The YBMen Project is being adapted for Aboriginal and Indigenous men in Northern Australia!
Young men of color, including Indigenous males, disproportionately experience social and emotional well-being (SEWB) challenges due to their exposure to a greater frequency and severity of psychosocial stressors. Likewise, the SEWB of Aboriginal students has been a key concern of the Australian education sector during COVID-19. Evidence shows that age-appropriate, gender-sensitive, and culturally responsive programs are essential for promoting the SEWB and educational outcomes of this cohort.
The Young Black Men, Masculinities, and Mental Health (YBMen) project has produced significant positive impacts on its participants and has been successfully adapted across several diverse contexts. In Australia, however, few digital health promotion programs are tailored towards the unique needs of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males, despite potentially higher rates of social media use among the Aboriginal population and lower stigma associated with sharing mental health information online.
What We Are Doing
Our project aims to adapt and contextualize the YBMen program to meet the SEWB needs of young Aboriginal males currently attending high school or university in the Australia Northern Territory (NT).
Our program adaptation utilizes a Participatory Action Research (PAR) methodology. Cultural and policy experts note that the cyclical nature of PAR is a preferred methodology for health programs operating in Aboriginal/SEWB contexts.
Findings
We are currently working on this project with our collaborators at the University of Flinders, led by Professor James Smith.
Check back later for details.
