Clean Air Dreaming

Public

The main aim of the Clean Air Dreaming Project is to minimise the harm caused by smoking to Aboriginal communities on the Illawarra, South and Far South Coast of NSW. Anti smoking campaigns have not worked as well for Aboriginal people as compared to the general population so there is a need for culturally appropriate approaches led by Aboriginal people that address the normalisation of smoking, the culture of sharing a smoke, to test and adapt evidence based approaches along with the use of NRT and other supports.

Organisation or Department

South Coast Medical Service Aboriginal Corp, Illawarra Aboriginal Medical Service and Katungal Aboriginal Corporation

State

New South Wales

Project Timeframe

Funded from 2007 to 2009 by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing under the National Drug Strategy

Project Activities

The Clean Air Dreaming runs culturally appropriate education programs in schools and communities. Provide treatment programs for Aboriginal people who want to quit smoking. Encourage Aboriginal Communities and organisations to go SMOKE FREE! We also strive to develop a working model that can be incorporated by other organisations and provide quality training for other health workers.

So far within the program we have had 109 clients access the program and have 73 active clients since 2007-08.

Partner Organisations

The Heart Foundation
Shoalhaven Division of General Practice
Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Tobacco Control
Smoke Check
NSW Health
Terri Farrelly and Jasmine Sarin - evaluation and research
Other AMS staff - doctors, nurses, Aboriginal Health Workers and psychologists

Project Evaluation

The project is closely monitored and constantly evaluated with a mid term report already completed and a final evaluation due in June 2009. The project has already began to expand to Durri AMS (Kempsey) and likely to keep expanding around the State. While the complete success rate (total abstinence of smoking for more than 3 months) is as successful as mainstream interventions the important statistic is that we are encourage more and more Aboriginal people to make quit attempts which studies show increase the success of ditching those durries once and for all.