Culturally secure methods for assessing social and emotional wellbeing in an Australian Aboriginal equine-assisted learning program

Purpose: Yawardani Jan-ga (Horses Helping) (YJ) is an Aboriginal-specific, culturally secure equine-assisted learning (EAL) program in the Kimberley region of Western Australia (WA). It was collaboratively designed with local Aboriginal children and young people, Elders, service providers and content experts – including specialists in trauma-informed practice, child development and implementation science. This program addresses the complex social, emotional, spiritual and wellbeing needs (SEWB) of Aboriginal children and young people aged 6 to 26 years. Utilising a strengths-based learning model, participants engage with horses to develop vital life skills, such as communication, self-awareness and emotional regulation, fostering their SEWB. While EAL has been applied internationally with Aboriginal populations, its adoption in Australia is still expanding. Methods: This methodology paper outlines (a) the standardisation of the YJ EAL program’s design and implementation, ensuring consistent, methodologically sound practices; and (b) a culturally secure, multimodal, multi-informant qualitative approach for collecting contextually relevant, longitudinal data on participant experiences. The methods were designed to capture the subtleties of human–horse interactions, prioritise participant narratives, and integrate strengths-based techniques resonant with Aboriginal learning preferences and cultural perspectives. These methods diverge from traditional physiological and psychological EAL assessments, offering culturally relevant and ecologically valid evaluations. Principal conclusions: The methodologies presented in the current paper are being evaluated through a longitudinal qualitative study. This pioneering Aboriginal-led initiative sets a precedent for employing culturally secure methods to gather qualitative phenomenological data in the EAL field.