Providing culturally responsive housing solutions to remote communities in Far North Queensland

Abstract:

Over the past 10 years, tenancy management of housing across a number of Indigenous communities in Queensland has been transferred from local councils to the state government. This has enabled residents to receive a new housing specific occupational therapy service funded by the National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing (NPARIH) now known as National Partnership on Remote Housing (NPRH). This agreement aims to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations by addressing housing-related issues. The primary goal of the occupational therapy service is to provide specialist housing support to community members so that they are able to remain healthy and safe within their homes. This paper focuses on how the occupational therapists providing this specialist support have identified the need to deliver a service that is responsive to the unique cultural needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Examples include the involvement of family members during the therapy process, utilising local translators, observing cultural practices (e.g. sorry business or gender protocols) and exploring housing solutions that enable clients to remain on their traditional land. These variations aim to acknowledge and address the strong cultural ties that influence the way clients will interact with others and their environment as well as the activities that they will undertake. This paper will provide an overview and examples of how occupational therapists have adapted their service delivery to meet the housing needs of Indigenous people residing in remote communities throughout Far North Queensland.