We are often faced with varying challenges, problems and crises that have a dramatic impact on our lives, however, we are often unprepared for these events. Through our open talks about a variety of topics we focus on the need for increasing awareness and preparedness. Our objectives are to increase knowledge that there are professional services around for everyone and that to talk is a good thing.
One of the key issues is the need to change our attitude towards these subjects. Through personal experiences, these informal talks aim to begin the fight to change a culture and its attitudes. These talks are only the beginning of this long-term fight that we all should embrace. The talks serve as a platform to begin discussions at school, at home, at work, everywhere.
The ability to discuss, to reach out and know that someone else has experienced what you may be experiencing can be the key to saving lives.
Mental Health
Almost half of all adult Australians will experience a mental illness at some stage in their lives.[1] Three million Australians will experience a major depressive illness in their lifetime.[2] Only one out of every four young persons with mental health problems receives professional health care.[3]
Mental health is a major problem in Australia. It will be targeted during all Batyr talks. Our over-arching goal is to change the attitudes towards mental health and developing openness to the discussion of challenges and issues.
1. Depression
With 1 in 4 young people having a depressive disorder by the end of adolescence or 160,000 young people aged between 16-24, currently living with depression, the time accept and address depression is now.[4] Focusing on the before and after, we talk about what has worked in certain situations and what would have worked better.
The key to this topic is around the need of acceptance. Acceptance that there is an issue and acceptance that there is help available. We also talk about how to spot and address someone who you think might be depressed or down, how to assist that person and the need to look after yourself when helping someone else.
2. Suicide
Suicide accounts for nearly one-fifth of all deaths amongst young men aged 20-34 and in 2006 there were 1,799 suicide deaths compared to 1,668 deaths by motor vehicle accidents during the same period (ABS, 2008).
Admission to hospital because of self-harm is about 10 times as common as death due to suicide for young adults in Australia, and is more common for females than for males.
In this topic we talk about depression that has lead to suicidal thoughts and what has helped and hasn’t helped during those tough periods. We also talk about the pressures placed on friends and how they can support during this time. We focus on what happens afterwards: to friends, family, classmates – where you can go and who may be able to help.
3. Grief
Ranging from losing a mate to family dramas, we focus on the fact that throughout life we will always be met by grief at some stage. Working out how to draw positive reflections is often the best way forward but at the same time we need to be able to embrace our own grief. It’s about empowering an individual to live in the moment, accept the need to grieve and the emotional process that comes with that. There’s always support and there’s always someone to help a friend or a professional.
4. Sexual Violence
In this topic we talk about the need to develop respectful relationships and violence prevention education. We intend to shift the attitudes and social norms that support violence and in particular sexual violence. In alignment with the National framework for sexual violence prevention through education[5], we aim to prepare young people to deal with relationship issues that emerge around developing sexuality, issues of consent, conflict and negotiation of their own and their partner’s sexual needs and desires. [6]
Rape and sexual assault – two of the most traumatic events in anyone’s life – are probably reported less than any other crime with national data indicating a reporting rate of between 8 and 25%.[7] One in seven girls and young women aged 12 to 20 have experienced rape or sexual assault.[8] Large numbers of girls and young women are forced, coerced, or pressured into unwanted sexual activity: 30.2 per cent of sexually active Year 10 girls and 26.6 per cent of sexually active Year 12 girls have experienced unwanted sex.[9]
The time to talk is now.
“We can be silent no longer.
Because for too long, silence has been seen as tolerance.”[10]
*This talk is more targeted for Universities and Year 12's.
5. Sexual Health – Men and Women
A rising issue in society is the acceptance of varying sexualities. This topic focuses on the comfort zone of an individual’s sexuality as well as acceptable behaviors towards to the gay and lesbian community. It will discuss the challenges and opportunities that sexuality can have, as well as the need for individuals to be accepted for who they are.
As well as sexuality, we will discuss the need to address men and women’s health respectively. The benefits of pro-active sexual health care for early detection and greater awareness.
6. Addictions
As young people begin to experiment we need to increase awareness of the consequences of addictions such as gambling, drugs and alcohol. Focusing on the general use of drugs (including alcohol) within the population of young people we increase awareness of risks associated with addictions as well as how and when to identify the need to step in and help someone and even more importantly, to help oneself.
7. Bullying
With the continual fight to tackle bullying and victimization at schools, and in the workplace, it is increasingly important to address this issue in a preventative manner. With the rapid growth of social networks and online forums, cyber bullying is becoming more and more prevalent. These more recent developments together with the many other forms of bullying has made this topic an essential part of the Batyr talks. Looking again at the social norms and attitudes we tell personal stories of bullying and how the story developed over time, as well as highlighting avenues to address bullying – before it occurs, as it occurs and afterwards.
Whilst Batyr strives to provide accurate and reliable statistics and strategies to address the range of topics discussed, its main focus is education through personal stories and a personal interaction with the students. We are not specialists and will not pretend to be specialists in these fields, however, through research and individual experiences we aim to connect with the students in a more personal way. Batyr talks are a informal approach to addressing some of the biggest issues facing society and in particular, young people.
[1] ABS National Survey of National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing: Summary of Results (2008)
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid
[4] ABS National Survey of National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing: Summary of Results (2008)
[5] Carmody, M., S. Evans, C. Krogh, M. Flood, M. Heenan and G. Ovenden. (2009).
Framing Best Practice: National Standards for the Primary Prevention of Sexual Assault through Education. Sydney: National Sexual Assault Prevention Education Project for NASASV, University of Western Sydney.
[6] Carmody & Willis, 2006; Carmody, 2009
[7] Australian Bureau of Statistics 2005, Crime and safety survey (Cat. No.4509.0), Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra, ACT.
[8] National Crime Prevention 2001, p. 115.
[9] Smith, A.M.A., P. Agius, S. Dyson, A. Mitchell and P. Pitts (2003) Secondary Students and Sexual Health: Results of the 3rd National Survey of Australian Secondary Students, HIV/AIDS and Sexual Health. Melbourne: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society, La Trobe University
[10] Kevin Rudd, September 17 2008, Respecting women and Leading men, White Ribbon Foundation Annual Dinner
