Break It Down – ‘Community Conversations Around Wellbeing’

OUTLINE

For DPM, the ‘Break It Down’ program began back in 2017/18 as a partnership between Western NSW Primary Health Network (WNSW PHN) and DPM. It was identified that DPM’s creative process had the capacity to create real and meaningful impact on the social and emotional wellbeing of Original Nations young people and communities. Together, we developed a program model that engaged service providers, young people, Elders and community members in a community-led conversation around wellbeing.

The ’Break It Down’ Project has now spanned five years of DPM operations and has taken the DPM Team to communities all over Australia – partnering with Primary Health Networks in Western NSW, North Coast NSW and Far North Queensland.

PROCESS

'Break It Down’ is an Original Nations youth mental health literacy program, focusing on social and emotional wellbeing and the influencing factors. The project is a connected and meaningful collaborative engagement, creative workshop, and content development activities that brings together DPM, local Original Nations communities, Aboriginal Health Services, representatives of health agencies, as well as education and other relevant community stakeholders.

The ‘Break It Down’ process focuses on intensive community arts projects – creating conversations around wellbeing.  The outcomes of these projects then become ‘Break It Down – The Road Show’ which continues the conversation in community as part of a community-led live event, premiering the works and inviting community leaders into open yarns about social and emotional wellbeing.

Read about the independent Evaluation of the North Queensland and North Coast NSW ‘Break It Down’ projects HERE.