A Mareeba men’s support group is attracting more men to its weekly yarning sessions and helping them to offload and share some of their thoughts and feelings. 

The Yabba Bala men’s group is going strong and attracting good interest, according to Mulungu Social and Emotional Wellbeing Team Leader Roderick Thompson. 

“We only started back this year in February and we have already seen an increase in men showing up,” Mr Thompson said. 

“There were 13 men who attended the first session for the year. Then more men were attending the men’s group each week. 

“We changed the group sessions from day to night to help support the workers who were also keen to come along and have a yarn. 

“We also started a bus pick up and drop off service for the men within Mareeba, which has been very helpful in encouraging men to participate in the yarning sessions.”  

For First Nations people, yarning is a way to share stories and information openly in a comfortable and culturally safe space. The men’s group helps to improve the mental health and wellbeing of men, improving their community connections and building emotional capabilities.    

Mr Thompson said Lives Lived Well had heard about the Mulungu’s Yabba Bala men’s group and asked to bring men from their Shanty Creek residential rehabilitation program.  

“Shanty Creek has now been engaging every week with around seven men from the centre attending,” he said. 

“The group started out as a space for yarning with the men, then started other activities, like ‘unpacking the backpack’ and swimming the river.  

“They enjoy these activities as it helps them offload some of the heavy thoughts and feelings they have been carrying for a while.”  

“The conversations are meaningful, and the men are interactive during the activities, especially those from the Cape York communities.  

“In the following weeks, we noticed some of the quieter men were starting to yarn up.” 

The Mulungu Yabba Bala men’s group meets Monday nights from 6pm-8pm. 

Women work on their vision for future 

Mulungu’s Jolly Jalbu’s Women’s group has also been well supported, with around 10 women turning up for the session each week.  

This is a positive group and safe meeting space for women. It is facilitated by Mulungu’s Indigenous Female Counsellor Fiona Boyle.  

This term the focus was on ‘vision boards’ and where the women see themselves in the future.  

The vision boards were colourful, and all have a different and unique meaning behind each piece of work.  

Ms Boyle said the women loved coming to the group each week as it supported their social and emotion wellbeing and helped them create change within their own lives, as well as their families’ lives.  

The Woman’s Group meets Wednesdays from 10am-12pm.   

The Mental Health Stepped Care (Place Based) Service is delivered through the Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) Program at Mulungu Aboriginal Corporation, and funded by Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN). 

The Mulungu SEWB program continues to support the Men’s and Women’s Yarning Groups in Mareeba.