Key Messages – Making Tracks: Trauma-Informed Practice Guide for Aboriginal Young People Leaving Care
This practice guide highlights key messages arising from the development of a trauma and attachment-informed framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people leaving care. The more detailed framework is described in the Making Tracks: A trauma-informed framework for supporting Aboriginal young people leaving care (Jackson, Waters, Meehan, Hunter & Corlett, 2013). This practice […]
Hear our voices: community consultattions for the development of an empowerment, healing and leadership program for Aboriginal people living in the Kimberley, Western Australia. Final Research Report
This research Project was initiated in response to the high number of suicides in the Kimberley, northern Western Australia over more than ten years, which sadly, has only worsened in the past 12 months. Between 1999 and 2006, there were 96 Aboriginal suicide deaths in the Kimberley, an average of one suicide per month over […]
Our healing, our solutions: Volume 3
In May 2010, the Healing Foundation announced its first funding initiative aimed at acknowledging and addressing the pain and hurt caused by colonisation, forced removals and other past government policies. The primary purpose of the healing initiatives was to improve the social and emotional wellbeing of Indigenous people and communities, focusing on the wellbeing of […]
Do indigenous health curricula in health science education reduce disparities in health care outcomes?
Ten Suggested Approaches to Teaching Indigenous Students
The 10 Approaches suggested are selected from 15 ‘research-based exemplars for Indigenous teaching’ (available at indigenousteaching.com ). On the website each approach is illustrated with practical exemplars described in teachers own words.
Working in Indigenous contexts: self-reported experiences of non-Indigenous psychologists
Despite assertions in the literature that psychologists adopt culturally inappropriate strategies for working with Indigenous clients, there is little empirical evidence about this. The aim of this study was to document the self-reported experiences of non-Indigenous psychologists working with Indigenous clients, the factors that they felt constrain these interactions, and the clinical, assessment and communication […]
Challenging hidden assumptions: colonial norms as determinants of Aboriginal mental health
This paper examines how mental health service research and discourse reflect such remnant colonial ideas and, as such, constitute a social determinant of mental health for Aboriginal peoples in Canada. The paper is organized as follows. First, the methods used to gather information are briefly described. A second section looks at what areas research tends […]
Preparing Students for Cross-cultural Practice: Indigenous Australians as a case study
Closing the gaps in and through Indigenous health research: guidelines, processes and practices
Research in Aboriginal contexts remains a vexed issue given the ongoing inequities and injustices in Indigenous health. It is widely accepted that good research providing a sound evidence base is critical to closing the gap in Aboriginal health and wellbeing outcomes. However, key contemporary research issues still remain regarding how that research is prioritised, carried […]
Turning the corner: assessment as a key strategy to enhance greater engagement and understanding in Indigenous health
Background: Developing a culturally competent health workforce is a key strategy in the struggle to provide quality healthcare services for Aboriginal people. Since 2000, the Centre for Aboriginal Medical and Dental Health has implemented a comprehensive vertically and horizontally integrated Aboriginal health curriculum across the 6 year MBBS program at the University of Western Australia. […]
Creating the NACCHO Cultural Safety Training Standards and Assessment Process: A background paper.
The purpose of this paper is to provide the CST Standards Committee and Industry Reference Group with an overview of issues relevant to Cultural Safety and Cultural Safety Training. This will help guide CST Standards Committee decisions on what the Standards and the CST training program assessment process should be, and the Industry Reference Group […]
National Best Practice Framework for Indigenous Cultural Competency in Australian Universities
In April 2009, Universities Australia, in collaboration with the IHEAC, obtained support and grant funding from the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations to undertake a two year project on Indigenous Cultural Competency in Australian Universities. The ultimate aim of the project was to provide the Australian higher education sector with a best practice […]
Changing the lens: Indigenous perspectives on psychological literacy
An essential form of psychological literacy that is required in all psychology courses is an understanding of and ability to work with the many cultural groups that make up a given society. Psychology as a profession is part of a society that is shaped and directed by the history, values, norms and biases that characterise […]
Indigenous cultural training for health workers in Australia
Purpose Culturally inappropriate health services contribute to persistent health inequalities. This article reviews approaches to indigenous cultural training for health workers and assesses how effectively they have been translated into training programmes within Australia. Data sources CINAHL PLUS, MEDLINE, Wiley InterScience, ATSIHealth and ProQuest. Study selection The review focuses on the conceptual and empirical literature […]
A framework for decolonization intervention: broadening the focus for improving the health and wellbeing of Indigenous communities
Colonization has spread around the world and inexorably affected millions of people over the last few centuries. There have been many scattered intervention strategies to overcome some of the long-term effects of colonization, especially for health, education, and employment. With respect to the inequalities and discriminations that have remained after centuries, however, it is less […]
Binan Goonj: bridging cultures in Aboriginal health
Despite years of research, policy changes and interventions, it is widely documented that the health status of many Aboriginal people remains the poorest in Australia. Binan Goonj, 3rd Edition: Bridging cultures in Aboriginal health explores the processes and practices underlying this situation, while providing practical strategies to work towards redressing it. Key Features · completely […]
Health Care and Indigenous Australians: Cultural Safety in Practice
Health Care and Indigenous Australians: Cultural safety in practice uses a cultural safety approach for undergraduate health students or professionals wanting to improve their practice in relation to Indigenous Australian clients. With fourteen chapters that include activities, critical thinking questions, poems, ‘making it local’ activities, and case scenarios, readers should find that the material challenges […]
Psychological and cognitive assessment of Indigenous Australians
Objective: The aim of the present review was to evaluate the psychological and cognitive assessments that have been considered suitable for Indigenous Australians. This will provide a basis from which future developments can occur, leading to improved mental health services for Indigenous Australians. Method: Literature searches of key health science databases were conducted using the […]
Indigenous Suicide and Colonization: The Legacy of Violence and the Necessity of Self-Determination
Contemporary indigenous first nations psychologists have developed an alternative frame for viewing suicide that not only shifts the focus from individual-level to group-level explanations, but challenges discourses that position group-level influences as “risk factors” that can be easily subsumed within standard repertoires for suicide prevention. First nations psychologists show the violent legacy of colonization has […]
Psychometric validation of the Growth and Empowerment Measure (GEM) applied with Indigenous Australians
Objective: Empowerment is a complex process of psychological, social, organizational and structural change. It allows individuals and groups to achieve positive growth and effectively address the social and psychological impacts of historical oppression, marginalization and disadvantage. The Growth and Empowerment Measure (GEM) was developed to measure change in dimensions of empowerment as defined and described […]
The Boatshed Racism Roundtable Declaration
Over 40 leading researchers and academics from across Australia met at the University of Western Australia Boatshed in Perth, to discuss research concerning racism towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. The two-day meeting significantly advanced the themes of social justice and reconciliation in Australian society and has culminated in the production of a detailed […]
Engaging Indigenous content within teaching of Qualitative research in psychology
Australian universities recognise cultural competency as an essential attribute for graduates. Within this context, The Australian Psychology Accreditation Committee (APAC) has enforced requirements for students within psychology programmes to have access to Indigenous content. Though Indigenous participation rates are low, the inclusion of Indigenous content or what is often labeled ‘Indigenous psychology’ acts at least […]
Psychology and Indigenous Australians: Foundations of cultural competence
This book fills an important gap in understanding the psychological impact of colonization on Indigenous Australians. Using cultural competence as a theoretical framework, it starts with an exploration of the nature of culture and worldviews which permeates and integrates the book. It provides a convincing explanation of how colonization has affected Indigenous Australians, the role […]
Empowering research with Indigenous communities
National Indigenous Public Health Curriculum Framework
The six core Indigenous public health competencies at the focus of this document are those required of every Master of Public Health (MPH) graduate. This curriculum guide provides suggestions about the integration of these competencies across both disciplinary and practice areas of public health rather than as a component of a specific Indigenous public health […]