The collaboration between NEPHU and the Margaret Tucker Hostel (MTH) demonstrates how an intersectional community-led approach can significantly enhance engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait community and support the connection to relevant health and wellbeing services.
Margaret Tucker Hostel (MTH) is a crisis accommodation and culturally holistic support service for young Aboriginal women aged between 15 and 18 who are experiencing homeless or are at risk of homelessness. This community service provides a safe environment, service referrals, health and legal aid, while promoting independence through life skills, education, and training to help young women reach their potential.
By incorporating culturally tailored health education, building trust through continuous community engagement, and addressing broader social determinants of health, this program was successful in maintaining connection with MTH, meet the needs of the service and delivering programs aligned with NEPHU’s strategic direction.
What was involved?
As part of MTH’s Tiddas gathering, NEPHU in collaboration with relevant organisations delivered four sessions during the implementation period to the MTH Tiddas Young Women’s group. Speakers included NEPHU, Headspace, Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF) and Women’s Health in the North (WHIN), sessions consisted of yarning with members about mental health, sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) whilst also completing an activity such as sewing blankets to enable conversation and learning using a culturally safe and informal approach.
NEPHU worked closely with MTH to understand needs and interests of the young women participating in the Tiddas gatherings and worked to develop a relevant program of speakers and provide connections to organisations who would be able to deliver culturally safe health information to the group.
The MTH Tiddas gatherings involved sharing a meal together, establishing mutual respect for difference and finding out where others are at in their journey.
The group used a combination of conversation based and activity-based mediums to provide education (informally), including connections to relevant community organisations and strong women within the Aboriginal community.
The group strengthened the formal and informal support network around these young women and MTH, by promoting a peer support model that embraces self-advocacy and a reconnection back to community.
Evaluation of the project’s effectiveness was completed via self-reports during and post sessions from participants who attended the gatherings. The program was received positively by the young women in the MTH Young Women’s group.
