Camping on Country is a remote men’s movement designed to create powerful advocacy around closing the gap on remote men’s health. Our network of men is growing as we camp on country and link men’s groups around remote Australia.
Our Movement
Ernie Dingo
What we do
Each month we visit a remote community and run men’s health and culture camps which include local Leadership and Law men for that country.
At the camps we provide a safe space for local men to come together and practice culture and participate in daily yarning circles. Men discuss personal health issues. The men go hunting, cook together, make artefacts, sing and dance, paint. They learn from each other and show pride in their culture and community. Local health stakeholders and community organisations are engaged and activated to ensure our camps are safe, healthy and inspiring. Men get access to on-country culturally safe health checks, counselling and mental health first aid. We collect and collate our camp data and follow up with health providers so we can track our impact and progress. We employ local men to assist with our camps and our research. Contact me if you would like more information about our camps and check out the communities we have visited so far.
Why we do it
The Camping on Country Program enables Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men to be leaders in their own health and wellbeing and upholds values of respecting culture and traditions, responsibility as leaders and men, teachers of young males, holders of lore, providers and protectors of families and communities.
Evidence shows that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men have higher rates of alcohol misuse, mental health and social and emotional wellbeing issues and preventable chronic diseases than non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men[1]. While we know of the complex issues born of dispossession and colonisation we also know that by addressing social, emotional and cultural issues we can prevent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from developing further serious health complications[2].
The My Life My Lead report clearly shows that culture and Country play a significant role in the development of successful Aboriginal health programs[3]. We also know from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework that there is a clear gap in robust evidence on effective programs and interventions[4]. We need to be able to demonstrate this so Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men can show they are the experts of their health and to support their aspirations for strong, safe communities and happy vibrant families.
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan highlights the importance of putting culture at the centre of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s right to live a healthy, safe and empowered life with a strong connection to culture and country[5]. Culture and community as both protectors and enablers of health and wellbeing are central to the Camping on Country program. Together we want build the evidence needed to demonstrate that working with Aboriginal and Torres strait Islander men as the experts in their own health and community is the best way to Close the Gap.
[1] National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2013-2023
[2] National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2013-2023
[3] My Life My Lead – Opportunities for strengthening approaches to the social determinants and cultural determinants of Indigenous health: Report on the national consultations, December 2017
[4] The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework, 2017
[5] National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2013-2023