Jilya extends its biggest congratulations to Whadjuk and Balardong Noongar man Aaron Azza Taylor for graduating with his Bachelor of Science (Psychology)! Azza has been a recipient of the Dr Tracy Westerman Indigenous Psychology Scholarship Program since 2022. He does so much more than just be a student. He spends so much time mentoring all of our Jilya family and he is so beloved by us all! Suffice to say a few happy tears were shed at Jilya headquarters (personally I just had "hayfever" 😂) Azza inspires us to keep going, no matter the odds we are up against. As Azza said: "Thank you all, it's way more emotional than I ever thought, I think because I never thought I would see this day.” "If you listen carefully you will hear the tap sticks played by my 2 sons while I walked across the stage. This was so special because amongst the applause, I could hear my boys, my family, my people." We are endlessly proud of every one of our scholarship recipients and it genuinely makes our day, our year! whenever one of our student’s graduates. This is Blak Excellence. We know Azza is going to do great things - he’s already doing it #BuildAnArmy #ArmyBuilt #BlakExcellence

We know Indigenous people thrive when we have access to culturally responsive mental health care. It’s why Jilya is building an army of Indigenous psychologists & has so far supported 79 Indigenous psychology students over just 6 yrs - achieving Aust record graduation rates. In 2024 we launched the National Indigenous Psychology Treatment Centre employing our psychology graduates & ensuring Indigenous Australians are afforded culturally informed complex treatment desperately needed. Launched in Perth & eyeing a Sydney location in 2026 - we have achieved all of this through philanthropic, corporate and public donations! Every cent makes a direct difference to our highest risk families & communities. I volunteer every day to ensure 100% of public donations go to where it should. So, on January 26 be part of a self determined generational change program by donating in solidarity. thejilyainstitute.com.au/don… #BuildAnArmy #ArmyBuilt #ArmyJoined #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe #PayTheRent #NotADateToCelebrate

In 2019, we had #BuildAnArmy as a commitment to ensure that no child dies from a lack of access to culturally competent services. In 2024, we had #ArmyBuilt - as a promise kept and now we have #ArmyJoined Donate to Jilya today loom.ly/_EFQ8NI

Okay the tears have already started and it’s only 9:15..Day 1 of the Westerman Jilya Institute for Indigenous Mental Health student conference and this map shows our massive footprint. These are the groups our 64 (soon to be 80 plus!!) students represent! It’s overwhelming that something that started with frustration has turned into such massive hope for the country #ArmyBuilt

These are the moments!! During the week we had our first ever Jilya staff in service where all of our staff descended upon our brand new Perth office in Leederville for a weeks worth of planning. And just like that - on day two the amazing TJ Bellotti a 2022 Dr Tracy Westerman Indigenous Psychology Scholarship recipient and who is now volunteering in the Jilya Treatment Arm received notification that her masters in clinical psychology had been conditionally passed. TJ you have done it so tough and we are so proud to have followed and supported your journey to your clinical masters. You are such an example of never giving up and always believing in your dreams no matter what. There were many tears shed and I hope that you know how much we all absolutely adore you. Well done TJ ❤️🖤💛 #ArmyBuilt

Fresh off the big week in Sydney; I have been reflecting so much on the luck of having wise parents. I have had the privilege of being around a lot of extremely educated people in my life. My parents were not educated; but they were wise. I have met a lot of educated people, but they are not always wise. My parents taught me all of the critical values that only wisdom can provide. Together, they taught me the value of doing thankless, unglamorous and often unheralded work every day for a greater purpose. They taught me that EGO is the worst leadership trait because it doesn’t teach you the value of failing; of being wrong; of bouncing back from constant NO’s. Because of them, I understand that all of my achievements are in no small part due to privilege of failure their hard work afforded me. #Jilya #ArmyBuilt #ToThatISayYes

A weekend of unforgettable moments! 🎉 It kicked off on Friday with an exclusive ‘In Conversation’ talk at Cafe Sydney, hosted by the Sydney Opera House (SOH) and also celebrated my birthday (Donate to Jilya!), then a massive sell out crowd of 450 came to the All About Women event “The Tracy Westerman Effect” for International Women’s Day at the Sydney Opera House, and then wrapped it up with a Keynote to Narang Bir-rong in Penrith Phew!! Grateful for the incredible conversations and the inspiring people I met along the way. ✨ #ToThatISayYes #ArmyBuilt #BirthdayWeekend #AllAboutWomen #SydneyOperaHouse #KeynoteSpeaker #Jilya #DonatetoJilya #TheTracyWestermanEffect #RepresentationMatter #drtracywesterman

64 Indigenous psychology students spread across the country, and we won’t stop until we have thousands. #ArmyBuilt ❤️🖤💛 Be a part of the Jilya story: thejilyainstitute.com.au/don…

Honoured to get a standing ovation to a packed audience of 450 at the “Tracy Westerman effect” event at the Sydney Opera House. Mini clips incoming very soon! #allaboutwomen #iwd #armybuilt #sydneyoperahouse

I said this in a keynote address FIVE YEARS AGO Well, we now have 64 of them spread across the country, and we won’t stop until we have thousands. #ArmyBuilt ❤️🖤💛 Support our cause by donating here: thejilyainstitute.com.au/don…

Thank you for these lovely tweets So pleased you enjoyed the read ❤️🖤💛 #ArmyBuilt

A huge thanks to Will Bessen at Tunablue for capturing this incredible and powerful image of the Jilya Mob, united and spread across the country. 💪🏾✨ #ARMYBUILT

I’m so proud of my charity Jilya-what a massive impact we are having without any Federal Govt funding. 2025 looks even brighter with some amazing announcements to come soon! I will continue to volunteer in Jilya everyday because it is THAT awesome #ArmyBuilt

A shout out to one of our incredible Jilya students Matthew Craig who sent me this lovely text (shared with permission) after getting into Clinical Masters after securing a first class honours. Matt is one of the most positive, optimistic people you will ever meet-we are so proud that we have 13 Indigenous males in our program. Matty comes with extraordinary lived experience which will make him an exceptional clinical psych. I look forward to watching your continued growth Matty. Well done ❤️💛🖤 Show him some love folks! #ArmyBuilt

Jilya #GSD - Getting Shit Done, since 2019 💪🏾 We now have an army of 55 Indigenous Psychologists & Future Psychologists, ready to be mobilised into our most vulnerable communities. #ArmyBuilt

Jilya #GSD - Getting Shit Done, since 2019 💪🏾 We now have an army of 55 Indigenous Psychologists & Future Psychologists, ready to be mobilised into our most vulnerable communities. #ArmyBuilt

So awesome catching up with the South Australian Dr Tracy Westerman Indigenous Psychology Scholarship Program kids!! Five of these guys started in the inaugural year (2020!) and have since graduated with their bachelor degrees and one with clinical masters (Caitlyn ❤️) I’m am so proud of all of them. Watching them bond with each other and grow every year as people - I know our communities will be so much better off as a result. Love them 💛🖤❤️ #ArmyBuilt

If my students still think I’m the smartest person in the room; that I’m beyond being shown a smarter or better way; that my findings can’t be improved upon, then I haven’t done my job. These guys are not intimated by what I’ve achieved-they’re inspired by it; and better than that, they are now inspired by each other. #ArmyBuilt ❤️🖤💛

We need a army a legit army #armybuilt

Your Faith must be greater than your Fear #armystrong #armybuilt #thecode