Deadly Minds Matter
Deadly Minds Matter is about keeping participants strong in mind, body, spirit, family/kin, and culture. We talk about feelings, how to get through tough times, and the importance of staying connected to Country, community, and culture. The girls learn through stories, activities, and yarning. When the program finishes, we have a big community event run by Shooting Stars staff. There’s usually a sports competition and fun activities from local health services, youth programs, and other groups. Families come along to join in, have fun, and celebrate the girls’ achievements.
So, what is Deadly Minds Matter?
Through yarning with our participants, Shooting Stars identified some recurring themes as barriers for school attendance across our sites including relationships with peers or staff, emotional regulation and bullying. So, we started working on a program that would provide the girls with the skills required to manage and deal with these every day stresses.
Over the 10-week program, participants learn how to recognise and name their emotions, they will develop strategies for cheering themselves up or calming down. As well as developing emotional regulation in situations, the participants will also learn how to develop and build healthy relationships. The program has been developed in line with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives of social and emotional wellbeing, which applies a holistic model of connection to seven different spheres of life: culture, land, physical self, mental self, community, family/kinship and ancestors/spirituality. Characters were designed to reflect these spheres to allow participants to affiliate and connect with at least one character. The program finishes with a community sporting match event, open to families and the wider community to support the participants. The event is also an opportunity for local Aboriginal health service providers to engage with the participants and build connections.
Shooting Stars engaged Charlotte Allingham, a Wiradjuri artist, based in Melbourne to produce character artworks to signify the seven spheres of life. The artwork is representative of the program, but also our participants - strong, young women who are finding themselves and working out who they are.
Health Service Providers
The Deadly Minds Matter program helps our participants break down barriers so they feel comfortable accessing health services in their community. Below are the Aboriginal Health Service Providers available in each of the communities we operate in.
Boab Health Garnduwa Local Drug Action Group RSAS Youth Service
Boab Health Garnduwa Mangkaja Arts Marra Worra Worra Marninwarntikura Mururra Support Nindilingarri Yanunijarra Women's Coordination
360 Health GRAMS Headspace Local Drug Action Group MEEDAC Ngala Shine
Garnduwa Health and Drug Service Kimberley Language Resource Centre RSAS Wunan Yura Yungi Medical Service
OVAHS: - Sexual health - Women’s health checks - TIS Education - FASD Education - Social and emotional wellbeing support Anglicare WA
Amity Health Avon Youth Holy Oake Moorditj Youth Narrogin Youth PCYC Youth Focus