Transforming Indigenous Mental Health & Wellbeing
Bringing cultural ways and healing into mental health and wellbeing systems to better serve the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.
About TIMHWB
Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing (TIMHWB) is a ground-breaking research program transforming Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health care through Aboriginal leadership and authentic partnerships with Aboriginal organisations.
Three streams of research activity are defining and establishing culturally safe mental health support, through building an evidence base of what works.
Establishing social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) as a paradigm applied in mainstream and community-controlled service delivery and community support programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Empowering the mental health workforce to deliver culturally safe care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
The Australian Indigenous Psychology Education Project has been revitalised under TIMHWB Empowering the Workforce stream, visit the AIPEP website for more information.
Establishing cultural safety in mainstream clinical services including through the employment of cultural healers and elders.
Empowering Access
Establishing social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) as a paradigm applied in mainstream and community-controlled service delivery and community support programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Empowering the Workforce
Empowering the mental health workforce to deliver culturally safe care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
The Australian Indigenous Psychology Education Project has been revitalised under TIMHWB Empowering the Workforce stream, visit the AIPEP website for more information.
Empowering Service Systems
Establishing cultural safety in mainstream clinical services including through the employment of cultural healers and elders.
Take a look at TIMHWB events
Our mission
Our vision is that all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have the opportunity to thrive through services and systems that better support their needs, with a focus on:
- empowering access to services
- building a culturally competent workforce and;
- establishing cultural safety in mainstream clinical services including through the employment of cultural healers and elders.
Three powerful research streams will work together to improve the cultural safety of mental health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, through research that will understand and respond to the needs of the community, and build an evidence base for sustainable change.
Our Approach
Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing is a collaborative research program, which brings together leading Aboriginal organisations from across Australia in partnership. This partnership is building an evidence base for sustainable change for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Stay Up to Date
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the first peoples of Australia and the enduring custodians the oldest continuous human culture. We acknowledge and pay our respects to the Traditional Custodians of the lands, Elders past and present, and emerging young leaders.
We acknowledge the Wadjuk Noongar people, on whose land our offices reside, and also the Indigenous peoples beyond our shores.
We acknowledge the sorrow of the Stolen Generations, the injustice of Aboriginal deaths in custody, and the continued impact of colonisation.
We recognise the ongoing violence, trauma, and grief inflicted on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their land unceded to this day.
We recognise the strength, creativity, and resilience of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities, their rich and diverse ways of knowing, being, and doing, and their languages, cultures, and histories across Australia. We recognise the importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young peoples, who are our future and our hope.
Finally, we acknowledge our allies, who walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future and a fuller expression of Australia’s nationhood.