Debakarn Koorliny Wangkiny: Steady walking and talking using First Nations-led participatory action research methodologies to build relationships
Michelle Webb1, Margaret O’Connell1, Michael Wright1, Estella Starcevich1, Tilsa Guima Chinen1, John Fielder1, Tanya Jones1 1Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
Abstract
The Looking Forward program of research is a community-led series of large projects that aim to change the way mainstream services respond to the needs of Aboriginal clients in the mental health and drug and alcohol community services sector. We work with Elders and young people from the Aboriginal community and mainstream service providers to improve access, responsiveness, and Aboriginal client outcomes.
Our research is based on Aboriginal Participatory Action Research methodologies. APAR supports researchers to meet the Community where they are at, responding to their local rhythms and culture. First Nations scholars and their allies do this in a way that decolonises mainstream approaches in research to disrupt its cherished ideals and its endeavours. When research is community-led in this way, Aboriginal voices and lived experiences are privileged and serve to drive the changes within service organisations.
Our poster illustrates APAR “in action” and pays homage to the decolonising scholarship that is led by Aboriginal Elders who are the cultural wisdom-holders. The Elders hold the research through storying and embodied, culturally immersive on Country experiences that have deepened relationships between mainstream service providers and the local Aboriginal community. The poster highlights the impact on mainstream service organisations that have worked directly with Elders and Aboriginal young people to change the way services are provided to them so that clients and their families feel respected and culturally safe when accessing services.
Biography
We are an intercultural, multidisciplinary team, led by a Yuet-Nyoongar researcher. We facilitate Elder-led relationship building between the Aboriginal community and Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Support Services. We use co-design framed by Aboriginal participatory action research to rebalance the power traditionally held by mainstream services. Our co-design work privileges an Aboriginal worldview in order to decolonise research design, organisational decision-making and reorient priorities such that Communities are in a position to hold services to account. This ensures that Aboriginal people seeking support feel culturally safe and respected.