Aboriginal child restoration from out-of-home care: pathways for success. The soaring rates of Indigenous children living in out-of-home care requires an urgent response. This research aims to considerably advance the knowledge regarding child restoration by investigating the lived experiences and outcomes of Aboriginal parents whose children have been restored from care. The project intends to identify successful child restoration initiatives and produce an empirical roadmap for navigating serv ....Aboriginal child restoration from out-of-home care: pathways for success. The soaring rates of Indigenous children living in out-of-home care requires an urgent response. This research aims to considerably advance the knowledge regarding child restoration by investigating the lived experiences and outcomes of Aboriginal parents whose children have been restored from care. The project intends to identify successful child restoration initiatives and produce an empirical roadmap for navigating service systems with the goal of restoration. The project expects to make a substantial contribution to this largely neglected research area that will benefit birth parents and families, communities, practitioners, policy makers and academics. In doing so, it aspires to reduce the prevalence of Aboriginal children in care.Read moreRead less
Assessing supportive care needs of Indigenous cancer survivors' caregivers. This project aims to gather data about the needs of partners and caregivers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer survivors. The project will undertake a comprehensive exploration of the experiences of caregivers and develop a psychometrically tested tool to assist in identifying unmet needs. The project expects to provide new knowledge about the needs of this population and a validated tool to better assess th ....Assessing supportive care needs of Indigenous cancer survivors' caregivers. This project aims to gather data about the needs of partners and caregivers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer survivors. The project will undertake a comprehensive exploration of the experiences of caregivers and develop a psychometrically tested tool to assist in identifying unmet needs. The project expects to provide new knowledge about the needs of this population and a validated tool to better assess these needs. The project will result in improvements in the assessment of unmet supportive care needs in caregivers of Indigenous cancer survivors, leading to more timely interventions, and a better quality of life for patients and caregivers.Read moreRead less
A place-based model for Aboriginal community-led solutions. This project aims to investigate the unique approaches used by Aboriginal community-controlled organisations to enable community ownership of holistic health and social programs in complex community settings. Focusing on a close analysis of regional south eastern NSW, the project will produce a robust theorisation of a place-based model for Aboriginal community-led solutions to health and social issues. This project will include mechani ....A place-based model for Aboriginal community-led solutions. This project aims to investigate the unique approaches used by Aboriginal community-controlled organisations to enable community ownership of holistic health and social programs in complex community settings. Focusing on a close analysis of regional south eastern NSW, the project will produce a robust theorisation of a place-based model for Aboriginal community-led solutions to health and social issues. This project will include mechanisms for the transfer and sharing of learnings to other locations, and the early engagement of key stakeholder groups to ensure the benefits from the project are accessible and widely disseminated. The project will also provide training and employment opportunities for Aboriginal people.Read moreRead less
Testing a new model for addressing covert racism faced by Indigenous youth . Racism is associated with poor mental health among Indigenous youth (14-25 years). Previous research has examined overt forms of racism but overlooked subtle and covert forms. This project is designed to provide crucial new knowledge on the forms, impacts, and interpersonal context of covert racism among Indigenous youth. We will adapt, to an Indigenous youth context, an international model of microaggressions (brief, d ....Testing a new model for addressing covert racism faced by Indigenous youth . Racism is associated with poor mental health among Indigenous youth (14-25 years). Previous research has examined overt forms of racism but overlooked subtle and covert forms. This project is designed to provide crucial new knowledge on the forms, impacts, and interpersonal context of covert racism among Indigenous youth. We will adapt, to an Indigenous youth context, an international model of microaggressions (brief, daily acts of covert racism) which focuses on the impacts of racism on targets and the roles of non-Indigenous peoples in either sustaining or ameliorating racism. Expected outcomes will be a new model of covert racism to inform future racism research and interventions in Australia and among other First Nations peoples. Read moreRead less
Yarning with our mob about human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination uptake. This project aims to identify a range of modifiable factors that affect the participation of Indigenous adolescents in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination school programs. The project expects to generate new knowledge by combining Indigenous methodologies and a socioecological model to explore policy, community, interpersonal and intrapersonal factors impacting HPV vaccination uptake for this population. Expected outcom ....Yarning with our mob about human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination uptake. This project aims to identify a range of modifiable factors that affect the participation of Indigenous adolescents in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination school programs. The project expects to generate new knowledge by combining Indigenous methodologies and a socioecological model to explore policy, community, interpersonal and intrapersonal factors impacting HPV vaccination uptake for this population. Expected outcomes include a more comprehensive understanding of the factors behind the low rates of HPV vaccination among Indigenous adolescents. This information should provide significant benefits including the identification of modifiable factors to increase HPV vaccination rates for Indigenous adolescents.Read moreRead less
Planning for a better life under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). This project aims to analyse and define the experiences and expectations of people with disability in rural and remote regions. People accessing the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) are required to complete a personalised service plan, however despite these reforms, people in rural and remote communities currently experience many challenges with the scheme. Using qualitative research methods, the project ....Planning for a better life under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). This project aims to analyse and define the experiences and expectations of people with disability in rural and remote regions. People accessing the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) are required to complete a personalised service plan, however despite these reforms, people in rural and remote communities currently experience many challenges with the scheme. Using qualitative research methods, the project will investigate people’s experiences engaging with Local Area Coordinators and Planners under the Rural and Remote Strategy 2016-2019 and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Strategy. The project will provide significant outcomes for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people with disability in rural and remote areas, disability service providers, and government and non-government policy makers.Read moreRead less
Aboriginal Economic Development: Impact of Indigenous Chambers Commerce. This project aims to assess the economic impact of recent initiatives in Aboriginal economic development. In the last decade, Aboriginal-owned small business has increased; Indigenous Chambers of Commerce have been established and have developed memorandums of understanding for procurement of goods and services with industry; and the Opportunity, Choice, Healing, Responsibility, Empowerment (OCHRE) project was implemented b ....Aboriginal Economic Development: Impact of Indigenous Chambers Commerce. This project aims to assess the economic impact of recent initiatives in Aboriginal economic development. In the last decade, Aboriginal-owned small business has increased; Indigenous Chambers of Commerce have been established and have developed memorandums of understanding for procurement of goods and services with industry; and the Opportunity, Choice, Healing, Responsibility, Empowerment (OCHRE) project was implemented by the NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs to stimulate economic development within Australia’s largest Aboriginal population. Using NSW as a case study, the project intends to assess economic development, job creation, new company creation, increase in the wellbeing of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal partners, and increase in social positivity. This may support the development of effective evidence-based government policy in the sector.Read moreRead less
Co-designing Indigenous education policy in Queensland. The aim of this study is to provide an evidence base and framework for the new co-design approach being implemented across State and Commonwealth Indigenous policy domains. This project investigates co-design within the context of Indigenous education policy within QLD to create a large data set on how co-design is conceptualised and enacted. As the concept of co-design is new in Indigenous policy development, this project is expected to ge ....Co-designing Indigenous education policy in Queensland. The aim of this study is to provide an evidence base and framework for the new co-design approach being implemented across State and Commonwealth Indigenous policy domains. This project investigates co-design within the context of Indigenous education policy within QLD to create a large data set on how co-design is conceptualised and enacted. As the concept of co-design is new in Indigenous policy development, this project is expected to generate new knowledges that will directly benefit Indigenous people, schools, policy makers, and governments. The project addresses the critical social justice issue of Indigenous education inequalities through investigating best practices in education policy development and enactment.Read moreRead less
PFAS transport through landfill clay liners enhanced with proteins. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of environmentally persistent, man-made chemicals found likely to be carcinogenic in humans. Due to their non-stick, water and stain repellences, PFAS have long been used in everyday products (food wrappers, carpets, furniture etc.) which end up in landfills. As it is currently unknown how PFAS move through the various components of landfill barriers, their fate and transpor ....PFAS transport through landfill clay liners enhanced with proteins. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of environmentally persistent, man-made chemicals found likely to be carcinogenic in humans. Due to their non-stick, water and stain repellences, PFAS have long been used in everyday products (food wrappers, carpets, furniture etc.) which end up in landfills. As it is currently unknown how PFAS move through the various components of landfill barriers, their fate and transport has become a priority for the regulators of Australia’s landfill sites according to the Australian 2018 PFAS National Environmental Management Plan. This research will determine PFAS transport through common clay barriers enhanced with proteins which have been shown to be an excellent sorbent for PFAS.Read moreRead less
Navigating the Carceral Interface. This project acknowledges the overrepresentation of young Indigenous people in child protection and incarceration rates. It aims to address the gap in knowledge of how young Indigenous people experience the carceral system and document how Indigenous community organisations support and provide vital contributions to building safer more supportive communities, which is one of the targets of the Closing the Gap policy framework. This project will develop a theore ....Navigating the Carceral Interface. This project acknowledges the overrepresentation of young Indigenous people in child protection and incarceration rates. It aims to address the gap in knowledge of how young Indigenous people experience the carceral system and document how Indigenous community organisations support and provide vital contributions to building safer more supportive communities, which is one of the targets of the Closing the Gap policy framework. This project will develop a theoretical model of a trauma- and culturally-informed response to improving experiences of young Indigenous people between the ages of 10–24 who come into contact with the carceral system, transferring the knowledge gained from the research back to Indigenous communities.Read moreRead less