13yarn a 24/7 Crisis Support Line for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders
Tracks
Danggalaba (Saltwater crocodile)
Monday, October 30, 2023 |
11:50 AM - 12:10 PM |
Overview
Marjorie Anderson, Lifeline Australia
Speaker
Mrs Marjorie Anderson
National Manager 13yarn
Lifeline Australia
13YARN a 24/7 Crisis Support line for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders
Abstract
This presentation will take you through the journey of creating a culturally safe crisis line and through its first year of delivery. We began working on setting up the new crisis support line in October 2021 and in March the following year we started receiving calls. The service was codesigned with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and is run with the support of Lifeline.
13YARN is designed by, developed by, managed by and delivered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Mob are included in making the decisions, and we are actively improving the service following feedback from the community.
We had some lived experience mob join us, as well as some clinical expertise from our partner, Gaaya Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia.
We went out into the communities and said ‘What do you want 13 YARN to look like, sound like, feel like? You tell us what you want, and we’ll deliver it.’
We expected to get 58 calls a day in the first year, we have far exceeded that.. The feedback we’re getting from the community has been wonderful, they say:
‘We’ve been waiting for this for a long time. Thank you for delivering this. I feel like I’m being listened to. I don’t have to teach anyone about my culture and my community before I get the help I need.’
We can celebrate the success of 13YARN and the importance of having suicide prevention services designed and delivered by mob for mob.
13YARN is designed by, developed by, managed by and delivered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Mob are included in making the decisions, and we are actively improving the service following feedback from the community.
We had some lived experience mob join us, as well as some clinical expertise from our partner, Gaaya Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia.
We went out into the communities and said ‘What do you want 13 YARN to look like, sound like, feel like? You tell us what you want, and we’ll deliver it.’
We expected to get 58 calls a day in the first year, we have far exceeded that.. The feedback we’re getting from the community has been wonderful, they say:
‘We’ve been waiting for this for a long time. Thank you for delivering this. I feel like I’m being listened to. I don’t have to teach anyone about my culture and my community before I get the help I need.’
We can celebrate the success of 13YARN and the importance of having suicide prevention services designed and delivered by mob for mob.
Biography
Marjorie is an Aboriginal woman from the Gamilaroi Nation in Northern NSW although she was born and bred on Gadigal land in Redfern. Marjorie has worked in Aboriginal affairs in media, housing, justice, event management, tourism and was the Aboriginal Strategy Manager for the Olympic Coordination Authority for the 200 Olympic Games earning the Gold Olympic Rings.
Marjorie's passion is to work with community to create a sustainable, culturally safe, resilient environment for all our mob to thrive.