Lessons learnt about strengthening Indigenous families and communities
Lessons learnt about strengthening Indigenous families and communities Report
Occasional Paper
- Author(s): John Scougall
- Published: 2008
- Publisher: Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
Abstract: The Stronger Families and Communities Strategy (the Strategy) 2000–2004 was an Australian Government initiative funded by the Department of Family and Community Services (FaCS) to help build family and community capacity to deal with challenges and take advantage of opportunities. In 2002, a consortium led by CIRCLE (the Collaborative Institute for Research Consulting and Learning in Evaluation) at RMIT University was commissioned by FaCS to undertake a national evaluation of the Strategy. This report discusses what has been learned from the Strategy 2000–2004 about how to strengthen Indigenous families and communities. These lessons have implications for future interventions funded through the Strategy 2004–2009, and through other funding initiatives and programs. The report provides insights into critical factors that explain the success of some projects and some of the frustrations experienced by others. Evidence for this study has been drawn from multiple sources, including research and policy literature and the data gathered as part of the national evaluation of the Strategy 2000–2004. This has included: questionnaire responses from Indigenous projects; three in-depth qualitative case studies; site visits to nine other Indigenous projects; review of progress reports and final reports (where available) for these projects and a further 16 projects; and consultations with FaCS staff.