Sloane Stallan

Sloane Stallan is the President of the Boorrumpah Goupong Aboriginal Corporation (BGAC), a men’s mental health service that operates in the Ipswich region.

My mental health background started around 15 years ago. I have a lived experience surviving sexual abuse. This trauma caused a lifestyle of drugs and alcohol addictions, as well as a life of crime and violence. I was illiterate until the age of 27, when my first child came along.

I wanted to change my life for my children, so I went back to school and spent eight years in college. I graduated with a Diploma in Youth Work and Counselling as well as a Certificate IV in Mental Health. I spent seven years on the streets, speaking with men I grew up with about ‘how to survive long-term after sexual abuse and childhood traumas’.

In 2020 my cousin and I were at our great uncle’s funeral, and we spoke about what help our Ugarapul men need in Ipswich.

Today, we create a safe space for men to speak. Since 2022, BGAC has been reaching into the Ipswich community of young and older men, by running groups and camps in partnership with Healthwise every Wednesday at the Leichhardt Community Centre. We also partner with the Kambu Young Indigenous Boys Program, Ripley Valley Secondary College and the West Moreton Detention Centre.

Next year, BGAC has been contracted to deliver programs in the Southern Queensland Correctional Precinct.

BGAC’s work is invaluable. It provides crucial support and guidance to men in the Ipswich community. Creating safe spaces for men to speak and offering programs focused on life skills, cultural mentorship, and addressing issues is critical to promoting mental health and well-being. We continue to make a positive difference in people’s lives.

Kambu Health | Indigenous Healthcare Services | Youth Health | QLD Australia

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