Family empowerment towards sustainable desert settlements: the Family Wellbeing Empowerment Program in Alice Springs
Family empowerment towards sustainable desert settlements: the Family Wellbeing Empowerment Program in Alice Springs Report
DKCRC Working Paper
- Author(s): McCalman, J
- Published: 2009
- Publisher: Desert Knowledge CRC
- Volume: 68
Abstract: Across Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have experienced severe and systematic disempowerment with devastating health and social impacts. Despite Australia’s world-class health system, the life expectancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men is 11 years lower than that for Australian males (67 years compared to 78) and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women it is 10 years less (73 compared 83 years) (SCRGSP 2009). Concerted action can make a difference (as demonstrated by the reduction in the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in North America and New Zealand to around seven years) (SCRGSP 2009). But in Australia, in some important respects, the circumstances of Aboriginal people appear to have either deteriorated or regressed or health inequity has increased (Gary Banks, quoted in Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision 2005). In the Northern Territory, for example, all-cause mortality rates for Aboriginal people declined overall and for all age groups over a long period (1967– 2000). Declines in Aboriginal mortality however ‘did not keep pace with the relative decline for the total Australian population’ (Wilson et al. 2007) There is now an evidence base which indicates that interventions that empower socially excluded populations across psychological, organisational and community levels have achieved improved health outcomes and quality of life of disadvantaged groups (Wallerstein 2006). Empowerment is a social action process that promotes participation of people, organisations and communities towards the goals of increased individual and community control, political efficacy, improved quality of community life, and social justice (Wallerstein 1992). Increased control and mastery means that people are better able to deal with the forces that affect their lives, (Syme 2003) and have greater capacity to deal with dayto- day challenges of life without being overwhelmed by them (Syme 1998). Aboriginal people have described empowerment as ‘Healing – coming to terms with the past and present situation, dealing with the pain; gaining control; becoming strong; finding your voice; participating in change; and working together for a strong community’
- Urls: http://www.nintione.com.au/resource/DKCRC-Working-Paper-68_The-Family-Wellbeing-Empowerment-Program-in-Alice-Springs.pdf
- Publisher Location: Alice Springs