Conference Papers
Session WR2.3. Leadership
1. Pat Dudgeon and Roz Walker: Developing a community-led empowerment, leadership and healing program in the Kimberley
The Western Australia Aboriginal Health Survey (WAACHS), NATSIS and ABS data show high levels of domestic violence, substance abuse and suicide among Aboriginal people in the Kimberley, Western Australia. The WAACHS findings highlight the complex environmental, social, economic, cultural and historical factors that impact on Aboriginal social and emotional well being. These factors result in unresolved grief and loss, trauma and abuse, domestic violence, substance misuse, physical health problems, identity issues, child removals, incarceration, family breakdown, cultural dislocation, racism, discrimination, and social disadvantage. The effects are transgenerational. There is growing evidence of the need for social and emotional well being programs that focus on protective factors to promote resilience, and foster social cohesion, connection to land, culture, spirituality and ancestry (Zubrick et al, 2010). While many programs and services attempt to address substance abuse, suicide, domestic violence and child abuse, few programs focus on facilitating individual and community empowerment, leadership and healing in the communities to address these issues. This project team is conducting a comprehensive community consultation process in Broome, Beagle Bay and Halls Creek to develop a culturally appropriate empowerment program for Aboriginal people in the Kimberley. It aims to identify community-led strategies/courses to support Aboriginal people to identify and deal with complex environmental, social, economic, cultural and historical factors that impact on Aboriginal social and emotional well being. This presentation reports on the outcomes of community consultation and the program development; content, and delivery. Ultimately, the aim is to establish a nationally accredited program in leadership, empowerment and healing.
Author bio: Professor Pat Dudgeon, is from Bardi and Giga people of the Kimberley in Western Australia. She was the first Aboriginal psychologist to graduate in Australia and has made outstanding contributions to Indigenous psychology and higher education. She was the Head of the Centre for Aboriginal Studies at Curtin University, for some 19 years. She works for the School of Indigenous Studies at UWA and is also a senior researcher with the Telethon Institute of Child Health Research Pat has always worked in ways that empower and develop other Aboriginal people. Pat is leading the Empowerment, Healing and Leadership Project.
Author bio: Associate Professor Roz Walker, has over 25 years experience working with Aboriginal communities. Roz is currently working as a senior researcher with the Centre for Research Excellence in Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing at the Telethon Institute of Child Health Research in Western Australia (TICHR). She has extensive experience in qualitative research, evaluation and community development in Aboriginal community contexts with an interest in empowering, decolonising methodologies and research ethics and principles and a special interest in translating research into policy and practice.
2. Jacqui Pearce: Indigenous Leadership: Building a Future
The paper will focus on the importance of gender in leadership development and developing Indigenous youth as well as linking younger and older people in their leadership journeys. It will explore some of the critical success factors of the FaHCSIA Indigenous Leadership Program (ILP) and the role of these in building a body of evidence and research to support Indigenous Leadership development and its unique characteristics. The paper will draw on comprehensive evaluation data, feedback from ILP participants and broader learning to begin this exploration. The ILP has been delivering transformational leadership programs to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people since 2004 and at least 2,000 people have participated in the national leadership program with many more having participated in regional and targeted programs. The program has made a positive contribution to leadership thinking and to building the skills of Indigenous leaders around the country.
Author bio: Jacqui Pearce has worked in the Department of Families Housing Community Services and Indigenous Affairs in the area of Indigenous leadership and engagement for the past 6 years in various roles related to developing and delivering leadership programs and other strengths and capacity building activities. Prior to that Jacqui worked in the ACT non-government sector for 20 years. Jacqui is a feminist and strong advocate for strengths based change and liberation. Jacqui is also a coach, facilitator and trainer in her spare time as well as spending time with family, friends and her animals.
3. Wayne Quillam and (TBA): Yolngu youth, photography, leadership and voice