Abstract
Background: In Australia Stillbirth disproportionately impacts Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. Still Aware received funding from the Australian Government to co-design, co- disseminate and co-evaluate stillbirth awareness for prevention messages with and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and families.
Methods: Still Aware has taken a “steady walking and talking [1]’ approach. Firstly by conducting as many ‘meet and greet’ activities as each community needed to develop mutual rapport and trust. Once community were ready a Yarning WINDS workshop was held through which knowledge and sharing understanding of how key messages might be able to be effectively communicated to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women was surfaced. After the WINDS workshop Still Aware has continued to work with community members to fine tune the resources ready for production, co-dissemination and co-evaluation through culturally appropriate mechanisms.
Results: To date, a mural consisting of multiple 8x8 paintings depicting what ‘stillbirth awareness for prevention means to us’ by community members is being created. When the mural is finalised it will be installed in a public place. A brochure titled ‘Keep bubba safe and strong’ has also been co-designed. It has culturally appropriate images, language and evidence-based messaging about keeping mum and bubba safe and strong in pregnancy. Educational videos have also been developed and/or planned to supplement the information in the brochure.
Conclusions: In this presentation ways that a non-Indigenous Australian not-for-profit organisation can successfully work with Indigenous communities will be explored. Resources that have been developed will be presented. Ways midwives can utilise these resources into their practice will be proposed.