Image: Local Geraldton mum, Chelsea, with her 12 week old baby, who was involved in the project. HCR, 2022

This update was originally posted on the HCR website.

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We hope that by promoting ongoing connected-ness, by injecting a flavour of normality to exceptional circumstances, and by tackling negative coping methods, we continue to contribute to better mental health in the community.

(Browse HCR COVID19 resources and communications advice)

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Local response in Western Australia

There are not many cases of Covid-19 in Western Australia at the time of writing this article, but the media hype has caused a lot of panic. If the virus does spread, social conditions mean that Aboriginal people living in the region may be at a high risk. Radio MAMA, our Aboriginal media partner in Western Australia, is engaging with local communities and providing information from the Australian government around ways to reduce risk. The radio station is emphasising not to panic (and especially not to panic buy) but to reduce risk primarily through handwashing. They have been sharing tips on how to correctly hand wash too.

Local response in North West Pakistan

HCR Pakistan is supporting a community-centred media project in a small village in Northwest Pakistan. Today (Friday 13th Mar) the New Dawn project will broadcast their first ever live broadcast. Meanwhile the president for Pakistan has created a Public Service Announcement for TV advising people on best handwashing and other hygiene practices to prevent spread of infection. The New Dawn team has been sharing this same advice in the local Pakhtun language. They have also been gathering information from local health authorities. During the show, community members were able to call in or send questions by WhatsApp. This will give the team opportunity to hear community concerns and address rumours.

Supporting the international response

HCR is supporting our partners, by curating and passing on information from WHO and other trusted sources.

Source: Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Centre)

(Browse Amplifying Voices COVID19 resources and communications advice)

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In partnership with Geraldton Local Drug Action Group, we are supporting the community to develop local radio and video messages around healthy pregnancy, highlighting that no alcohol is safest when planning pregnancy, pregnant or breastfeeding. In addition, we are also working with services to raise awareness of the support available for mothers that are struggling during pregnancy and encouraging them to seek the help they need. With 50% of pregnancies unplanned, and the heavy drinking culture in Australia, we are supporting a wider strategy in changing this dangerous drinking culture.

Sadly, people with FASD have a life expectancy of 34 years of age, with the leading cause of death being suicide (Thank & Jonsson, 2016). Without support, secondary issues develop such as school failure, addiction, mental health illness, unemployment, homelessness and incarceration. We want all mothers to be supported throughout their pregnancy to give their babies the best start in life. Here are some of the messages that have been developed:

https://vimeo.com/391421566

Additional resources: https://www.nofasd.org.au

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By Dane Waters

The first week of April was very significant for the community of Geraldton. Local services, businesses and community got together to launch an awareness raising week full of events to shed light on the devastating impact of family violence. In Australia, 1 in 6 women have experienced physical or sexual violence and 1 in 5 have been sexually assaulted or threatened. These statistics are even more alarming at the local level. So in response to this, the Geraldton community joined together to make a stand together to say violence is never okay.

Numbers and statistics do not convey the wider impact that family violence has within the community. They don’t represent the fear of a woman (and often their children) in hiding from their abusive partner, or of the wider family scared for the safety of their daughter, sister or grandchildren. Statistics do not capture the worry of the family violence counsellors who have helped deal with an incident and are constantly worrying if that person is okay.

Health Communication Resources Inc. stands with the Geraldton community and all other communities to say violence is never okay. We have been first responders and seen the devastating impacts of family and domestic violence. We will continue to work tirelessly to raise awareness of family violence in the community by using the powerful tool of community media.

For more information about the project, check out https://communityrespectandequality.com.au/

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Last week, Dane and I provided radio training at a camp for high achieving 10- and 11-year-old students who live in rural communities throughout the Mid West and Gascoyne. One student lived 200kms away from the nearest town on a cattle station with his family. It was a great opportunity for students to come together and socialise with other students of their age-level, as well as extend their learning. We facilitated a workshop to develop community service announcements (CSA) for Radio MAMA, who broadcast throughout the region. You could tell these students were from the ‘outback’ when their messages where around the themes of fire and road safety and environmental conservation. One student living on the coast in an area where many tourists visit developed this CSA around protecting coral and reef systems. We have never come across anyone so expressive!

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Approximately 264 million children and adolescents around the world do not have the opportunity to enter or complete school. They dream of a life where they can have an education. Working in international development, we know education is a key factor in reducing the poverty cycle.

In Australia, we are extremely lucky to have public education for all children, which is why it might sound surprising that in some communities, there are children missing out on years of school or even their entire schooling. This has huge ramifications for their future abilities to live a fulfilling purposeful life.

In Carnarvon, a small town we work, school non-attendance is high, and with the support of community, government and supporting organisations changing attitudes and the culture of schooling and education is a key priority area.

There are many reasons why education is not a priority and after going on the school pick up bus you can see larger social issues which prevent children going to school exist. Run-down and insecure housing, family alcohol and other drug issues, lack of food security. Talking with locals, many of these social issues exist due to intergenerational trauma from past Government policies, including the Stolen Generation.

Children were taken from their families and to be brought up in institutions, fostered out or adopted by white families. Children lost their connection to family, culture, land and language. Not only does this contribute largely to current social issues within Aboriginal communities, but also has create a sense of distrust to ‘white’ education (AIATSIS).

However, with the support of the community, the school and the local Remote School Attendance Strategy team (who are part of Ngala Midwest & Gascoyne), there has been progress in supporting parents to get their children to school, and change the current perception. This takes a lot of dedicated people and a holistic approach to support families. Local leaders identify education is important for their community’s future, but are also passionate in passing down traditional culture.

For the past few years we have been working with the Carnarvon community and the Remote School Attendance Strategy team to develop local video and radio content to promote school and education. We have spoken with Elders, right through to kindy students about what education means to them. Recently we developed a set of videos which the Carnarvon community engaged with and we had great feedback. You can check one of them out here:

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The keystone to transformational development is building trust and relationships. At HCR we endeavour to build trust with all people we work with, as we walk alongside communities. Trust is critical and particularly highlighted when working on family violence and women’s empowerment issues. In the Mid West, Western Australia we are continually confronted with family violence issues. Women who we have built trusting relationships with, come to us in all levels of distress due to family violence. As the Family Law Act 1995 in Australia states:

Domestic and family violence occurs when someone tries to control their partner or other family members in ways that intimidate or oppress them. Controlling behaviours can include threats, humiliation (‘put downs’), emotional abuse, physical assault, sexual abuse, financial exploitation and social isolations, such as not allowing contact with family or friends.

Women who have shared their stories with us have experienced controlling behaviours from physical assault to financial exploitation, and when victims come to us we support them to seek appropriate services. All women and men need to be empowered to stand up to all types of intimidating behaviour. Alongside supporting individual women, we also work with community champions and local services to develop community media strategies to help provide critical information to those in need with regards to family violence. This includes recording and broadcasting community service announcements about services available. We are passionate about working on this issue and making a stand, because violence is never okay.

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