December 2023
Quote
“Alcohol is the only drug that causes generational destruction but is marketed as celebration.”
Useful Fact
Beauty is about more than the body you inhabit -- it's a way of being that goes beyond genetics or societal ideals.
Aboriginal writer and former model Sasha Sarago invites you to decolonize beauty, moving away from the monolithic Eurocentric archetype and towards a more essential, authentic understanding of self that belongs to everyone.
Sasha is a proud Aboriginal woman of the Wadjanbarra Yidinji and Jirrbal clans 'Rainforest People' of Cairns, Far North Queensland. Sasha is also of African-American, Malay, Mauritian and Spanish descent
Have a look at Sasha’s book Gigorou that we reviewed in the What We’re Reading section of the website.
Instagram Highlight
Follow us on Instagram to access posts like this one!
Have you watched our Reels on The Gram?
You can watch and listen to;
Dr Joy Townsend from Learning Consent defining consent and talk about the continuum of sexual violence,
Zachary Bennett Brook from Saltwater Dreamtime talk about the inspiration for the fantastic surfboard art he created for us this year
Kirli Saunders read her beautiful poem “They Sung Us” for her Nyiwarri from her book Returning
and more…
We are always honoured and humbled to be able to work with the wonderful people we get to collaborate with in one form or another.
Campaign & Events
Kevin Schamburg is one of our favourite colleagues that we work with from around NSW. Kevin is 72 years of age and has been working as the HIV & Related Programs Health Promotion Manager in Murumbidgee & Southern NSW Local Health District for the past 16 years. We are delighted to share this wonderful 4 minute video of Kevin speaking about the work he does and where it all started back in the 80s, living through the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Australia.
Know Your Websites
You may have heard of the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) test.
These are events or conditions, such as childhood abuse, neglect, domestic violence and parent substance abuse, that occur before the age of 18.
However, there are positive experiences that can reduce the effects of adversity and build resilience in children and teens and protect against risk for mental and physical illness with Protective and Compensatory Experiences (PACEs).
In the PACEs Heart Model supportive relationships and resources make up PACEs.
Adults who had many PACEs in their childhood have fewer problems related to health and wellbeing even if they had a history of ACEs.
Who are
Earth.fm is non-profit, free repository of pure, immersive natural soundscapes and a fundraising platform for local, grassroots charities that support the restoration of our natural world.
Based on empirical evidence as well as numerous recent studies from all over the world, listening to natural soundscapes (particularly mindful listening) has a great positive impact on our wellbeing, and potentially on our respect for nature.
However, these soundscapes are increasingly scarce as we humans continue to destroy the natural ecosystems which produce them.
That’s where earth.fm comes in: as well as sharing a new natural soundscape every day, they actively help the community to go out in nature more often and discover a deeper, more direct connection with the wonders around us, which can lead to more well being on individual and collective levels.
On the Blog
Throwback Thursday is one of our popular blogs from September 2021.
In it we feature Condom Couture in the making of various Connie Condom over the years.
The idea behind Condom Couture is to allow young people a creative space to work and become familiar with condoms.
They get used to opening condom packets, seeing what they feel like, how stretchy and versatile they can be, while engaging in a relaxed, informal conversation around sexual health at the same time.
We describe this as condom literacy.
Our most viewed YouTube video on the Caddyshack channel, with over 6K hits, is the making of a dress at the Thirroul Youth Project, NSW, Australia.
Resource
In June 2023, after extensive consultation and research, LGBTIQ+ sporting bodies and human rights organisation Equality Australia have welcomed the fact the new Australian Institute of Sport guidelines do not include a blanket ban on trans athletes.
The guidelines encourage sporting bodies to start from a position of inclusion and state that any restrictions must be justified on a case-by-case basis and be no more than necessary to ensure meaningful competition for everyone.
CEO of Equality Australia, Anna Brown said “Sport improves health and wellbeing, fosters connection and builds community. It’s part of the Australian way of life and something that should be for everyone.”
Diary Dates
Our super exciting line up of guests for On The Couch in 2024 will include Dr Tessa Opie from In Your Skin, Shane Sturgiss from BlaQ, Stella Topaz from Abundant Body, Axel Nathanial Rose from the University of NSW, Danyelle Mei Kaplan & Egan Magee from Magkasama and Laura Crozier from Youth Affairs Council of Victoria.
Complete free modules like Nitty Gritty, Hepatitis B and C & Because You Care in your own time.
