The Ironbark Programs
IRONBARK PROGRAM - STANDING STRONG AND TALL
The Ironbark Program Standing Strong and Tall is:
- A weekly class that runs for around 1.5 hours
- 30 – 45 minutes of light exercise and 30 – 45 minutes of a yarning circle facilitated by a trained worker
- The program will run for a year, with additional weekly home exercise recommended
- All mob need to get a GP clearance form showing they are fit enough to do the class
All of the exercises and topics for the yarning circles will be in the Ironbark Program Standing Strong and Tall exercise manual and the Yarning both ways manual.
Sites that are participating in this program will be trained on how to deliver the program.
IRONBARK - HEALTHY COMMUNITY PROGRAM
The Ironbark: Healthy Community program is designed to provide older Aboriginal people opportunities to socialise, yarn and learn more about topics that are relevant to them and their communities.
The Healthy Community program is a weekly yarning circle and/or other social activity, usually running for 1-1.5 hrs per week.
In our consultations, Elders said that the main thing they wanted was to come together as a group to yarn. They felt that this was needed because they don’t get enough opportunities to share stories as a group, and just generally get together. As one Elders said “we look after everyone else, but who looks after us?”
The aim of the Healthy Community program is making sure that participants enjoy coming together, are encouraged to come weekly, and get some benefits from being part of a group.
Sites that are participating in this program will receive the Ironbark Healthy Community Manual, and support on how to deliver the program.
Sites allocated to the Healthy Community program will have the opportunity to be trained and resources provided to implement the Ironbark: Standing Strong Program for 24 weeks, at the end of the trial.
IRONBARK: STANDING STRONG AND TALL
The Ironbark: Standing Strong and Tall program is:
- A weekly class that runs for around 1.5 hours
- 30 – 45 minutes of light exercise and 30 – 45 minutes of a yarning circle facilitated by a trained worker
- The program will run for a year, with additional weekly home exercise recommended
- All mob need to get a GP clearance form showing they are fit enough to do the class
All of the exercises and topics for the yarning circles will be in the Ironbark: Standing Strong and Tall program exercise manual and the Yarning both ways manual.
Sites that are participating in this program will be trained on how to deliver the program.
IRONBARK: HEALTHY COMMUNITY PROGRAM
The Ironbark: Healthy Community program is designed to provide older Aboriginal people opportunities to socialise, yarn and learn more about topics that are relevant to them and their communities.
The Healthy Community program is a weekly yarning circle and/or other social activity, usually running for 1-1.5 hrs per week.
In our consultations, Elders said that the main thing they wanted was to come together as a group to yarn. They felt that this was needed because they don’t get enough opportunities to share stories as a group, and just generally get together. As one Elders said “we look after everyone else, but who looks after us?”
The aim of the Healthy Community program is making sure that participants enjoy coming together, are encouraged to come weekly, and get some benefits from being part of a group.
Sites that are participating in this program will receive the Ironbark: Healthy Community Manual, and support on how to deliver the program.
Sites allocated to the Ironbark: Healthy Community program will have the opportunity to be trained and resources provided to implement the Ironbark: Standing Strong and Tall program for 24 weeks, at the end of the trial.
How we will support sites
Both the Ironbark programs are organised by a Site Manager, and facilitated by a Program Facilitator. The study will fund and support:
- Casual Site Managers at each site. Ideally they will be Aboriginal people from the participating organisation or community
- Casual Program Facilitators at each site. Ideally they will be existing staff members with relevant health qualifications. We will assist you finding the right person. y
- All exercise equipment and information manuals needed to deliver the Ironbark programs including the Site Manager Manual, Standing Strong and Tall Manual, Yarning both Ways manual and Healthy Community Manual
- Training for Site Managers and Program Facilitators
- Lunch/BBQ for a ½ day data collection session at the beginning and end of the 12 month program
- Weekly morning tea
- Feedback to the community at the end of the trial.
We will support sites and individuals to have as much engagement on the research side as much as they would like to.