Strong Community Life campaign
Strong Community Life was a grassroots community education campaign that recognised the significance of oral culture to engage with people living in remote Indigenous communities. The campaign was run by the former Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing, from 2007 - 2009 to address alcohol related issues in remote Indigenous communities by promoting positive community initiatives and provoking discussion about alcohol.
Historically, our involvement in Indigenous communities has been to declare and implement liquor restrictions under the Liquor Act 1992, and to enforce restrictions on licensed premises operating in the communities. However, in 2006 we recognised that for restrictions and conditions on licensed premises in and around Indigenous communities to be effective, patrons must be educated about healthy alcohol consumption behaviour.
In response, the former Liquor Licensing Division initiated a strategy to promote safer drinking in 18 Meeting Challenges, Making Choices communities.
Background to the campaign
The Strong Community Life campaign reflects community wishes and aimed to:
- reinforce positive drinking behaviours and encourage residents to make healthier lifestyle choices
- educate residents, particularly the younger generation, about the potential health and social dangers of excessive drinking and binge drinking
- be more interactive and localised, using local faces, voices, skills and resources
- include prominent Indigenous sports stars and heroes.
What did the campaign include?
Community research found traditional communication methods of posters and brochures were ineffective and to communicate effectively with remote communities, the campaign had to involve residents at each phase.
The campaign included a series of locally produced radio programs that provided each community with the opportunity to talk about alcohol issues in personal and creative ways, such as via a talking circle, music and poems. It also provided strong and positive messages from community leaders, service providers, young people and Indigenous heroes.
The radio program was complemented by a billboard featuring positive images of residents in each community and a local community event, including participation by Queensland Government Champions and Indigenous sports stars.
Each community also hosted a Strong Community Life event funded by the former Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing. Many of the events were linked to visits by Queensland Government Champions as well as other significant celebrations within communities.
Radio program
The Strong Community Life radio program provided strong and positive messages from people in the community, leaders and Indigenous sports stars and heroes.
The programs were produced locally using community-based Regional Indigenous Broadcast Service (RIBS) operators and broadcast by 4K1G.
The radio programs ran in 2007 and focused on young people in the community.
Below are some of the songs from programa:
Bwgcolman Community School song (MP3 3.67mb)
Kowanyama song for the radio show (MP3 2.49mb)
Palm Island is my home (MP3 3.24mb)
Consultation
Strong Community Life was designed to include local people in the research and development, imagery, radio shows and evaluation of the program. Indigenous Councils, Community Justice Groups and local sport and recreation teams were consulted and assisted to coordinate the radio programs and local events.
Other Queensland Government agencies also participated in the development of this campaign, including Queensland Health and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services (Department of Communities).
This consultation will continue under a cross-agency steering committee to progress a number of different projects being developed by these agencies.
Contact details
For more information about Strong Community Life please contact the Office of Regulatory Policy on 13 QGOV (13 74 68).
Last reviewed 8 August 2011