Empowerment as a Framework for Indigenous Workforce Development and Organisational Change

Empowerment as a Framework for Indigenous Workforce Development and Organisational Change Journal Article

Australian Social Work

• Author(s): Whiteside, Mary, , Tsey, Komla, , McCalman, Janya, , Cadet-James, Yvonne , Wilson, Andrew
• Published: 2006
• Volume: 59

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Abstract: Relative powerlessness resulting from colonial dispossession and associated passive welfare policies has long been recognised as a critical factor influencing the health and wellbeing of Indigenous Australians, yet it is hard to find well-evaluated health and social interventions that take an explicit empowerment approach. This paper presents the findings of a Family Wellbeing Empowerment programme pilot delivered to Cairns Region Department of Families Indigenous youth workers and family and community workers in 2003/2004. The aim of the pilot was to build the capacity of these workers to address personal and professional issues as a basis for providing better support for their clients. The pilot demonstrated the effectiveness of the programme as a tool for worker empowerment and, to a lesser degree, organisational change.

• Urls: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03124070600985996