Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T19:37:33.531Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Empowerment is the Basis for Improving Education and Employment Outcomes for Aboriginal People in Remote Australia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 March 2018

Byron Wilson ,
Tammy Abbott ,
Stephen J. Quinn ,
John Guenther ,
Eva McRae-Williams  and
Sheree Cairney
Byron Wilson*
Affiliation:
The Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation, Charles Darwin University, Brinkin, NT 0909, Australia
Tammy Abbott
Affiliation:
The Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation, Charles Darwin University, Brinkin, NT 0909, Australia
Stephen J. Quinn
Affiliation:
Department of Statistics, Data Science and Epidemiology, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC 3122, Australia
John Guenther
Affiliation:
Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education, Darwin, NT 0845, Australia
Eva McRae-Williams
Affiliation:
Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education, Darwin, NT 0845, Australia
Sheree Cairney
Affiliation:
The Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation, Charles Darwin University, Brinkin, NT 0909, Australia
*
address for correspondence: Byron Wilson, The Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation, Charles Darwin University, Brinkin, NT 0909, Australia. Email: byron.wilson2@menzies.edu.au
Get access

Abstract

In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people score poorly on national mainstream indicators of wellbeing, with the lowest outcomes recorded in remote communities. As part of a ‘shared space’ collaboration between remote Aboriginal communities, government and scientists, the holistic Interplay Wellbeing Framework and accompanying survey were designed bringing together Aboriginal priorities of culture, empowerment and community with government priorities of education, employment and health. Quantitative survey data were collected from a cohort of 841 Aboriginal people aged 15–34 years, from four different Aboriginal communities. Aboriginal community researchers designed and administered the survey. Structural equation modelling was used to identify the strongest interrelating pathways within the framework. Optimal pathways from education to employment were explored with the concept of empowerment playing a key role. Here, education was defined by self-reported English literacy and numeracy and empowerment was defined as identity, self-efficacy and resilience. Empowerment had a strong positive impact on education (β = 0.38, p < .001) and strong correlation with employment (β = 0.19, p < .001). Education has a strong direct effect on employment (β = 0.40, p < .001). This suggests that education and employment strategies that foster and build on a sense of empowerment are mostly likely to succeed, providing guidance for policy and programs.

Keywords

Aboriginal and Torres Strait IslanderremoteemploymentInterplay Wellbeing Frameworkeducation
Type
Research Article
Information
The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education , Volume 48 , Issue 2 , December 2019 , pp. 153 - 161
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abbott, T., & Cairney, S. (2014). Collaboration and capacity development through the employment of Aboriginal community-based researchers: Examples from the Interplay project. Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues, 17(4), 164–167.Google Scholar
Altman, J. (2009). Beyond closing the gap: Valuing diversity in indigenous Australia. Working Paper No. 54, Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, Canberra. Retrieved March 29, 2017 from http://caepr.anu.edu.au/Publications/WP/2009WP54.php.Google Scholar
Auger, M. D. (2016). Cultural continuity as a determinant of indigenous peoples’ health: A metasynthesis of qualitative research in Canada and the United States cultural continuity as a determinant of indigenous peoples’ health. The International Indigenous Policy Journal, 7(4). http://doi.org/10.18584/iipj.2016.7.4.3.Google Scholar
Australian Bureau Of Statistics. (2011). 2011 Census community profiles. Retrieved March 29, 2017 from http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2011/communityprofile/ILOC50300701?opendocument&navpos=230.Google Scholar
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2004). Rural, regional and remote health: A guide to remoteness classifications. AIHW cat. no. PHE 53. Canberra: Retrieved March 29, 2017 from http://ruralhealth.org.au/sites/default/files/other-bodies/other-bodies-04-03-01.pdf.Google Scholar
Biddle, N., & Swee, H. (2012). The relationship between wellbeing and indigenous land, language and culture in Australia. Australian Geographer, 43(3), 215–232. http://doi.org/10.1080/00049182.2012.706201Google Scholar
Cairney, S., & Abbott, T. (2014). Aboriginal wellbeing in a “red dirt economy”. Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues, 17(4), 11–30.Google Scholar
Cairney, S., Abbott, T., Quinn, S., Yamaguchi, J., Wilson, B., & Wakerman, J. (2017). Interplay wellbeing framework: A collaborative methodology “bringing together stories and numbers” to quantify Aboriginal cultural values in remote Australia. International Journal for Equity in Health, 16(1), 1–33.Google Scholar
Cairney, S., Abbott, T., & Yamaguchi, J. (2015). Study protocol: The interplay wellbeing framework and methodology to assess wellbeing in aboriginal and torres strait islander people in remote Australia. CRC-REP Working Paper CW024. Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation Ninti One Limited. Alice Springs. Retrieved March 29, 2017 from https://www.nintione.com.au/resources/nol/study-protocol-the-interplay-wellbeing-framework-and-methodology-to-assess-wellbeing-in-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-people-in-remote-australia/.Google Scholar
Davies, J., Maru, Y., Hueneme, H., Grey-Gardner, R., & Chings, V. (2010). Outback livelihoods: Employment, sustainable livelihoods and development in Anmatjere region, central Australia. DKCRC Report 61. Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre. Alice Springs. Retrieved March 29, 2017 from http://www.desertknowledgecrc.com.au/resource/dkcrc-report-61-outback-livelihoods_employment-sustainable-livelihoods-and-development-in-anmatjere-region-central-australia.pdf.Google Scholar
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. (2017). Closing the Gap Prime Minister's Report 2017. Canberra. Retreived March 29, 2017 from http://closingthegap.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/ctg-report-2017.pdf.Google Scholar
Dockery, A. (2013). Cultural dimensions of indigenous participation in vocational education and training: New perspectives. Adelaide. National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER). Retrieved March 29, 2017 from http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2573.html.Google Scholar
Gelade, S., & Stehlik, T. (2004). Exploring locality: The impact of context on indigenous vocational education and training aspirations and outcomes. National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER). Adelaide. Retrieved March 29, 2017 from https://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/publications/all-publications/exploring-locality-the-impact-of-context-on-indigenous-vocational-education-and-training-aspirations-and-outcomes#.Google Scholar
Guenther, J. (2015a). Overview of remote education systems qualitative results. CRC-REP Working Paper CW025. Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation Ninti One Limited. Alice Springs. Retrieved March 29, 2017 from https://www.nintione.com.au/resources/rao/overview-of-remote-education-systems-qualitative-results/.Google Scholar
Guenther, J. (2015b). Successful remote schools: What are they? In Remote Education Systems. Broome. Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation, Ninti One Limited. Alice Springs. Retrieved March 29, 2017 from https://www.slideshare.net/Ninti_One/successful-remote-schools-what-are-they.Google Scholar
Guenther, J., & Bat, M. (2013). Towards a good education in very remote Australia: Is it just a case of moving the desks around?. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 42(2), 145–156. http://doi.org/10.1017/jie.2013.22.Google Scholar
Guenther, J., Disbray, S., & Osborne, S. (2015). Building on “red dirt” perspectives: What counts as important for very remote education. Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 44(2), 194–206. http://doi.org/10.1017/jie.2015.20Google Scholar
Guenther, J., Disbray, S., & Osborne, S. (2016). Red Dirt Education: A Compilation of Learnings from the Remote Education Systems Project. Alice Springs: Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation, Ninti One Limited. Alice Springs. Retrieved March 29, 2017 from https://www.nintione.com.au/resources/rao/red-dirt-education-a-compilation-of-learnings-from-the-remote-education-systems-project/.Google Scholar
Guenther, J., & McRae-Williams, E. (2014). Does education and training for remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lead to “real” jobs? Evidence from the 2011 Census. In AVETRA 17th Annual Conference: Informing Changes in VET Policy and Practice: The Central Role of Research. 22–24 April. Alice Springs: AVETRA. Retrieved March 29, 2017 from http://eprints.batchelor.edu.au/402/.Google Scholar
Guenther, J., & McRae-Williams, E. (2015). The training and employment challenge of remote communities: Is collaboration the solution? In AVETRA 18th Annual Conference: “Walking the Tightrope: The Implications of Markets for VET Research, Policy and Practice” 8th–10th April 2015. Melbourne. Retrieved March 29, 2017 from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274785087_The_training_and_employment_challenge_of_remote_communities_Is_collaboration_the_solution.Google Scholar
Guenther, J., & McRae-Williams, E. (2016). What gaps need closing in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander training provision. Research Today, 17, 5–6.Google Scholar
Guenther, J., Osborne, S., & Bat, M. (2013). Red dirt thinking on educational disadvantage. Paper presented at the ISFIRE conference, University of Western Australia, Perth, February 2013. Retrieved March 29, 2017 from http://www.catconatus.com.au/docs/130214_Red_dirt_thinking_educational_disadvantage.pdf.Google Scholar
Haswell, M. R., Kavanagh, D., Tsey, K., Reilly, L., Cadet-James, Y., Laliberte, A., . . . Doran, C. (2010). Psychometric validation of the growth and empowerment measure (GEM) applied with indigenous Australians. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 44(9), 791–9. http://doi.org/10.3109/00048674.2010.482919Google Scholar
Interplay Wellbeing Framework. (2016). Interplay Wellbeing Framework. Retrieved August 9, 2016, from http://www.crc-rep.com/wellbeingframeworkGoogle Scholar
Kline, R. B. (2011). Principles and Practice of Structural Equation Modeling. Analysis (vol. 77). New York: The Guildford Press. http://doi.org/10.1038/156278a0Google Scholar
Lucero, N. M. (2014). “It's not about place, it's about what's inside”: American Indian women negotiating cultural connectedness and identity in urban spaces. Women's Studies International Forum, 42, 9–18. doi: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.wsif.2013.10.012.Google Scholar
MacKinnon, D. P., Krull, J. L., & Lockwood, C. M. (2000). Equivalence of the mediation, confounding and suppression effect. Prevention Science: The Official Journal of the Society for Prevention Research, 1(4), 173–181. http://doi.org/10.1023/A1026595011371Google Scholar
Marmot, M. (2011). Social determinants and the health of Indigenous Australians. The Medical Journal of Australia, 194(10), 512–513.Google Scholar
McRae-Williams, E. (2008). Understanding “Work” in Ngukurr: A Remote Australian Aboriginal Community. Unpublished PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, Darwin.Google Scholar
McRae-Williams, E. (2014). Aspirations for meaningful livelihoods: Challenges of pathway navigation. Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues (Special Edition), 5, 51–71.Google Scholar
McRae-Williams, E., & Guenther, J. (2014). Learning pathways for economic enterprise in remote aboriginal communities: Are certificate IIIs the ticket? In AVETRA 17th Annual Conference: Informing Changes in VET Policy and Practice: The Central Role of Research. April 22–24. Surfers Paradise. Retrieved March 29, 2017 from http://eprints.batchelor.edu.au/401/Google Scholar
McRae‐Williams, E., & Guenther, J. (2016). Our North, whose future: What is the scope for Aboriginal workforce development? In Developing Northern Australia Conference 2016: Above the line – unleashing the north's potential, Darwin, NT (20–22 June). (pp. 1–13). Darwin. Retrieved March 29, 2017 from https://www.nintione.com.au/resources/nol/our-north-whose-future-what-is-the-scope-for-aboriginal-workforce-development/.Google Scholar
McRae-Williams, E., Guenther, J., Jacobsen, D., & Judith, L. (2016). What are the enablers of economic participation in remote and very remote Australia, and how can we identify them? Learning Communities: International Journal of Learning in Social Contexts, (Synthesis & Integration writing from the Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation), 6–25.Google Scholar
McRae-Williams, E., Yamaguchi, J., Wilson, B., Schultz, R., Abbott, T., & Cairney, S. (2018). Interplay wellbeing framework: Community perspectives on working together for effective service delivery in remote aboriginal communities. The International Indigenous Policy Journal, 9(1), 1–17.Google Scholar
Miller, C. (2005). Aspects of training that meet Indigenous Australians’ aspirations: A systematic review of research. National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), Adelaide. Retrieved March 29, 2017 from https://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/publications/all-publications/aspects-of-training-that-meet-indigenous-australians-aspirations-a-systematic-review-of-research.Google Scholar
Nguyen, O., & Cairney, S. (2013). Literature review of the interplay between education, employment, health and wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in remote areas: Working towards an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander wellbeing framework. CRC-REP Working Paper CW013. Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation Ninti One Limited. Alice Springs. Retrieved March 29, 2017 from https://nintione.com.au/resource/CW013_InterplayLiteratureReview_TowardsWellbeingFramework.pdfGoogle Scholar
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2011). Measuring well-being and progress. Paris: OECD Publishing. Retrieved March 29, 2017 from http://www.oecd.org/std/Measuring%20Well-Being%20and%20Progress%20Brochure.pdf.Google Scholar
Osborne, S., & Guenther, J. (2013). Red dirt thinking on power, pedagogy and paradigms: Reframing the dialogue in remote education. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 42(2), 111–122. http://doi.org/10.1017/jie.2013.19Google Scholar
Purdie, N., & Buckley, S. (2010). School attendance and retention of Indigenous Australian students. Closing the Gap Clearinghouse. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Australian Institute of Family Studies. Retrieved March 29, 2017 from https://research.acer.edu.au/indigenous_education/45/Google Scholar
Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision. (2014). Overcoming indigenous disadvantage: Key indicators 2014. Canberra. Retrieved March 29, 2017 from http://www.pc.gov.au/research/ongoing/overcoming-indigenous-disadvantage/2014Google Scholar
Tsey, K., Wilson, A., Haswell-Elkins, M., Whiteside, M., McCalman, J., Cadet-James, Y., & Wenitong, M. (2007). Empowerment-based research methods: A 10-year approach to enhancing Indigenous social and emotional wellbeing. Australasian Psychiatry, 15(s1), S34–S38. http://doi.org/10.1080/10398560701701163Google Scholar
Tzelgov, J., & Henik, A. (1991). Suppression situations in psychological research: Definitions, implications, and applications. Psychological Bulletin, 109(3), 524–536. http://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.109.3.524.Google Scholar
Wexler, L. (2014). Looking across three generations of Alaska Natives to explore how culture fosters Indigenous resilience. Transcultural Psychiatry, 51(1), 73–92. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363461513497417.Google Scholar
Whiteside, M., Tsey, K., & Earles, W. (2011). Locating Empowerment in the context of indigenous Australia. Australian Social Work, 64(1), 113–129. http://doi.org/10.1080/0312407X.2010.533279.Google Scholar
Wilson, B., Guenther, J., & Cairney, S. (2016). The role of education in the wellbeing of aboriginal and torres strait islander people from remote communities [Review]. Australian Journal of Indigenous Issues, 19(3), 1–20.Google Scholar
Wilson, B., Quinn, S., Abbott, T., & Cairney, S. (2017). Interplay wellbeing framework: Learning aboriginal literacy key to improving english literacy and numeracy in remote aboriginal and torres strait islander communities. Education Research for Policy and Practice, 17(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10671-017-9217-z.Google Scholar