Smoking Cessation
One of the hardest things a lifelong smoker can do is to quit smoking. As soon as they make the decision to do so, they will immediately feel better for it. They will also start experiencing the benefits like better health, lifestyle and saving money.
According to Quit Australia, smoking rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people still remain over three times the national average of non-indigenous people. The good news is that smoking rates are declining faster in Aboriginal Communities that general Australian population.
VACCHO supports Member services develop and implement policies and programs to reduce the burden of smoking-related disease in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community in Victoria.
We do this by:
- Supporting our Members to maintain a smoke-free workplace policy
- Coordinate and work in partnership with external organisations to develop training to build workforce capacity in smoking cessation and brief intervention
- Improve smoking cessation programs within our Member organisations by coordinating and facilitating workshops where Members provide and share information on their program’s success stories.
- Advocate for new and continued funding for smoking cessation programs on behalf of our Members so that they can continue their work to lower smoking rates in their Communities.
- Developed culturally appropriate smoking cessation information materials.
- Participate in quarterly working groups with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs), Government and other relevant external stakeholders to develop and discuss strategies on smoking cessation for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community in Victoria.
- Supporting local smoking cessation events and activities
- Build awareness of smoke-free homes, particularly for high-risk groups such as pregnant women and children.
- Utilise social marketing and social media to promote smoking cessation messages
- Supporting monitoring and evaluation of tobacco cessation initiatives.
Get in touch with the Tobacco Cessation team to discuss how we can help your organisation.
Tackling Indigenous Smoking Program
VACCHO is one of the organisations funded under the Tackling Indigenous Smoking (TIS) program and coordinates the TIS program in Western Victoria. The TIS Program in Western Victoria known as ‘GOMOB!’ includes a Consortium of seven ACCOs.
The members of the GOMOB! Consortium are:
• Budja Budja Aboriginal Co-operative Ltd (Halls Gap)
• Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation (Hamilton and Heywood)
• Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Co-operative (Horsham)
• Gunditjmara Aboriginal Co-operative Ltd (Warrnambool)
• Kirrae Health Service Inc (Purnim)
• Dhauwurd Wurrung Elderly and Community Health Service Inc (Portland)
• Mallee District Aboriginal Services (Mildura, Swan Hill, Kerang)
Current GOMOB! Consortium Activities:
• Community events and Community engagement- Smoking cessation information and referral to culturally appropriate services for tailored support
• Social marketing campaigns and social media activities such as local radio campaigns
• ‘Take the pledge’ campaign
• Smoke-free homes and cars GOMOB! resource packs
• Creation and distribution of GOMOB! branded TIS resources
• Community education – school based education, elders groups, men’s groups
RESOURCES
Resources developed by Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) across Victoria to assist Community members access help to quit smoking.
Boorais and Smoke Don’t Mix – A campaign run by the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service and is dedicated to the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Tackling Indigenous Smoking Throughout Gippsland – Lakes Entrance Aboriginal Health Association is one of 37 organisations nationally to be funded to undertake the Tackling Indigenous Smoking (TIS) programme.
GO MOB! – An indigenous friendly online resource for link to health and wellbeing information while you quit smoking
Sheild our Bubups from Tobacco – Information about how to safely quit smoking while pregnant or planning a pregnancy
Calculate Your Savings – Calculate how much money you can save by being smoke free
Take the pledge – An online Community pledge developed by the GOMOB! TIS Consortium. The pledge is to protect kids, families and our Mob from passive smoking – making the home, car, workplace and/or kids play areas #smokefreemob zones.
Smoking cessation: Professional development opportunities
For General Practioners (GPs)
Smoking Cessation Brief Advice Training
The ‘Smoking Cessation Brief Advice Training for General Practitioners’ is designed to support smoking cessation care in general practice. It will equip general practitioners and nurse practitioners with the skills, confidence and knowledge to provide smoking cessation brief advice to patients who smoke. This education is a CPD Activity under the RACGP CPD Program (3pt). This event has been accredited in the 2020-2022 ACRRM PD Program for 2 Educational Activity Hours.
Nicotine Vaping Products- Consideration for GPs
The ‘Nicotine vaping products: considerations for GPs’ Training provides information and evidence-based guidance to GPs on the practicalities of prescribing nicotine vaping products for smoking cessation in the new regulatory environment, including how to maximise benefit and minimise risk. This education is a CPD Activity under the RACGP CPD Program (2pt). This event has been accredited in the 2020-2022 ACRRM PD Program for 1 Educational Activity Hours.
For Clinical Staff
Free webinar: Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to stop vaping
NACCHO (the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation) and RACGP (the Royal Australian College of General Practice) hosted a complementary webinar for GPs, non-GP clinicians, ACCHO and practice staff on supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People to stop vaping.
This free webinar is available to view and attracts 2 CPD points.
For Maternity Staff
iSISTAQUIT (implement Supporting Indigenous Smokers To Assist Quitting) is designed to increase health service capacity by providing best practice training in smoking cessation to healthcare workers who have contact with pregnant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
The iSISTAQUIT training and implementation package has been updated and is ready to launch! The package has been co-developed with input from specialist Aboriginal advisors. They are now offering two options for clinical staff participation
Smoking Cessation Assets
VACCHO have developed a suite of free digital assets for our ACCOs to use and customise to help promote their “quit smoking” initiatives.
The suite includes poster and social media templates and establishes a clearly recognisable brand for smoking cessation for effective and consistent communication.