Aboriginal Program
Act Belong Commit uses tailored branding and messaging to specifically address the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal people with an emphasis on interactions with family, involvement in community activities and connections to country and culture.
Pilbara Capacity Building and Standing Strong Together Program
Mentally Healthy WA is currently working with partner organisations, including peak Aboriginal community-controlled organisations, to deliver the Act Belong Commit campaign in the Pilbara region of Western Australia to encourage communities to protect and promote their own mental health and wellbeing and engage with community organisations to promote participation.
Funded by the Australian Government, the project includes resuming the Standing Strong Together program model for Aboriginal people which emphasises the dependency of social and emotional wellbeing on interactions with family, involvement in community activities and connections to country and culture.
This project follows the successful implementation of the pilot Standing Strong Together Aboriginal project (2014 – 2018) in the town of Roebourne, the traditional country of the Ngarluma People. It also draws from learnings of the successful Pilbara Capacity Building Program (2014-2018) which was designed to build social and emotional wellbeing in select regional communities in Western Australia, focusing on the towns of Karratha and Onslow. Both of these projects were delivered with thanks to funding from Chevron.
The program applies Act Belong Commit’s Aboriginal branding and messaging (below) originally developed in the Pilbara and later accepted by the wider community as being relevant to the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal people.
Mentally Healthy WA meeting with Puntukurnu (PAMS) Cultural Wellbeing Officer and Community Elder Desmond Taylor at Martumili studio (Newman).
Adopting the Act Belong Commit campaign’s partnership model, the current program relies on the engagement of key organisations and groups from the Pilbara region. For program delivery, Act Belong Commit has partnered with Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service where an Act Belong Commit officer is based.
Want to get involved?
We welcome input and suggestions from local organisations and groups as we endeavour to promote social and emotional wellbeing in the Pilbara region. Please contact us to discuss partnership opportunities.
Aboriginal branding and messaging
Act Belong Commit branding and messaging specifically addressing the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal people was originally instigated with the development of a pilot Pilbara Capacity Building Aboriginal project in the town of Roebourne, the traditional country of the Ngarluma People (2014-2018).
Extensive consultation with Elders, community organisations and members of the local community informed the development of key messaging and branding components. At the close of the pilot project, branding and messaging developed was tested for application statewide and it was considered relevant and appropriate.
Aboriginal key messages
The Aboriginal Act Belong Commit messaging developed was accepted by the community as being relevant to Aboriginal people, with its emphasis on the dependency of social and emotional wellbeing on interactions with family, involvement in community activities, and connecting to country and culture.
Aboriginal branding
The Aboriginal logos and Standing Strong Together slogan were also developed alongside Elders, local Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people as part of a community consultation project in the Roebourne region. The initial concept for the Aboriginal Logo with Person was originally designed by Jasminda Stevens, who was 11 at the time.
How to use the Aboriginal branding and messaging
Key messages and Aboriginal branding, including logos and the Standing Strong Together slogan, are found in the Act Belong Commit Styleguide on pages 16 – 19. Note, the logos were updated in tandem with the evolved campaign brand in 2020.
Many Act Belong Commit partners, including schools and community organisations, value use of the more targeted Aboriginal branding and messaging. Mentally Healthy WA encourages use where relevant and appropriate.
Aboriginal branding being used in Roebourne as part of the pilot Standing Strong Together Aboriginal project (2014 – 2018).
Please contact us if you have questions about the use of the Aboriginal branding and messaging or would like to become a Partner to get involved.