This report seeks to unpack the experience of a small Aboriginal Community in Queensland, in implementing a doorknocking approach to understanding and supporting Community members’ mental health and social and emotional wellbeing. The report from the Assisting Communities through Direct Connection (ACDC) Project highlights the need for mental health initiatives to be more responsive to the unique needs of Aboriginal Communities. 

Delivered in Cherbourg, Queensland – where 96% of the population is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander – the project encountered major challenges when applying a door-to-door approach previously used in other sites across Australia. Community engagement was low, and Aboriginal Community Connectors felt significant strain in performing this work within their own community.

In response, the project partners collaborated with the local community to adapt the approach. Rather than relying on formalised doorknocking, Connectors hosted barbecues, joined community events like football games and prioritised informal, culturally respectful conversations. These strategies honoured cultural protocols and allowed for greater comfort, trust and openness.

The report shows how project success is limited by mainstream approaches to project design, commissioning and delivery. It steps out the key learnings for how funders can effectively partner with Aboriginal Communities in adapting projects to their local context, what commissioning agencies need to be mindful of, and how they can go about ensuring cultural appropriateness in very practical ways.

It underscores that cultural safety and success rely on local leadership, flexibility and deep Community knowledge – reminding stakeholders that every Aboriginal Community is unique and must guide its own solutions.