Protecting Our Future Event in Innisfail

Family Planning Queensland (FPQ) and Mamu Health Service Ltd joined together to host an Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Youth Health day at Warrina Lakes, Innisfail, on Wednesday 21st July 2010, funded by Queensland Health. Focusing on healthy choices, approximately 90 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people from the area engaged in a day of activities, dancing, information, food and entertainment. Stalls run by Mamu Health, FPQ and Queensland Association for Healthy Communities (QAHC) provided information, activities and presentations on sexual and reproductive health, health checks, healthy lifestyles, and drugs and alcohol. Special guest appearances throughout the day by Condoman (promoting healthy, safe sex and relationships) and Choice (promoting healthy lifestyle choices) engaged participants in games and dance while motivational speaker and MC for the event, Trevor Tim from Success with Attitude, provided inspiration and led discussions and activities throughout the day. Local school groups performed traditional and contemporary dances, and many participated in freestyle dancing with Condoman and Choice.

Sexuality and relationships quizzes were popular, with many adolescents and plenty of promotional items were taken home, including Condoman comics, condom packs, wristbands, T-shirts printed specially for the day and brochures and information on a wide range of health topics. The finale of the day was a traditional dance, choreographed by Mamu Health Worker, Joseph Drahm, which engaged high school students, school staff and workers. Mamu Health Services Manager, Colleen Purcell, narrated while everyone participated in a dance depicting the influences of good and evil spirits, over which Condoman and Choice eventually prevail, saving everyone who’d been drawn away by evil spirits.

Although targeting adolescents, participants ranged from 6 – 17 years, with one smaller local school sending their entire cohort of students and accompanying teachers. While most information and activities were aimed at older students, a self protection based stall was also set up to cater for the younger ones.

Despite inclement weather (and a few cranky geese) the day was a fun and engaging way to make information and services promoting healthy choices more accessible to young people in Innisfail.