Racism is never okay, and is something that no one should have to experience. Unfortunately racism is still very present and is something that many people experience in their day to day life. Racism can have significant negative impacts on individuals and can impact many aspects of their life, including their social and emotional wellbeing.
It's important that we all know how to take care of ourselves and how to take a stand against racism. Whether you have experienced racism yourself, have witnessed it, or would
like to know more about how to be an ally, we have put together some resources that you may find helpful.
What is Racism?
Understanding racism and how to spot it
Experiencing racism as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person:
Racism is something that a lot of mob experience. Whether it be at school, work or in public, it is tough to deal with and can have big impacts on how you feel and on your emotional wellbeing. You don’t have to deal with racism on your own, and having a yarn to someone about it can make you feel better. Always remember how deadly you are - you are part of the longest living culture in the world, and your ancestors are all with you in spirit to guide you and give you strength.
If you want to connect with, hear from, ask for advice or share about what you’re going through with other Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community members, you can join our new First Nations Yarning space on the forums here.
We wanted to share some ways for mob to keep safe and look after themselves when dealing with racism. If you have any others, we would love for you to share them with us.
Stay connected to your culture and to your mob/local community. 🖤
- This article shares some ways that you can connect with the community.
Have a yarn to someone about what's been going on for you and about how you are feeling.💛
- We have a list of support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here.
- You can also join our ReachOut yarning space on the online community.
How to respond to racism and stay safe online: ❤️
- eSafety has some stories for mob and tips to help you stay safe and deadly online. You can find them here or by looking up ‘First Nations eSafety’.
- Responding to racism.
Wellbeing supports for Aboriginal or/and Torres Strait Islander young people:
Finding health services that really understand what you're going through as a First Nations person can be tough. So, we've put together a list of resources to make it easier to find the right help for you.
Health services
These directories are all about helping you find health care that makes sense for you, whether you're dealing with a specific health issue or need some general support.
📱 National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO). They provide a map of all the health services designed and run by the local community.
📱 Australian Indigenous Health Info Net. They map each state's health and medical services, including hospitals, clinics, and other health facilities.
State-based services
Here's a quick snapshot of each state's First Nations health services run by the local community.
🦀ACT Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service
🦉NSW Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of New South Wales
🦇NT Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory
🐕 QLD Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council
🐨SA Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia
🐍TAS Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre Inc
🐟VIC Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Inc.
🐊WA The Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia
Mental Health Services
Remember, your physical and social and emotional wellbeing are connected. So, if you're after mental health support, options are available.
Search for national social and emotional well-being support services here.
YARN13 is a 24/7 helpline run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. You can call them on 13 92 76.
Brother To Brother is a 24/7 crisis helpline run by Aboriginal men, including Elders with lived experience. You can call them on 1800 435 799.
Kids Helpline is a free phone and online counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25. They are available 24/7 and you can call them on 1800 55 1800.
Lifeline is a 24/7 crisis helpline for all Australians. It is free and you can call them on 13 11 14.
How to be an ally and how to stand up against racism:
If you want to know how to stand up against racism and how you can be an ally for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, we have some articles below that can help you out.
- How to be an ally to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 💚
- Standing up to racism: How to support people from different cultural backgrounds💙
- Racism, it stops with me: Being an ally & Bystander action
Other resources:
