Empowerment Research Program THE CAIRNS INSTITUTE Enhancing life in the tropics Through research...
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Transcript of Empowerment Research Program THE CAIRNS INSTITUTE Enhancing life in the tropics Through research...
Empowerment Research Program
THE CAIRNS INSTITUTE
Enhancing life in the tropicsThrough research excellence
Roxanne Bainbridge
Contributions: Creating an environment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander control
Showing how researchers’ expertise can be relevant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community priorities
Making social research relevant to people’s daily lives, needs and aspirations
Highlighting the importance of strengths-based approaches to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Developing models of research capacity building and partnerships
Why Empowerment?
The evidence-base: Interventions that empower socially excluded populations across psychological, organisational and community levels have achieved improved health outcomes and quality of life (Wallerstein, 2006).
What Is Empowerment?
“a social action process by which individuals, communities, and organizations gain mastery over their lives in the context of changing their social and political environment to improve equity and quality of life” (Minkler and Wallerstein, 2005, p. 34).
Contributes to the capacity of individuals to differ from, rather than replicate social discourses and engage as significant actors in social processes.
Relationship of empowerment to health:
Outcomes improved by addressing the underlying socio-economic disadvantage - attention to community-based education and care; and promoting empowerment and social and emotional wellbeing
Program Objective:
Operationalise Aboriginal-developed empowerment initiatives to reveal the role and contributions that concepts of empowerment and control can make towards better understanding and addressing the social determinants of health and wellbeing
How?
Participatory Action Research
Family Wellbeing Program: An Aboriginal-developed social and emotional wellbeing program
Community-led initiatives such as Men’s Groups
Universities
James Cook UniversityUniversity of QueenslandUniversity of Papua New GuineaBatchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education [NT]Indigenous communitiesYarrabah Council [QLD]Kowanyama Aboriginal Council [QLD]Hope Vale Queensland HealthIndigenous community-controlled organisations
Apunipima Cape York Health Council {QLD]Gurriny Yealamucka Health Service Aboriginal Corp [QLD]Wu Chopperen Health Service [QLD]Goondir Health Service [QLD]Durri Health service [NSW]NGOs
Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health [QLD]RFDS [QLD]Government services
Queensland HealthQld Department of Communities and Child Safety
Bamaga
Burnie
Hobart
Pormpuraaw
Alice Springs
Normanton
Launceston
Dalby Brisbane
Melbourne
Ceduna
Port Lincoln
Whyalla/Port Pirie/Port Augusta
Hopevale
Cairns Yarrabah
Townsville
Rockhampton
Adelaide
Ghana
Port Moresby : Papua New Guinea
Kempsey
Kowanyama
The Empowerment Research Program:
Sustained for 10 years
Employs community- based researchers -Many have taken up further education
Contributed substantially to the literature base on empowerment -A grounded theory of Aboriginal empowerment and Aboriginal women’s agency; and adaptation and transferability of FWB and men’s groups across contexts
Research empowerment program:
Benefits qualitatively established
Reports , Papers and a Book
‘Narratives of change’ (qualitative data) used to develop a quantitative tool (Growth and Empowerment Measure) to measure processes and outcomes of psychological and social empowerment
Next steps:
Strengthen the current evidence base with quantitative outcome measures
No longer a need for stand-alone investigator-driven research
Thank you