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INSTITUTE FOR ABORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT |
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INMATES PUT FAMILY WELLBEING FIRST 11 August 2004 The first group of Indigenous male inmates to complete a counselling program designed to help them gain control of their lives, has been recognised at a ceremony at the Alice Springs Correctional Centre today. The nine men have completed a five-month pilot of the nationally-accredited Family Wellbeing Program which addresses physical, emotional and spiritual issues as well as developing the participant’s skills to address life challenges. The program was first developed in South Australia in 1993 partly to address some of the issues faced by members of the Stolen Generations. It has been run in the Northern Territory by Tangentyere Council since 1997, with 24 facilitators now qualified to lecture in the course. Facilitators Eunice Blackmore and Kathy Abbott from Tangentyere Council have been running the Family Wellbeing Program at the jail and in the Alice Springs community through the adult education provider, the Institute for Aboriginal Development. “At the jail we don’t judge the participants or ask them what they’re in for. We just know they have the potential to be counselled, to look at themselves and deal with past hurts so they can get on with life,” Facilitator Kathy Abbott said. The course uses role-play to look at anger management and covers modules including The Cycle of Abuse, Skills in Crisis and The Wisdom of Tradition. The nine men today received their formal qualification from the Institute for Aboriginal Development during a presentation ceremony at the jail. “We are very proud of these men who have had the courage to face and challenge their own feelings and past behaviours. Many of these men have expressed an interest in becoming course facilitators themselves or setting up support networks in the community upon their release,” Manager of the Alice Springs Prisoner Rehabilitation Team, Christine Weir said. The IAD’s Education and Training Manager, Ray Cochrane said: “As a result of the success of this valuable Program, the IAD is hoping to expand it within the Northern Territory and deliver it through another education institution in Queensland.” For media enquiries, please contact Kirsty Nancarrow on 8951 1379 or Jane Vadiveloo on 8951 4244.
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Copyright © Institute for Aboriginal Development 2004 IAD is a registered training organisation (National code: 0167)
3 South Terrace Alice Springs
phone: 08 8951 1311 fax: 08 8953 1884 Email:
general.info@iad.edu.au |
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