With their Aunty Time workshops, Aunties Caroline and Susan are sharing Indigenous knowledge with young people in Mosman.
Through their teachings, Aunties Caroline and Susan are shaping a space for young people to create, express themselves and listen to acquire the right tools to improve their mental wellbeing.
“It’s all about sitting down and listening,” says Caroline Glass- Pattison, better known as Aunty Caroline.
Aunty Caroline is one of the facilitators of the Aunty Time program at Mosman Youth Services. Through activities such as wellness weaving, rock art symbol painting, and sharing stories, the Aunties aim to support wellbeing, improve mental health, and create connections with the area’s youth.
Throughout much of last year, Aunty Caroline and Aunty Susan, who work with the Gaimaragal Group, spent Thursdays at the Youth Centre holding wellbeing and creative workshops for young people. Those workshops were part of the Mosman Council’s Youth Services team’s work to improve mental health outcomes for high school students in the community.
“They’re all non-Aboriginal. The majority go to Mosman High School. We support them with mental health and social connections. We structured things to sit, have a talk, relax, and be able to access emotions,” Aunty Caroline explains.
The idea of the workshops was brought to the pair during last year’s Gai-mariagal Festival, a yearly event run to celebrate Indigenous culture and heritage.
“Someone from the Youth Centre approached us and said they would like to do something around supporting their youth. So, we thought we could do something to sit and have a yarn, work on wellbeing, and that could be quite flexible in all ages,” Aunty Caroline adds.
Aunty Susan teaching weaving and Aunty Caroline.
Focusing on the daily situations or worries of teenagers from 14 to 18 years old, Aunty Time provided a space not only to relax, but also as a non-judgmental and safe environment where the youth can express themselves freely.
“We introduce to them the Ochre Blessing Ceremony, a ceremony to connect people with their culture. Everyone participates – they are part of the ritual,” Aunty Caroline explains.
“We explain what it means for Aboriginal people. It’s about sharing our culture with young people to have a connection with them, and maybe reflect on that meaning. We are opening our minds there, and then it’s all about hearing and listening.
“Once, we had a girl that had to take medication for sleeping who found it very difficult to get up in the morning. I’m not sure what she was diagnosed with, but by having the skills to be able to breathe and have confidence in being heard she got better.
“I think that was the main thing with her. She was being heard and no one was judging her in that circle. To me, someone that was quite alone was now part of [the] young peoples’ world.”
The Aunty Time workshops and Mosman Council’s Youth Services team were recently awarded in recognition of their work to improve mental health outcomes for young people, winning the Outstanding Partnership Award at the 2022 NSW Youth Work Awards.
Still surprised by the award, Aunty Caroline says they were thrilled to receive such recognition.
“We want to have fewer young people wanting to commit suicide and to have happier news that they want to live well and be well. We’ve got skilled groups and spaces for young people to connect, but there needs to be more Aboriginal culture connected to these programs to build strong spirits,” she explains.
“I think by connecting and walking on country, you get a sense of belonging to that place. And that’s the key. Share the community stories and their stories. They felt very centred, knowing they have tools to hold on to and what that means to them to be able to celebrate their culture, and Aboriginal culture as well.”
By Paula V. Arenas Santa Maria