Supporting First Nations Communities & Young People  to Heal & Live Well. 

It is too common that we are seeing First Nations People that devote their lives to work in community, experiencing severe mental, emotional and spiritual burnout. Commonly, this is a result of having to invest their whole being into the work, unable to separate personal, professional and community expectations and deeply felt obligations. Whilst not being able to find the time, opportunity or space to participate in self-care, as their responsibility is often to enable this for others within the community.

We are witnessing this to have detrimental effects on the way our communities and families function, hindering our capacity to heal from intergenerational and current evolving traumas or to live connected and holistically well lives through the lens of First Nations of ways of being.

Healing our Healers facilitates an opportunity for individuals and teams to slow down and prioritize their own well-being, self-care and “community of practice” to ensure they are in a position to provide service to the community from a healthy and connected standpoint. While supporting us to develop tools and practices to bring ourselves out of “survival” and “fight” mode and into a present and connected state of being.

This experience will guide a process for teams to harmonise through addressing and eliminating unhealthy behaviours, attitudes and dynamics in a safe space, whilst workshopping and establishing healthy foundations and principles to guide their teams work into the future.

Healing our Healers is providing a critical opportunity that our communities are yearning for. Disturbingly, it has become natural for experiences such as this to not hold a place of significance or importance. We must change the narrative of working, fighting and providing endlessly in order to survive, by balancing and claiming the right to our own self-care, well-being and  healing journeys. Healing our Healers is here to support in changing that narrative.

Recommended to be delivered as a tailored workshop series,  ideally with one or more of those workshops held “on country” with the option of additional engagement of Yarn Bark in a consultancy capacity to support and mentor the team and individuals to implement learnt practices and tools into their team culture, approaches and dynamics.

The content is designed and delivered through a culturally integrated and body centered approach. Drawing on ancient practices and wellness methodologies. Leaving participants with culturally appropriate and practical tools and strategies to implement into their lives and work.

The program will hold a space that uniquely transitions between an embodied experience and a more practical workshop experience where we strategise, plan and develop goals, visions, values and approaches that embed well-being and self-care in the team’s everyday practice.

Each workshop / program is uniquely designed in partnership with the participating group to ensure there is alignment with specific needs. Below is some insight into the activities / focus area's that can be included: 

• Exploring the practice of "yarning" through a First Nations Worldview and understanding the individual and collective wellbeing and healing qualities it holds. 
• Intentionally themed and facilitated yarning circles that have a clear intention for the participating group. 
• Exploration of the teams "Spiritual Spark" and how we can keep that alive to influence our behaviour, attitude and approach to work. 
• Exploring Cultural Load. 
• Exploring the signs of burnout and overwhelm in our team and individual identity. Whilst developing an awareness of  its flow on effect within our work if left unattended to. 
• Introduction to Kanang Wanga Meerreeng Ngoooyt - Deep Listening, Earth Healing as a well-being, self-care and grounding tool / practice 
• Exploration of 12 First Nations Wellness Methodologies and Workshopping of how they can be adapted into our lives and work as health and wellbeing protective factors. 
• Immersion in Cultural Practices - Cleansing Ceremony, Traditional Song, Ceremonial Circles, Arts & Craft as grounding practices. 
• Tailored activities dependant on participating groups circumstances and ideal objectives and outcomes. 

Format & Delivery Style 

Given the nature of content being explored in Healing our Healers it is important to provide sufficient time for the experience to meaningful, safe and impactful for all involved. Keeping in mind that the more time allocated, the greater amount of content that can be explored

Yarn Bark suggests the following formats of delivery: 

1 x Full Day Workshop Experience. 

2 x Full Day Workshop Experience (Consecutive). 

3 x Full Day Workshops over 6 month period. 

4 x Full Day Workshops over a 12 month period. 

Space Required

Ideally the workshop space for Healing our Healers is an environment free from all distraction for the participating group. Furthermore, having access to outdoor spaces also strengthens the overall experience. 

On-Country Element

In extension from above, Yarn Bark places high value on the incorporation of an "On Country" element in the experience of Healing our Healers. Given the known healing, connection and well-being qualities this has for our people. 

For Victorian based bookings, Yarn Bark can facilitate the use of a 100 acre property in central Victoria (10 min outside of Daylesford) if of interest. 

This can be explored in conversations upon booking, However we understand it is not possible in all circumstances.

Yarn Bark understands that many teams servicing First Nations Communities within NGO's, Aboriginal Controlled Organisations, Governments Departments and Public / Private Sectors also have non-indigenous staff members. 

Yarn Bark welcomes these staff members to participate in the workshop experience, however the safety of First Nations staff members is paramount. We are guided by the client on selecting the participating group.  

Workshop Rates: 

1 x Full Day Workshop Experience: $5,000

2 x Full Day Workshop Experience (Consecutive): $10,000

3 x Full Day Workshops over 6 month period: $14,000

4 x Full Day Workshops over a 12 month period: $18,000

Kareeta Meerta Peeneeyt - "Grow and Rise Up Strong" consists of four workshops:

Workshop One: Wooka Keeyn Toopoongnan Ngotook - Give Love To Yourself

Since european settlement First Nations Peoples have received labels that have been forced upon on them so significantly that they often become the reality of how we see ourselves. When we start to see ourselves through the lens of these labels, it becomes detrimental to our wellbeing and self worth. 

This workshop will involve stripping back and freeing ourselves from shame and all those labels and celebrating the uniqueness and beauty of who we are as First Nations Peoples at an individual and collective level. 

Through a positive, uplifting and strength based experience participants in this workshop will leave empowered and understanding of their worthiness of self love and care and will no longer limit themselves to the labels they come to know. 

Here participants explore and develop practical tools and strategies to support their self care and well-being. 

Workshop Two: Peeneeyt Pernmeeyal - Strong Spirit

Drawing on First Nations practices such as song, dance, storytelling, arts, craft, and yarning circles as the grounds for meaningful and inspirational participation, this workshop will support participants to connect deeply to intergenerational strength, wisdom and power that comes with being apart of the longest living culture in existence.

Here we will explore 12 unique First Nations Methodologies that young people can embrace in their lives. This workshop will provide a safe space to explore cultural identity and expression in its different forms.

Participants will leave this space with a sense of resilience, belonging to community, pride and a spark of inspiration to continue their journey of cultural connection into the future.

Workshop 3: Walatha Ngootook Koytpa Koy koy - Embrace Your Story

For First Nations People a method of learning, communicating, understanding and expressing for thousands of generations has been storytelling. In a modern context we connect deeply when we are able to express our collective and personal narratives in authentic and meaningful ways. Too often the stories of colonisation, hurt, pain and suffering overshadow our truth and define us as First Nations People. However, coming from the longest living culture in existence, our stories are rooted in profound wisdom, strength, deep connection, inspiration, and knowledge.

In this workshop participants will reflect deeply on their personal narratives and will explore the theme “Who Am I”. Exploring their grounding values, qualities, defining life moments and future tracking who and where they want to be in life . This workshop will facilitate a transformational process of acknowledging all elements of their story. Celebrating it and owning it with pride. 

This workshop will support participants in eliminating confusion and self doubt by discovering newly found inspiration and grounding in who they and their life path.

Workshop 4: Keeweerrlakeenpa - Make a Noise!

This hands on, strengths based, creative workshop will facilitate a process for the participant group to develop a social action project, message or initiative that contributes towards taking a stand against against  issues affecting First Nations Peoples or one that promotes connection, love and hope to their peers and broader community. In this workshop, participants will discover pride and purpose, through the realisation that they can contribute to changing issues that feel out of their control. So often we First Nations Peoples are silenced. WE ARE HERE TO MAKE A NOISE!

Format

Kareeta Meerta Peeneeyt is delivered as a program consisting of 4 x 4 hour workshop experiences. 

These workshops can be delivered over a set period of time (e.g. fortnightly, weekly, over 3-6 months). 

Alternatively, the program can be tailored to be delivered as a 2-3 day consecutive experience. 

Location

Yarn Bark is based in Victoria but delivers workshops and programs across the country.

We are excited to offer the Kareeta Peerta Peeneeyt program across all States and Territories. 

Participating Group

Kareeta Meerta Peeneeyt is suitable for First Nations Young People aged 16 - 26. 

We recommend a group size of between 10 - 30 participants. With the same participant group attending all workshops. 

Yarn Bark is a grassroots organisation and does not currently receive any funding to deliver our programs and workshops to First Nations Communities.

We encourage Schools, Organisations, Facilities, Community Organisations and Aboriginal Controlled Organisations who have allocated budget for programs of this nature to consider engaging Yarn Bark to work in partnership with your service / community to deliver Kareeta Meerta Peeneeyt as experts in the design and facilitation of highly impactful workshops and programs for First Nations Young People. 

We are also happy to assist in the application of small grants and funding if need. 

For a quote or to discuss a partnership in your community please reach out to us directly at [email protected]