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Providing AOD services on the inside
The above photo is from when Nana Muru was honoured to be part of the NAIDOC Celebrations at South Coast Correctional Centre, where Warren represented the team to receive a beautiful artwork from the community.
Warren Field, Community Engagement Officer, Nana Muru (Lives Lived Well) facilitates an Aboriginal men’s group at the South Coast Correctional Centre in Nowra. He shares his knowledge of providing AOD support to men in custody.
Years ago, the South Coast Correctional Centre hosted interagency days for local services like Centrelink, housing and services like AOD, to attend. On these days, the men could seek support for preparing to leave custody. During COVID, the interagency days stopped. So I approached South Coast Correctional Centre and asked, ‘What are you doing for the fellas?’
And they said, ‘Oh, boy, what can you do?’
So I started meeting with the people who could support an Aboriginal men’s group to be established by an external service at the centre. And that’s how the Aboriginal Men’s Behavioural Group Program began. That was four years ago.
Today I visit the centre each week, to facilitate groups (yarning circle) with around 15 or so Aboriginal men. It’s usually a balance of therapeutic work and culture connection. We start with an acknowledgement of country. At first, the men weren’t putting their hands up to do the acknowledgement, but now they are all keen. There are no rules to the group, except that it is a safe space and everyone must respect each other. I want them to feel they’re not in a jail. I give them a couple of packages of biscuits, that helps!
We start the group with a check-in, and the men tell us how they are feeling from a scale of 0 to 10. We continue with a yarn. This is an opportunity for the men to share what’s going on for them, what’s working, or available in the jail. It could be a learn to drive course, exercise or whatever they do to get rid of tension. We share what’s working before we get into the nitty gritty.
I have a program up my sleeve if I need it. It covers topics such as AOD, drug refusal skills, relationship skills, anger regulation, activities on being a better man, and sessions on what services are available to support them when they’re released.
But I don’t go in there with a set plan. The group is delivered on what is happening for the guys that week. This can range from being anxious, men saying they have been doing head miles, loneliness, worrying about what is happening at home with their family and more. So, I share coping strategies and the men have said that this helps them get rid of their negative feelings. One of the most successful strategies is the three Ds strategy (Delay, Distract, Decide). They say it has supported them deescalate situations and they were able to walk away.
The group is voluntary to attend, and they usually come by word of mouth. The men don’t get paid but they do come every week. And the boys will bring someone if they’re struggling. They’ll say, ‘You need to come to men’s group, bro!’
This invitation is extended to men who are not Aboriginal; other men in the group know what we do might help them, so they are open to this. And so, with the acknowledgements, I say, ‘I pay respects to all cultures and all beliefs,’ to be inclusive to all in the room that day.
Everyone who attends group will receive a letter of attendance which can help with parole and court. When they are released, they might reconnect with me to seek support from services in their communities. Staff at the centre say the groups have shown impact with the men. An officer said, ‘The unity in the yard since you’ve been going there has improved one hundred percent!’
Some of the days, I come out and pinch myself and go, ‘Wow, I feel, I’m on a high myself, you know what I mean? Doing this work, having this impact, feels great!’
Originally published by NADA in Advocate eMagazine March 2026
