This research project was conducted on behalf of the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) to inform future communication strategies and policy designed to reduce the incidence of substance abuse among Aboriginal young people in the East Kimberly and Central Desert Regions (CDR). This research was conducted by the Cultural and Indigenous Research Centre Australia (CIRCA).
The key project objectives were to
- Identify communication targets, messages, tools and resources used to date as well as the possible variations in messages across different target audiences and regions
- Identify the current range of programs, physical and service resources and communication strategies in the target regions
- Identify strategies for engaging partners and stakeholders in FaHCSIA communications strategies to achieve a more integrated, community-focussed approach.
This research is based on stakeholder interviews conducted in the Northern Territory and Western Australia, and included site visits to Docker River (NT) and Kununurra (WA). The site visits included interviews with community stakeholders, community members and young people. In total 17 stakeholders from the CDR and 13 from WA were consulted, with young people, elders and community members from Docker River and two young men from Kununurra also consulted in the research. Research was conducted from September to October 2009.
One of the major findings of this research is that communications are not seen as a priority for addressing Volatile Substance Abuse (VSA) among Aboriginal young people. The stakeholders included in the research felt that there is a significant need for funding and long term support for youth diversion programs, and that this investment is likely to have the greatest impact with regards to VSA, when compared to an investment in communications development.
As well, several other concerns were raised with regards to communications development:
- It was unanimously felt that due to the sensitive nature of petrol sniffing (and indeed VSA more widely), it is inappropriate to conduct large-scale communications in this area. For example, several stakeholders noted that one of the risks of informing young people that petrol sniffing is dangerous and harmful in contexts where sniffing is not an issue, is that it may act as an education tool on 'how to get high'. It was felt that any communication surrounding VSA would need to be sensitively approached and sparingly used.
- There were concerns about message fatigue, especially in relation to the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER). It was suggested that this can be addressed through the use of a model where youth workers who are based in the communities are the 'plug in' point for all visiting services and bureaucrats to help manage engagement and communications on youth diversion and VSA issues.
- In terms of a national or even state or territory based communications strategy, it was felt that messages would get 'lost in translation' as many of the targeted audiences have limited English and literacy levels. The clear preference is for communications to be developed at the community level and delivered in-language.
The research however did identify potential opportunities with regards to communications development, where this is a component of youth engagement and education processes. This approach is based on working with at-risk youth to design and develop resources that target other young people. This method can effectively engage youth with key messages on harm minimisation and prevention, and educate them on the long term affects of substance misuse. Key benefits of this approach are that young people have ownership of the messages, and messages are highly targeted in terms of language and relevance.
When considering message delivery for young people in the CDR and the Kimberley region, the research indicates that a fluid, dynamic and interactive communication strategy is most appropriate. Within this, there is a wide range of target audiences to be considered, and varying information needs, as summarised below:
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Young people – while young people are the primary target audience, the research indicates that delivering messages appropriately to young people in remote communities is very challenging, and that messages need to be highly targeted and relevant. Based on the research, a broad approach to message delivery is not appropriate. For example, information needs and delivery channels vary considerably across communities and within communities, with requests from the stakeholders included in the research to design messages in consultation with young people, targeting at-risk youth with specific messages addressing risk-taking behaviour. For example, there were several approaches identified in the research where young people were engaged to develop messages targeting specific substance youth behaviour, and this approach was deemed to be effective in transferring information. There is a need for information on the risks of VSA, and making healthy lifestyle choices, although specific messages need to be developed in consultation with young people themselves. Based on this, the main need with regards to message delivery is informing young people of the risks and impact of VSA, and within this, offering young people an opportunity to articulate their concerns and aspirations. As mentioned above, message and communications development with young people was seen as a diversionary activity that offers an opportunity for youth engagement.
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Key influencers: families, elders, community leaders – It is important that families, elders and community leaders are engaged when addressing substance use among youth. This group needs information on addressing substance use concerns, with an approach that leads to empowerment, ownership and greater control. There is a need for strategies to be developed at the local level that are highly targeted and relevant. Examples where this approach had worked well in the research were based on local organisations working in partnership with families and other key influencers to meet their information needs, and provide advice and assistance in addressing any concerns.
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Service providers and community organisations – The research identified a high level of interest from these organisations to form long-term partnerships with government. As well, there is a clear need for two-way information delivery, so that information is delivered to organisations by government and vice versa. In the Central Desert Region, the greatest need is for interactive engagement in order to share ideas, identify opportunities and strategies, and to utilise the local knowledge and expertise of these service providers in working with government, in partnership, to address youth diversion and VSA. In the East Kimberley region, there are fewer organisations with expertise on VSA within the Indigenous remote community context, and therefore there are opportunities for government to work together with these organisations to enhance the skills of local organisations, and to create stronger working relationships 'on the ground' with Aboriginal organisations and other youth services, in order to facilitate interagency communications. Intermediaries in this context include Aboriginal organisations, youth services, Police and health services.
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Youth workers – Youth workers based in communities were seen as an effective service model for delivering youth diversion programs and messages to young people. It will be important that these youth workers are provided with training and support to develop youth engagement approaches that include message development in an interactive way. FaHCSIA should work with organisations in the relevant regions that are skilled and resourced in youth development, in order to provide guidelines for youth workers on community engagement. This support should also include examples of successful approaches that have been used in the past, clear guidelines on developing relationships and engagement strategies within communities, as well as links to organisations or resources that can assist (for example, new media activities).
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Retailers – There were several examples in Alice Springs where organisations have worked closely with retailers to develop supply reduction strategies. The research suggests there are opportunities to expand this strategy in the East Kimberley region. As well, it may be possible for locally based youth workers to work with local organisations and retailers to identify potential supply reduction strategies that are appropriate for individual communities.
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Non-Indigenous residents – The research identified a need to design and implement communications targeting non-Indigenous residents on Opal fuel to dispel myths about potential harm Opal fuel may cause vehicles