from yaprap February-March 2011
When Youth Health Worker Nikki Rabbitte met photographer and filmmaker Rewa Nolan they realised a shared vision for increasing the rural community awareness of the challenges that young parents face in their lives.
Southern General Practice Network (SGPN) had been coordinating a Young Parents group (MAD-Mum and DAD) since 2004. Members of the MAD group for pregnant and parenting teenagers in Cooma wanted to share information about health issues and communicate with other young people. SGPN saw the opportunity to promote healthy parenting and community activities for other young parents.
SGPN approached South East Arts Region (SEAR) to source Arts funds to engage a professional artist to run photographic workshops for the group and produce a short film about their lives. The project aimed to reduce the stigma of parenting and support MAD members to become champions for change by sharing their stories.
“There is a huge difference between having kids and not having kids. It changes your life heaps but you also have to make the effort to change.” - Colin Wilson, MAD group member.
The short film on the life experiences of the 25 participants went beyond everyday parenting challenges to explore major obstacles these young people had overcome. Group members felt their stories could help other teenagers and community members to understand their point of view and make better decisions. Group members learned photography and filmmaking skills and created images for an exhibition that promoted social inclusion.
SGPN aims to improve access to health services for people who are disadvantaged, including young parents who face barriers to education and employment. The Network promotes the message that including pregnant and parenting teenagers in the community and the lives of other local people is critical to their success as parents. Promoting the stories of the MAD group has meant referrals to the SGPN Youth health support worker has started to come from a larger number of sources, including local employers, Centrelink, GPs and schools.
Through the partnership SEAR achieved increased participation in arts practice for young people in a regional area and assisted in improved social wellbeing of communities in the region through arts participation.
The ability of SGPN to partner with SEAR to facilitate the engagement of the right local artist was critical in securing the success of the project. In addition to producing the artistic outputs, the relationship between the artist and health worker was supportive and provided the young parents with positive mentors and cemented a relationship with a professional artist for further projects. The success of this partnership also demonstrated ways in which the project could be replicated in other communities.
Local community groups, including Rotary, View, Lions and APEX, hosted presentations to discuss how to provide more support to the group. Over 200 community members viewed the film and opening of the photographic exhibition. Over 2000 high school students have viewed the film and provided positive feedback through High School Welfare programs. Many GPs have also requested copies of the film for their young patients to view.
In late 2010 the project won the inaugural Arts and Health Foundation award from the Australia Business Arts Foundation at a national awards ceremony. SEAR and SGPN won the award in the category for partnerships between a health organisation and cultural organisation.
Rewa Nolan said the award win was a “dream come true” but the project was more than just about winning an award.
“It’s never been about the award. Right from the start this project was rewarding. Now it has gone to the moon and back,” she said. “When I started on the project I knew their stories were worthy of national exposure. The people in the MAD group have done amazing things. They have overcome adversity at such a young age more than you or I will experience in our lifetime. They told their stories with such honesty and truth,” she said.
Rewa Nolan said she was hoping to expand the project into other communities across Australia. “We are hoping to formulate a plan. I would like to get the project into the education system further into the curriculum, to GP’s across Australia and into more communities further afield.” Ms Nolan said the best outcome would be for the education department to take hold of the project at an in school level.
More information
Nikki Rabbitte
Youth Health Support Worker
Southern General Practice Network
- The Hub Youth Centre Cooma NSW
- 0418 264 098
- nrabbitte@sgpn.com.au