The NSW Minister for Mental Health, The Hon. Kevin Humphries, MP, will open a conference at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga on Wednesday 24 August focused on improving Indigenous mental health.
The conference, Proud Spirits Keep On Burning is organised by 20 Indigenous students as part of their final year in the Bachelor of Health Science (Mental Health) at CSU.Also known as the Djirruwang program, the degree is offered by distance education through the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health at CSU in Wagga Wagga to Indigenous students who are working or will work to improve the health and well-being of their own communities across Australia.
The 20 final year students from the ACT, NSW and WA, will deliver presentations on a range of mental health topics, including juvenile justice, mental health carers in remote communities, dementia, depression, domestic violence, sexual health, menopause and school bullying. This represents one of the largest student intakes since the program started, initially as a pilot in 1994.
Mr Humphries will open the conference in the University’s Convention Centre in Wagga Wagga at 9.15am on Wednesday 24 August after meeting with the third year students.
The new Director of the Djirruwang program in 2011, Ms Faye McMillan said, “The third conference is the culmination of all the hard work and dedication shown by the students. They can be proud of their achievements as can Charles Sturt University in its contribution to Closing the Gap in Indigenous disadvantage.”
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