A wellbeing program targeting the Aboriginal community in Condobolin is improving the health of local children, securing homes for families and improving school attendance rates.

Marathon Health and the Wiradjuri Condobolin Corporation have supported 48 families through the Condobolin Wellbeing Program since it began in December 2017.

In that time, more than 420 children have connected to the program and many have been directed to speech therapy, occupational therapy  and other forms of early intervention.

A Chew with the Crew scheme at Condobolin High School has also connected teenagers to local services, with improved attendance rates and less suspensions – by linking the Wellness Program with Catholic Care, Western Plains Regional Development, Aboriginal Health and Hope Church. Marathon Health’s Team Lead of Wellbeing Services, Kathryn Webber, said the Wellbeing Program was creating stronger futures through a focus on culturally-safe services, and a ‘no-wrong- door’ approach that matches people to the services and supports they need.

“The impact of this program on the local community has been significant, with mothers identifying health conditions early in their children’s lives and finding options for treating them that they didn’t know about before,” Ms Webber explained.

“We are also connecting families to secure housing, so children in Condobolin who were once homeless now regularly attend school and return to a stable home each day.”

Together, Marathon Health and the Wiradjuri Condobolin Corporation have established a Wellness Model for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Economic Development – a model that empowers Aboriginal people to live a better life through good health and wellbeing.

While Marathon  Health  might  not  always  have the answers, community members now feel confident that the staff at the Wellness Centre can help them find solutions to their problems.

“The Condobolin Wellbeing Program is very heavily centred on community,” Ms Webber said. “We have created a culturally-safe space that provides the ‘glue’ between families and existing providers of housing, education, employment, domestic violence, addiction, clinical health and general wellbeing services,” Ms Webber stated.

The Condobolin Wellbeing program has delivered more than 460 health and specialist support services to Aboriginal people and their families since December 2017, with 65 per cent of clients identifying as women.

Marathon Health acknowledges the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet for funding this service.