‘You got any Truck?’ Vehicles and decentralised mobile service-provision in remote Indigenous Australia

Service provision in remote Indigenous Australia is highly dependent on vehicle availability and profoundly affected by usage constraints. This paper seeks to explore elements of conflict and points of alignment in the intercultural exchange between service providers and those Indigenous people dependent on vehicles for service provision. Drawing on the example of education provision to remote homelands in the Arnhem Land area of the Northern Territory, as well as existing literature of ownership and exchange in Indigenous Australia, the paper outlines a re-alignment of service provision using a decentralised, mobile model of delivery. Based on these case studies, the paper proposes a rethinking of the importance of transport in program implementation and the resulting outcomes, and the relationship between this and Indigenous lifestyle and cultural imperatives. This paper is based on extensive experience in Indigenous education and policy, the bulk of this living and working with the Kuninjku, Djinang, Burarra, Kune and Rembarrnga peoples in the homelands surrounding Maningrida in Arnhem Land

'You got any Truck?' Vehicles and decentralised mobile service-provision in remote Indigenous Australia

Service provision in remote Indigenous Australia is highly dependent on vehicle availability and profoundly affected by usage constraints. This paper seeks to explore elements of conflict and points of alignment in the intercultural exchange between service providers and those Indigenous people dependent on vehicles for service provision. Drawing on the example of education provision to remote homelands in the Arnhem Land area of the Northern Territory, as well as existing literature of ownership and exchange in Indigenous Australia, the paper outlines a re-alignment of service provision using a decentralised, mobile model of delivery. Based on these case studies, the paper proposes a rethinking of the importance of transport in program implementation and the resulting outcomes, and the relationship between this and Indigenous lifestyle and cultural imperatives. This paper is based on extensive experience in Indigenous education and policy, the bulk of this living and working with the Kuninjku, Djinang, Burarra, Kune and Rembarrnga peoples in the homelands surrounding Maningrida in Arnhem Land

Developing the Facilitative Health and Well-being Tool: Freeing Writing

Research into processes of self, including self-concept clarity, identity, and meaning and purpose in life, has demonstrated that human beings that feel they know themselves tend to experience positive health and well-being outcomes, while people who feel they don’t know themselves tend to experience more negative health and well-being outcomes. These findings indicate that knowing oneself is essential. Thus, the facilitative tool I am creating with this Master’s Project, Freeing Writing, combines the power of self-knowledge and self-discovery with the healing power of expressive writing. In this manuscript, I synthesize the scientific research, Design Thinking process, and real-world experiences which contributed to the development of this tool, which will help facilitate well-being outcomes for participants in current and future professional endeavors

Indigenous education: experiential learning and learning through country

In Indigenous policy circles there is an increasingly desperate desire to lift the educational and employment outcomes of remote Indigenous students, relative to their non-Indigenous peers in the rest of Australia. A lack of engagement with education and a scarcity of jobs underpin this policy anxiety. This paper queries some current policy approaches to these issues and seeks to provide a practical and grounded perspective to education programs in remote Indigenous Australia. We question and challenge the weight current policy agendas are ascribing to literacy and numeracy attainment through direct and classroom based instruction. Alternatively, we seek to reinvigorate the notion that quality education can comprise other modes of learning and include community based educational approaches. As an example we outline the importance of Indigenous land and sea management (ILSM) as a development and employment activity for Indigenous people living in remote regions of Australia, and show how remote education programs are connecting to ILSM to provide local ‘Learning through Country’ solutions. From research conducted in a diversity of remote Aboriginal education and employment contexts, we find that there is a commonality of issues confronting attempts to link education with work and development activity. We finish by giving voice to some of these issues and offer insights relevant for educators and policy makers

Indigenous language education in remote communities

This Topical Issue is based upon a submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Inquiry into language learning in Indigenous communities, and has a specific focus on lessons the authors have learnt from working with Indigenous peoples in remote regions as both educators and researchers. The focus is on the role of Indigenous languages in emergent development activity in remote Australia and the out-of-school language and literacy needs of Indigenous adolescents and young adults, with a focus on the digital economy

Submission to the Inquiry into language learning in Indigenous communities, The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs

"...we will focus on: ... the role of Indigenous languages in emergent development activity in remote Australia and; ... the out-of-school language and literacy needs of Indigenous adolescents and young adults, with a focus on the digital economy ..." - page

Indigenous language education in remote communities

This Topical Issue is based upon a submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Inquiry into language learning in Indigenous communities, and has a specific focus on lessons the authors have learnt from working with Indigenous peoples in remote regions as both educators and researchers. The focus is on the role of Indigenous languages in emergent development activity in remote Australia and the out-of-school language and literacy needs of Indigenous adolescents and young adults, with a focus on the digital economy

Constructive engagement: Impacts, limitations and possibilities during a national emergency intervention

"On the 21st June, 2007 the Australian government announced a ‘national emergency’ response to protect Aboriginal Children in the Northern Territory. In so doing, they produced a raft of changes to key areas of social policy including bans on alcohol, pornography and sweeping changes to welfare, land tenure, education and health policy. The following report analyses a range of impacts, limitations and possibilities in key areas of the ‘intervention’. The findings of the report are that the impacts and limitations of the Australian government’s intervention are likely to adversely affect the socio-economic fabric of the Maningrida region. The research also suggests that many aspects are likely to have an adverse affect on the safety of children in the region. In particular, the report finds structural defects in proposed policy changes that are of major concern to BAC, its constituents and the wider Maningrida community ..." - page i

The viability of wildlife enterprises in remote Indigenous communities of Australia: a case study

Sustainable wildlife enterprises developed for commercial purposes are a potential source of economic and socio-cultural benefit for Indigenous people living in remote locations in Australia. This paper examines the viability of a wildlife enterprise in Arnhem Land (Northern Territory) that harvests three animal species for commercial sale: saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus), northern long-necked turtles (Chelodina rugosa) and tarantula spiders (Selenotholus sp.). Whilst the crocodile and turtle industries are well established, the tarantula spider industry is an emergent industry. Factors influencing the development of the enterprise and its on-going viability are identified, including the extent of collaboration between the local Indigenous community and western scientists; knowledge and skill requirements for a successful wildlife enterprise; and institutional constraints on the effectiveness of wildlife enterprises in remote localities. In examining the viability of the wildlife enterprise, suggestions are made to strengthen the continued operation of the enterprise and its potential to become commercially viable