A Month of Diverse Engagements: October Recap
Kowanyama has been a major focus for the team this month
Kowanyama is a small community in Far North Queensland. Last month was marked by significant community engagement and critical discussions as we support the community to create a Suicide Prevention Community Action Plan (SPCAP).
Local leaders and advocates have been steadfast in their efforts to address pressing issues and pave the way for a better future in the region.
Preparations and Commitment in Kowanyama
The month began with a lot of preparation for the Life Promotion team’s third trip to Kowanyama.
The purpose is to craft a SPCAP that will reflect the community's vision of a good life in Kowanyama.
We used the information we had uncovered from previous workshops in Kowanyama and used this to propel discussions forward with the community and community leaders.
Gathered by the town’s creek (Car Crossing, a place significant in Kowanyama), we sought to understand the unique strengths that define this tight-knit community.
The majority of our work was conducted outdoors. Maintaining a connection with Kowanyama’s cultural values – being ‘on country’ – was important to the community and created a clearer and more focused environment for discussions and decision-making.
We devoted time to engaging with various community groups, including young people, the men's group, the health action group, and the women's group. These meetings underscored the community's core values of culture, family, respect, and faith.
Additionally, efforts were made to expand peer support and establish partnerships with organisations like Apunipima Health Service, the Council, and Deadly Choices for health promotion and education.
Our next steps will be to figure out the final design of the SPCAP – aka what it will look like and how we can present it in a way that will be useful and meaningful to the community so that anyone can pick up and see where their role fits in the community movement.
To ensure effective communication and resource-sharing, the final product of the work in Kowanyama will also include a ‘visual minutes’ – a newsletter-style document approach that we hope will be more engaging than a typical report.
We will also be creating a comprehensive toolbox filled with resources, tips, and guidance that will be readily accessible to the community.
Other meetings and events in October
We joined the Domestic and Family Violence Collective Impact group meeting in late October. Discussions delved into the complex intersection of suicide and domestic violence.
The importance of addressing violence against women with disabilities and coercive control was highlighted and made for a profound conversation.
The collective is composed of a wide group of stakeholders, including Ruth’s Women's Shelter, Qld Police, Cairns Community Legal Centre, Rights in Action, Warringu Women's Shelter and Cairns Sexual Assault Service among others, this helps create a comprehensive response to family and domestic violence in Cairns.
These are really important stakeholders to progress the work in suicide prevention accross Far North Queensland.
We took some time out to join the annual Worklink Stress Less Day lunch which was a wonderful opportunity to connect with others across the business community and with service agencies. It was also inspiring to hear from Dr Jana Pitt about resilience and hope.
Some other activities this month:
We held discussions with the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service (TCHHS) to explore new avenues of partnership, collaboration and community engagement.
Presented to a working party hosted by RFDS (Royal Flying Doctor Service) and TCHHS of service providers in Torres and Cape in relation to Post Vention plans and development
Joined Mossman Community Support Services for their Head and Hearts Symposium as part of Mental Health Week.
Joined the QCOSS Town Hall meeting in Cairns. Raised the concepts of the Social and Environmental Determinants of Suicide as a public policy issue.
Hosted a stall at the Dr Edward Koch Foundation “All of Us Festival” joining “all the fun of the fair” with music and dancers and over 30 mental health service provider stalls.
Joined the MHLEPQ (Mental Health Lived Experience Peak Queensland) inaugural meeting in Cairns.
Preparations for our next collaborative event (#6) on December 5th are well underway, this time aimed at uniting the community and addressing various pressing health and well-being concerns. Check our events page for more details.
We had more Touchpoints training during the first week of November, led by our friends at Roses in the Ocean.
