IAS352 PRACTICES AND SKILLS IN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY WORK
Farabi
Module4.docxModule 4: Critiquing definitions or representations of community issues
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· Module 4
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Critiquing definitions or representations of community issues |
· Overview
As governments increasingly explore new ways to include and engage with communities, various mechanisms and strategies are created to strengthen the voices and capacities of communities in defining and representing their issues. This module explores the theoretical perspectives and practical examples of models in community building/revitalisation; and addresses issues of accountability, participation and representation of community issues in community work practice.
In this module you will do the following activities to assist your learning:
- read related texts
- watch videos
- continuously jot down notes from these readings
- critically reflect on your understanding of the information from the readings.
· Key Concepts
- The main concepts that will be examined in relation to this module are "participation" and "representation" of communities in identifying and defining community issues and intervention strategies.
- The neo-liberal agenda driving the decentralization of responsibilities to local institutions and communities has promoted the notion of participation as the fundamental tenet of local governance of communities. Community governance in terms of participation and representation, is usually framed by governments outside of communities; and community members' participation is guarded by what governments view as appropriate.
- The notion of homogeneous communities often denies complex issues of community politics, diverse and competing interests, values, beliefs and needs, which affect communities' definition and representation of their issues. It has been argued that the managerialist and financial efficiency goals of engaging communities in defining and representing their issues have been masked by the language of "empowerment" (Lewis and Naidoo, 2004). Empowerment is a core value and guiding principle of community work's commitment to recognise and redress power imbalances. The strength of community work's practices to "bottom-up" approaches encourage critical analysis of inequalities; and create opportunities for communities to get involved in defining and representing their issues and intervening strategies from their everyday lived experience.
· Indigenous Engagement Officers linking community to Government
Indigenous Engagement Officers linking community to Government
Duration: (8:06) User: fahcsia - Added: 08/02/12
YouTube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXuNzsi9wEo
Watch this video to see how Indigenous Engagement Officers broker meetings and community partnerships with government and non-government organisations.
· Wunan Pathway to Empowerment
Wunan Pathway to Empowerment
Duration: 4:51 User: n/a - Added: 31/08/17
YouTube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRxAc8RwI0E
Watch this video which describes the Wunan Aboriginal people's (East Kimberly) pathway to empowerment
· Noel Pearson, Empowered Communities - Responsibility, Reform and Recognition
Noel Pearson, Empowered Communities - Responsibility, Reform and Recognition
Duration: 19:31 User: n/a - Added: 2/08/14
YouTube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJsPxlBicmo
Noel Pearson - Empowered communities - Responsibility, Reform and Recognition
· A radical and successful approach to working with Indigenous communities | Denise Hagan
A radical & successful approach to working with Indigenous communities | Denise Hagan | TEDxBrisbane
Duration: 10:36 User: n/a - Added: 13/03/18
YouTube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKhVX1JF2n8
· Readings
The reading for this module are:
Hardcastle, D, Powers, PR & Wenocour, S 1997, Community practice: Theories and skills for social workers, Oxford University Press: New York pp. 105 – 107. Available at CDU Casuarina and Batchelor Libraries
Kenny, S 2011, Developing communities for the future, Cengage Learning: Melbourne, Chapters 3 & 7. Available at CDU Casuarina and Batchelor Libraries
Long, M & Sephton, R 2011, "Rethinking the “Best Interests” of the Child: Voices from Aboriginal Child and Family Welfare Practitioners", Australian Social Work, vol. 64 (1) pp. 96-112.
Mendes, P & Binns, F 2013, "The integration of community development values, skills and strategies within rural social work practice in Victoria, Australia" , Community Development Journal, vol. 48 (4) pp. 605 - 622.
Wright, M & Kickett-Tucker, C 2016, 'Djinangingy kartdijin: Seeing and understanding our ways of working ' in C Kikett-Tucker, D Bessarab, J Coffin & M Wright (ed) Mia Mia Aboriginal community development: Fostering cultural security, pp. 153 - 168, Cambridge University Press.
Yunupingu, G (ed.) 1997, Our land is our life: Land rights – past, present and future, University of Queensland Press: St. Lucia. Available at CDU Casuarina and Batchelor Libraries
eReadings: The links above take you to an electronic copy of this item in the eReadings collection set up for this unit.
· Congratulations
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Congratulations. You have finished working through the activities, readings and assessments for this unit. I hope you have enjoyed studying this unit and that you are going to use your knowledge and experience to facilitate effective community work practices in a range of contexts. |
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Best wishes, Susana. |
The readings and tasks that you have completed in Modules 2, 3 and 4 will assist you to plan, prepare and write your final essay. In this essay you will compare and contrast the different methods and processes of identifying community issues and community intervention strategies, highlighting the implications on community work practice OR In this essay you will compare and contrast the different methods and processes of identifying community issues and the integration of community development values, skills and strategies within community work practice in an Indigenous/marginalised context. Click on the link above for more details about Assessment 4.
