TEACHING MENTAL FITNESS THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY
Mental Health Projects
Each mental fitness project involves the students in a KINDNESS ‘giving back’ project. This helps develop empathy, kindness and compassion towards themselves and others.
2021 PROJECTS
2021 PROJECTS DURING COVID
KIMBERLEY SCHOOLS ROADTRIP 2021
COVID no doubt has caused much disruption to plans this year including expanding the project into NSW. However grit and determination will always prevail! I am currently working as a nurse at Perth's state trauma ICU in between delivering the project. In 2022 plans are in place to become Not For Profit and launch our mental health Podcast. Watch this space...
Term 1 plans were cancelled due to lockdowns in WA. Term 2 plans were also postponed because of COVID lockdowns in WA. The Unframed Project was able to visit the Kimberley region in May - June this year courtesy of funding from the Shire of Broome. Funding was allocated to organisations who were impacted by COVID and I am so grateful for the grant that assisted in travelling to Kimberley schools over 5 weeks.
Thankyou to the following schools and communities for welcoming the Unframed Project team to your school and community in Terms 2 & 3.
- Broome Senior High School - STARS Foundation (formerly Girls Academy)
- Christ the King School, Lombadina
- Sacred Heart School, Beagle Bay
- La Grange Remote Community School, Bidyadanga
Highlights from this year's Kimberley road trip included:
- Mental health workshops delivered to the entire cohort of Broome Stars Foundation. This includes ALL Indigenous female students from Year 7 -12.
- Permission granted by the Beagle Bay community to visit the school over 5 days. Beagle Bay has been a closed community since the start of COVID and remains closed to visitors. It truly was an honour to be permitted to visit the staff and students. I was also the official volunteer photographer for the First Communion of the primary students.
- Going 'on country' with Sacred Heart students with the cameras. We travelled an hour from Beagle Bay to a secret beach where the students hunted with their hand made spears for mud crabs and stingrays. We also enjoyed a beach coal bbq to enjoy the delights with the students.
- Launching the 5 day 'In My Head' new mental fitness workshops in Lombadina and Beagle Bay. The students were given workbooks and a brought along a photo printer so they could print their photos. Seeing their faces holding photos they created is priceless!
- Participating in and photographing Reconciliation Day festivities at ChristThe King School Lombadina.
- Christ The King School in Lombadina have purchased DSLR cameras to continue our work with the students after seeing the benefits of photography on mental health.
- Working alongside staff and students in Bidyadanga. The principal saw the immediate calming and mindfulness effects photography has on the students and is working towards incorporating parts of the program into the curriculum.
The photo on the left is of Beagle Bay students hunting mud crabs and fish with their own home made spears, lunch on coals, the famous pearl shell lined Beagle Bay church and a big bug in Lombadina! It truly is an honour to learn from these talented students. Thanks for having us!
Guildford Grammar School
In Term 3, I visited Guildford Grammar school. This was the first time The Unframed Project was delivered at a Perth school. I met with the Year 6 teachers in March to discuss implementing the programme at the school. Immediately all teachers said YES! I delivered the 'In My Head' workshops over 5 weeks to the entire Year 6 cohort. It was an amazing experience. I keep getting asked, 'Sandra is it different working with non Indigenous students?'. The short answer is NO. I am still nervous when I walk in the room, I do not see skin colour, I just young people ...with a lot of potential who I hope will take home message 'YOU MATTER'.
On the left and below are some photos by the students. Thankyou Guildford Grammar! The Unframed Project will be returning in Term 1 2022 to deliver the project once again. Thankyou to all the Year 6 teachers and students.
PCYC Kununurra
I have just returned from Kununurra after working with youths and the Police Youth Citizens Club in Kununurra. This trip was funded by KREAC (Kununurra Regional Economic Aboriginal Corporation) and PCYC. The brief was to spend 2 days running photography and mental health workshops with 12-16 year olds. The 2 days were a success. Even during school holidays the participants were keen to hear my message. Thankyou to Natalie and Rochelle from PCYC and the accompanying police officers who tagged along with us - Sarah, Chris, Luke and Jarrod. A special thankyou to John from KREAC for making this happen! The participants took photos at the famous Ivanhoe Crossing and on a private property (with horses) and at Kelly's Knob Lookout.
St Mary's College Broome
In November I have been invited to run the 'In My Head' workshops for 40 students at the school. St Mary's College is one of the first schools I ran workshops. I spent my days off with the t Deadly Sista Indigenous girls teaching them about self worth, confidence, risk taking and being your own best friend. I look back and see how much the program has evolved and I cannot wait to get back there to run the 'In My Head' workshop there. Feeling truly blessed to the place where it all began. See you soon Broome!
2020 PROJECTS
East Kimberley Schools Roadtrip
Like the rest of the world, COVID-19 halted projects planned for Term 2. However, the Unframed Project delivered workshops throughout the Kimberley in Terms 3 & 4. I travelled to the East Kimberley on a 4 week roadtrip visiting as many schools as possible. Thankyou to Harvey Norman for making this possible. Head over to the blog to see for more details about our school visits.
Thankyou to the following schools and communities for welcoming the Unframed Project team to your school and community.
- Broome Senior High School - Girls Academy
- Wananami Remote Community School (Mt Barnett)
- Ngalapita Remote Community School
- Kulkarriya Community School Nookenbah
- Halls Creek High School
- Jungdranung Remote Community School Glen Hill
- Frog Hollow Community School
- Ngalangangum School Warmun
- East Kimberley College Kununurra - Girls Academy
- Save the Children Kununurra
- Yiramalay Studio School
- North West Regional TAFE Broome
- Christ the King School Lombadina
- Derby District High School
It is a privilege and an honour to serve the students and staff of these communities who have taught me more than I can ever teach them. I have also learnt a LOT about making spears, fishing, the 6 Indigenous seasons, basketball and bush medicines. We will be making a small documentary about this truly incredible experience in 2021 in one of the most beautiful parts of Australia.
2019 PROJECTS
Deadly Sista Girlz - St Mary’s College Broome
In 2019 I worked with 15-20 St Mary’s College Deadly Sista Girlz Year 7 girls in Terms 2 & 3. The workshops focussed on friendship, bullying, self confidence, mental health and kindness. 'Deadly' is an Indigenous term for 'good' and these girls were nothing but deadly.
Giving back project
The girls designed and painted a banner for Balgo. Balgo is a small community 900 km from Broome. In April and May 2019, Balgo was shattered by the suicides of 2 young women. I asked the girls what messages of hope we could send to Balgo. With help of Indigenous teachers they came up with a beautiful design connecting Broome (coastal) with Balgo (desert). I will be delivering this beautiful artwork to Balgo in Term 3 (2020) when I deliver The Unframed Project there too.
Kimberley Roadtrip May 2019- June 2019
I spent 2 weeks travelling the Kimberley delivering mental fitness workshops to remote Kimberley schools. Mel Thomas from KYUP (kyupproject.com.au) spent the first week with me on The Dampier Peninsula delivering self defence and self worth workshops.
We visited schools in Bidyadanga, One Arm Point, Beagle Bay, Lombadina, Broome during the first week. In the second week I launched the Unframed Project in Looma and Nookenbah and delivered mental fitness workshops in Derby. In these 2 weeks I delivered workshops to 400 students.
Gratitude to the Shire of Broome and the Layne Beachley Foundation for part sponsorship of the road trip.
The Unframed Project launched in 2019 at the following schools.
Looma High School,
Nookenbah High School &
St Mary’s College Broome – Year 7 Deadly Sista Girlz
Christ the King Catholic School, Lombadina
Last year the NAIDOC theme was VOICE, TREATY & TRUTH. In light of this, a one day workshop for students was focused on bullying, the bystander effect, helping others, using your voice, keeping safe and what to do if you see someone who needs help.
2018 PROJECTS
Broome Girls Academy - Broome Senior High School
In 2018 I worked with 30 Year 7 BGA students across terms 2 & 3. I delivered weekly workshops on self esteem, confidence, goal setting, mental health, bullying, helping others and dealing with difficult emotions.
Giving back project
In December 2018, the BGA girls helped pack 200 bags for people who are homeless in Broome. The bags were distributed to Red Cross and the Mens Outreach Service. The girls spent 4 weeks hand making beautiful tags to go on the bags in Indigenous designs and colours.
Clontarf Boys Academy – Broome Senior High School
I delivered workshops to 10 Year 7/8 boys at Broome Senior High School during Term 3 in 2018. I delivered workshops on cyberbullying, bullying, goal setting, self worth, confidence, helping others, homelessness and mental health.
Giving back project
In December 2018, the Clontarf boys also helped pack 200 bags for people who are homeless in Broome. The bags were distributed to Red Cross and the Mens Outreach Service.
Department of Communities Broome – Children in foster care
Every Tuesday afternoon in Terms 3 & 4, I ran workshops for children aged 6-10 years of age who were in foster care. These workshops focused on self worth, resilience, support networks, confidence, goal setting and bullying.
Giving back project
The children made cards for sick children in Broome hospital.
St Mary’s Primary School Broome
In 2019, I delivered workshops during Terms 2-4 to 15 boys aged 8-10 years covering concepts of dealing with anxiety and worry, seeking support from others, confidence, self worth and goal setting. I also worked with 25 Year 6 girls on bullying, friendship, confidence, self worth and goal setting.
Giving back project
The children spent 2 weeks hand making beautiful tags in Indigenous designs and colours which were attached to the bags gifted to a Broome women's refuge.