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Conference Papers

Session H8: Men's health

1. J. Bulman & R Hayes: Strengthening men friendly practice and health promotion

Full paper | Audio | Video | Slideshow pdf 1.2MB

Abstract

Mibbinbah has worked in partnership with local Indigenous organisations across the eastern seaboard to create and develop networks of support for Indigenous males. A critical concern is the transferral of knowledge across different sectors and multiple levels. An important component of the support network is the role of the Mibbinbah Project Associates. These males are not employed with Mibbinbah but rather through the local Indigenous organisations in their communities. The support of these people within their positions is vital to meeting project objectives. The Mibbinbah Organisational Matrix was developed to help partners and participants grasp the practical dimensions and the potential extensions of this support. A number of roles within and beyond the organisation and their interrelationships have been identified and graphically illustrated. This provides a powerful tool for analysing social networks and persuading funding bodies about the potential scope and reach of proposed programs. It also illustrates the pathways and processes of succession that leads to long term sustainability through personal and organisational capacity building. This paper will proposes to discuss the Matrix with regards to its suitability for use in community-based participatory action research with men (Minkler & Wallerstein, 2003; Israel et al., 2005)

Minkler, M. and Wallerstein, N. (Eds.) (2003) Community-Based Participatory Research for Health. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Israel, B.A., Eng, E., Schulz, A.J. Parker, E.A. (Eds.) (2005) Methods in Community-Based Participatory Research for Health. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Author Bios:

Rick is a senior lecturer and the undergraduate coordinator for the Bachelor of Health Sciences degree at the School of Public Health, La Trobe University. He is leading researcher on non-pathologising approaches to men's health in Australia and on matters relating to the social dimensions of men's health. With his research partner, Jack Bulman (CEO, Mibbinbah Limited), he is currently engaged in research relating to Indigenous men, men’s spaces and health. Rick lectures in health promotion and public health subjects and works on the health promotion team to provide reflective practice and mentoring opportunities for health promotion workers.

2. Troy Austin: ‘It’s more than a game’: the Fitzroy Stars Football Club performing off the field

Full paper | Audio | Video | Slideshow pdf 1.3MB

Abstract

The Fitzroy Stars Football Club is based in the Aboriginal Community in Melbourne’s northern suburbs. The club was formed in the early 1970s, and had considerable success, competing in finals on a regular basis, recognised as undefeated champions in 1974 and winning premierships in 1977, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1990 and 1992. Unfortunately, the FSFC history has been interrupted by the collapse of competitions they have played in. The FSFC were not able to compete from 1994 – 2007 despite making many applications to football competitions.

In 2008 the FSFC were successful in their bid to compete in the Northern Football League, and is now an integral part of the way community members spend their weekends. Going to the footy to see the Stars play gives families a place where they can participate in sport and other community activities.

This paper will discuss the FSFC’s mission to nurture a culture that promotes a healthy lifestyle, fitness, good nutrition and self-esteem. It also offers pathways to employment and education and fosters reconciliation by building strong bridges between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities.

FSFC matches have become an important weekly meeting place for people to have a yarn as well as take part in various community sponsor days, which has included the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service providing health checks.

While the game of football has been described as ‘Winning isn’t everything… it’s the only thing’, the Fitzroy Stars Football Club aims to take this philosophy and incorporate winning on and off the field by supporting its players, administrators, supporters and sponsors to be winners.

Author bio:

Troy Austin is a Gunditjmara man who has lived his life in the urban environment of Melbourne in Victoria.  Troy has almost 25 years experience working with the Aboriginal community in Melbourne including roles with the Fitzroy Stars Aboriginal Community Youth Club Gymnasium, North West Metropolitan Regional Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee and Aboriginal Affairs Victoria.  Troy has been a passionate advocate for Indigenous people in Victoria having held positions such as the ATSIC Commissioner for Victoria, Tumbukka Regional Council Chairperson and member of the Premier’s Aboriginal Advisory Council.  Troy is currently employed as the Coordinator of Indigenous Policy and Programs at the Darebin City Council on secondment from the Department of Justice Koori Justice Unit.  Troy is the President of the Fitzroy Stars Football Club a club he helped resurrect after a 13 year absence from competitive football. 

3. Brian McCoy: Bridging the Health Divide: Indigenous men engaging chronic disease through sport

Full paper | Audio | Video | Slideshow pdf 983KB

Abstract

Popular descriptions of contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities often depict those who live in remote, rural and urban communities as being essentially different from one another. Whatever the differences, men across many communities share two things in common: a great interest in sport and signs of early onset chronic disease. The health of Indigenous men across the nation remains generally poor and the future health of young men provides a critical challenge. Recent research suggests that Indigenous men invest more of themselves within the social arena of sport than is often assumed. Sport, such as Australian Rules football, has become much more than a game. Understanding how young Indigenous men engage with sport can offer valuable insights into the development of more effective and healthy social pathways for Indigenous men across the nation. It suggests a range of strategies to prevent the early onset of chronic disease. Urban communities have much to offer.

Author Bio

Brian McCoy has lived and worked in a number of different Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) communities within northern Australia over more than three decades. This has included a range of engagement with young men, particularly around Australian Rules football, prison, and petrol sniffing. In 2004, he completed a PhD at The University of Melbourne based on health research with men of the Kutjungka region of the Kimberley, Western Australia. In 2006, he was awarded an NHMRC Fellowship in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health at the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society (ARCSHS), La Trobe University, to continue working with desert Aboriginal men and their health. His book, Holding Men: Kanyirninpa and the Health of Aboriginal Men, was published last year by Aboriginal Studies Press.