The National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) has launched a new advertising campaign aimed at promoting mental health and reducing youth suicide in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
The NIAA said the campaign, Take a Step, had been designed and developed by young Indigenous Australians with support from Elders and communities.
The Agency said the campaign encouraged young people to recognise when they might need support and explored practical things they could do to better their mental health.
Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt said reducing youth suicide in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities was one of the Government’s highest priorities.
“The fact that Indigenous people are dying by suicide at twice the rate of other Australians is one of the gravest and most heartbreaking challenges we face as a nation,” Mr Wyatt said.
“Take a Step will help to change this by showing young Indigenous Australians how to recognise and overcome mental health challenges,” he said.
“It has been designed by young Indigenous Australians for young Indigenous Australians.”
Mr Wyatt said the campaign drew on the connection with spirit and ancestors, culture and country, which was vitally important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s mental and emotional wellbeing.”
Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, David Coleman said the campaign was particularly important because it used ideas and images that had meaning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people.
“We all know the challenges around mental health,” Mr Coleman said.
“Sometimes you may not be able to see or know that you need help and some people unfortunately still feel some stigma around asking for help,” he said.
“Take a Step is an important platform for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to share stories, emotions and experiences with others in a safe, supportive environment and to explore practical things they can do to feel better.”
Mr Coleman said Take a Step built on the learnings of the Yarn Safe campaign, which was launched by headspace in 2014 and aimed to reduce stigma and shame associated with help-seeking.
He said the new campaign would run across television, radio and social media, including the NITV channel, across AFL and NRL matches on FoxSports, regional radio and national Spotify audio channels.
The advertising campaign can be accessed at this PS News link.
