-assessment, a mood diary, strategies to manage thoughts and feelings, goal setting, creating an action plan, and access to support options. iBobbly is available for download on the App Store and Google Play.
Deadly Tots App
http://deadlytots.com.au/Page/deadlytotsapp
Deadly Tots is an app developed by the South Western Sydney Local Health District ad Resourcing Parents with funding support from the Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health. The app provides information for Aboriginal families on how to help their children learn and grow. Users can receive informational messages, create a memory book of photos, receive immunization and other blue book check reminders, and add local service contacts for quick support. Deadly Tots is available for download on the App Store and Google Play.
headspace Yarn Safe
https://headspace.org.au/yarn-safe/
headspace Yarn Safe is an online resource providing information and support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians who are going through a hard time and encouraging individuals to talk. The website aims to provide a space for individuals to talk or find information to help someone else when they are feeling sad, stressed, angry, or tired. Through headspace Yarn Safe users can access information and support on mental health and wellbeing, stress and pressure, relationships, alcohol and drugs, and the Yarn Safe story. Users can also explore a range of videos sharing personal stories.
eheadspace
https://headspace.org.au/eheadspace/
eheadspace is a national service from headspace providing online and telephone support for young people aged between 12 and 25, their friends, and family. They provide a confidential and secure space where users can speak with a qualified youth mental health professional over web chat, email, or over the phone, as well as peer support through group chat forums on a range of topics. eheadspace was designed to support all young Australians including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Youth.
HitNet Community Hub
http://kiosk.hitnet.com.au/public/
HitNet is an online community service providing information and services to hard-to-reach communities, especially Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The HitNet Community Hub is an online kiosk delivering culturally appropriate health and social information to these communities, focusing on health promotion, young people, and connection to home and culture. These hubs can be accessed online, but HitNet also provides indoor community hubs, mobile max hubs, and wi-fi hotspots.
iTalk Studios
https://www.italkstudios.com.au/
iTalk Studios provides a library of animated videos on education, health, law, and money to share information, empower and connect people through storytelling, pictures, and song. The videos are made in collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and are offered in a range of traditional Aboriginal dialects and international languages.
Kurdiji
Kurdiji is a community app developed by Australian Indigenous Elders to save young Indigenous lives. The app is based on stories, ceremonies, and laws to spread traditional ideas among Aboriginal young people and foster a sense of belonging. The Kurdiji app will provide cultural nourishment to young people who can’t live on country or feel isolated by reconnecting them with language, skin name, ceremony, and law, increasing resilience and creating and sense of belonging. Kurdiji is available for download on Google Play.
Positive Choices
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
https://positivechoices.org.au/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-peoples/
Positive Choices is an online portal developed by the Australian Department of Health and the University of Sydney to help Australian schools and communities access up-to-date evidence-based alcohol and other drug education resources. Their website provides information, advice, factsheets, webinars, personal stories, and other resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander school staff, families, and students. These resources are also available in a Arrente, Torres Strait Islander Creole, and Warlpiri languages.
Proppa Deadly
https://989fm.com.au/listen/programs/lets-talk/proppa-deadly-napsia-vin-thal/
Proppa Deadly is a Beyond Blue initiative providing a compilation of audio stories encouraging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to tell their own stories on depression and anxiety. These stories are broadcasted through 16 radio stations in metropolitan, regional and remote areas of Australia and can be listed to online through the BIMA website, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify Podcasts.
Yarning SafeNStrong
https://www.vahs.org.au/yarning-safe-n-strong-media/
1800 959 563
Yarning SafeNStrong is a free and confidential counselling service established by the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service, connecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People with culturally suitable counsellors. They offer support with social and emotional wellbeing, financial wellbeing, medical support including COVID-19 testing, drug and alcohol counselling and rehab services.
For more information on these resources download our brochure ‘A Brief Guide: Digital Mental Heath Resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ or order a hardcopy through our Hardcopy Order Form.
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