Conference Papers
Session EDE.2.1 Social Capital in the older generations
1. Val Cooms: Aboriginal Grandparenting and the State
Full paper | Audio | Video | Slideshow
This paper looks at the experiences of a Quandamoooka Grandparent and the Queensland Department of Child Safety in relation to caring for 3 grandchildren. In particular, it examines the lack of care by the State Government compared with the serious over-representation of children in care in Queensland. It also highlights the lack of understanding of Aboriginal culture in relation to kinship roles and responsibilities as well as problems involvings State and territory jurisdictions.
Author bio: Valerie belongs to the Nunukul people of Minjeeribah or North Stradbroke Island. Valerie has three children and 6 grandchildren. Valerie has worked in the Australian Public Service for many years in health, employment, Native Title and the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Valerie currently works as the Indigenous Co-ordinator at AIATSIS, is a board member of Indigenous Business Australia, previously worked as the CEO of Queensland South Representative Body Aboriginal Corporation and Queensland South Native Title Services and is completing a PhD in Queensland Aboriginal political history from 1965 to 1975 at ANU.
2. Megan Williams: Role of Elders, families and services supporting people exiting prison, and reducing re-incarceration
Full paper | Audio | Video | Slideshow
This Aboriginal-led research takes a strengths-based approach: explaining the incredible informal support offered and used by Aboriginal people after release from prison in Brisbane. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are overall at least 13 times over-represented in Queensland prisons, and this continues to worsen. Reference to a ‘revolving door’ of incarceration is regularly made, and current recidivism rates indicate a majority of people are not successfully reintegrated into the community after release. But there is little real understanding of what ‘successful reintegration’ means and how it does occur from an Aboriginal point of view, nor implications for future service delivery and policy. This paper presents insights from in-depth interviews with Aboriginal Elders, families and service providers who have supported people coming out of prison in Brisbane. A lot goes on behind closed doors! Aboriginal post-prison release experiences are characterised on the one hand by poverty, discrimination and dislocation from family and country. On the other hand, themes emerge of the determination to improve role modelling for younger generations, the healing connections with Elders, and the instrumental connections with service providers across justice, employment, education, housing and health domains. Research findings are discussed in terms of opportunities for extending support to others.
Author bio: Megan Williams is a descendent of the Wiradjuri people of central NSW. Megan worked for ten years in drug user groups and youth services in HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C and illicit drug use harm reduction and support roles. This included supporting people in and out of prison, and supervising community orders. Megan then moved into combining service delivery with research, including building capacity of young injecting drug users to undertake peer research, as well as doing program evaluation. Megan has been at the Indigenous Health Unit at The University of Queensland for the past five years, teaching on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, as well as doing PhD research on the role of Aboriginal families and service providers supporting people exiting prison in Brisbane. The PhD continues… strengths-based research on the kinds of supports that often go on behind-the-scenes and unfunded, but that are so valuable in helping people stay out of the criminal justice system. Megan is currently a Team Investigator on an NHMRC Capacity Building Project on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoner health led by UNSW, is a Link Person and supported by the Lowitja Institute, and Director of Project 10%, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led campaign to reduce prison rates in Queensland.