In episode 5, Dr. Ruth Crowther speaks to David Edwards about the WellMob website, the role of digital mental health in supporting the health and wellbeing of First Nations people, and his journey to working in digital mental health.

David Edwards is a Worimi man who grew up in Turrbal/Jagera country and now lives in the Bundjalung lands of northern NSW. David works under the national e-Mental Health in Practice from University of Sydney’s University for Rural Health in Lismore NSW as the co-director of the WellMob website program that provides a digital library of Aboriginal and Torres Strait specific wellbeing resources. David also works as Manager Resource Development for a national First Nations fathering program under the SMS4dads for the University of Newcastle. David also runs the ‘Eco-Connections’ consultancy business delivering ecological and cultural heritage services for community, NGOs and government allies that are culturally responsive to First Nations community needs and aspirations in looking after country, health and wellbeing.

What is WellMob?

The WellMob website brings together online wellbeing resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community health workers. Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet partnered with eMHPrac to develop the website under the guidance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community health workers, funded by the Australian Department of Health.

The WellMob website includes a range of resources including apps, websites, audio, documents, social media, videos and online counselling organised under 6 categories: Mind, Body, Our Mob, Culture, Keeping Safe, and Healing.

Visit the WellMob website at https://wellmob.org.au/ to learn more about the service available.

How does WellMob select what resources to include on the website?

Any resources linked to the WellMob website are culturally appropriate and culturally responsive. Many of these services are for low-intensity intervention, rather than acute mental health care, tapping into narrative-based resources to help keep First Nations Australians strong, connecting to music, story, language, and other peoples journeys for big picture social and emotional wellbeing.

How can WellMob be used?

Practitioners, community workers, and consumers can all utilise the WellMob website to find culturally specific resources to help with wellbeing. There are a lot of training materials on the WellMob site that help workers, particularly non-indigenous workers, build on their cultural competency around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health issues. WellMob also includes a lot of self-care resources for the Indigenous workforce to keep themselves strong while working in mental health. First Nations people can navigate and use the WellMob site directly, without the assistance of a health worker, particularly under the mind, healing or culture topics, to find resources that could be integrated into their health and wellbeing practices.

WellMob: https://wellmob.org.au/

WellMob facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WellMobAU

Sign up for the WellMob newsletter here: https://wellmob.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=b024f0b6f5e9ccf6123db321a&id=edb676cbd3

Listen to the full conversation below. You can also access Digital Mental Health Musings on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, and Deezer.