Locating Empowerment in the Context of Indigenous Australia

Abstract

Empowerment provides a potentially useful framework for social work practice with Indigenous Australians. However, there is little systematic research on what empowerment actually means in this context. This study sought to examine the concept of empowerment for Indigenous Australians through a grounded theory analysis of the stories of people who experienced empowerment, having participated in the Indigenous developed Family Wellbeing empowerment program. The emergent theoretical model delineates central interconnected and mutually reinforcing elements that enabled people to effect life changes, even where many aspects of their social context remained constraints. The elements involve particular beliefs and attitudes, and skills and knowledge manifested in agency and leading to achievements. All of the elements correspond with theoretical literature pertaining to empowerment. However, the proposed emergent theory places a greater emphasis on attributes associated with a belief in God, strong personal values, and having the skills to help others. These attributes resonate with Indigenous concepts of culture and spirituality. The findings provide a valuable conceptual model for social workers engaging with Indigenous groups, communities, and organisations, whether through policy, planning, research, or practice.

Abstract

Keywords:

• Indigenous Research
• Empowerment
• Social Work Theory

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the participants of Family Wellbeing who gave so generously of themselves through program evaluations. The research was undertaken through an NHMRC training scholarship for Indigenous Australian health research.