This paper provides an overview of the research evidence on why Indigenous Australians have much ... more This paper provides an overview of the research evidence on why Indigenous Australians have much lower employment rates than non-Indigenous Australians, and which policies and programs have been most successful in increasing Indigenous employment. The focus of this paper is on articles published from 1993 onwards. Sections include: current Commonwealth government policies; trends in Indigenous labour force status since 1994; recent history of Indigenous labour market policies and other major policies that impacted on Indigenous job seekers; what do we know about the reasons for the low employment rate of Indigenous Australians?; how Indigenous people find employment; effectiveness of labour market programs in increasing Indigenous employment rates; employer programs aimed at increasing Indigenous employment; and which policies and programs are most effective in increasing Indigenous employment rates? It features brief profiles on schemes such as The Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) Scheme and Rio Tinto’s Indigenous Employment Program, and an analysis of recent trends in Indigenous employment.
This Resource Sheet provides information on resources available for parents regarding online safe... more This Resource Sheet provides information on resources available for parents regarding online safety for their children. Online safety is used interchangeably with terms such as Internet safety, cyber-safety, Internet security, online security and cyber-security. The risk of using computers, mobile phones and other electronic devices to access the Internet or other social media (SMS and MMS) is that breaches of privacy may lead to fraud, identity theft and unauthorised access to personal information. For a child, going online may not only place their immediate emotional health at risk, but also potentially lead to physical harm. This is particularly so where little or no attention has been paid to the security of the device being used. In these types of cases, and for the purpose of this paper, online safety is a child protection issue
This paper explores some of the characteristics of traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islan... more This paper explores some of the characteristics of traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural practices that contribute to effective family functioning, and how these practices can have positive effects on children and communities. The approach is to gather the views of Aboriginal families and compare these perspectives with supporting evidence drawn from the literature. The findings suggest that, provided the necessary social conditions are in place, culture can be a protective force for children, families and communities. Key Messages Aboriginal kinship relations reflect a complex and dynamic system that is not captured by existing non- Indigenous definitions of family. Emerging evidence supports some of the strengths of traditional Aboriginal culture in family functioning and raising children, yet conventional academic wisdom can be incompatible with traditional Aboriginal knowledge systems. The strengths of Aboriginal cultural traditions, as they apply to family ...
This paper reviews the research on building safe and supportive families and communities for Indi... more This paper reviews the research on building safe and supportive families and communities for Indigenous children in Australia. Based on assessments of 22 research and evaluation reports, it examines the evidence base in the areas of: „ building safe and supportive Indigenous communities for children and families; „ support for vulnerable and at-risk Indigenous families; and „ prevention of child abuse and neglect in Indigenous families and communities. The paper synthesises the findings and discusses the implications for future research. The reports were identified in the research audit, Protecting Australia’s Children Research Audit 1995–2010 (McDonald, Higgins, valentine, & Lamont, 2011).
What works Evidence from process evaluations and documented practice experience reveal that servi... more What works Evidence from process evaluations and documented practice experience reveal that service delivery coordination initiatives designed with, and for, Indigenous populations must: • focus on outcomes • be culturally appropriate • invest time and resources into community consultations • apply a strengths-based approach • support Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff. Initiatives work best when they are targeting a specific issue or problem that demands coordination across organisations: that is, they must be ‘fit-for-purpose’.
This paper provides an overview of the research evidence on why Indigenous Australians have much ... more This paper provides an overview of the research evidence on why Indigenous Australians have much lower employment rates than non-Indigenous Australians, and which policies and programs have been most successful in increasing Indigenous employment. The focus of this paper is on articles published from 1993 onwards. Sections include: current Commonwealth government policies; trends in Indigenous labour force status since 1994; recent history of Indigenous labour market policies and other major policies that impacted on Indigenous job seekers; what do we know about the reasons for the low employment rate of Indigenous Australians?; how Indigenous people find employment; effectiveness of labour market programs in increasing Indigenous employment rates; employer programs aimed at increasing Indigenous employment; and which policies and programs are most effective in increasing Indigenous employment rates? It features brief profiles on schemes such as The Community Development Employment ...
Can insights from the field of community capacity-building improve child welfare practice and pol... more Can insights from the field of community capacity-building improve child welfare practice and policy in Australia? This paper explores this question by outlining the concept of community capacity, and uses real-life examples to illustrate the ways in which service providers might apply community capacity-building approaches in their work with children and families.
This paper provides an overview of the research evidence on why Indigenous Australians have much ... more This paper provides an overview of the research evidence on why Indigenous Australians have much lower employment rates than non-Indigenous Australians, and which policies and programs have been most successful in increasing Indigenous employment. The focus of this paper is on articles published from 1993 onwards. Sections include: current Commonwealth government policies; trends in Indigenous labour force status since 1994; recent history of Indigenous labour market policies and other major policies that impacted on Indigenous job seekers; what do we know about the reasons for the low employment rate of Indigenous Australians?; how Indigenous people find employment; effectiveness of labour market programs in increasing Indigenous employment rates; employer programs aimed at increasing Indigenous employment; and which policies and programs are most effective in increasing Indigenous employment rates? It features brief profiles on schemes such as The Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) Scheme and Rio Tinto’s Indigenous Employment Program, and an analysis of recent trends in Indigenous employment.
This Resource Sheet provides information on resources available for parents regarding online safe... more This Resource Sheet provides information on resources available for parents regarding online safety for their children. Online safety is used interchangeably with terms such as Internet safety, cyber-safety, Internet security, online security and cyber-security. The risk of using computers, mobile phones and other electronic devices to access the Internet or other social media (SMS and MMS) is that breaches of privacy may lead to fraud, identity theft and unauthorised access to personal information. For a child, going online may not only place their immediate emotional health at risk, but also potentially lead to physical harm. This is particularly so where little or no attention has been paid to the security of the device being used. In these types of cases, and for the purpose of this paper, online safety is a child protection issue
This paper explores some of the characteristics of traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islan... more This paper explores some of the characteristics of traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural practices that contribute to effective family functioning, and how these practices can have positive effects on children and communities. The approach is to gather the views of Aboriginal families and compare these perspectives with supporting evidence drawn from the literature. The findings suggest that, provided the necessary social conditions are in place, culture can be a protective force for children, families and communities. Key Messages Aboriginal kinship relations reflect a complex and dynamic system that is not captured by existing non- Indigenous definitions of family. Emerging evidence supports some of the strengths of traditional Aboriginal culture in family functioning and raising children, yet conventional academic wisdom can be incompatible with traditional Aboriginal knowledge systems. The strengths of Aboriginal cultural traditions, as they apply to family ...
This paper reviews the research on building safe and supportive families and communities for Indi... more This paper reviews the research on building safe and supportive families and communities for Indigenous children in Australia. Based on assessments of 22 research and evaluation reports, it examines the evidence base in the areas of: „ building safe and supportive Indigenous communities for children and families; „ support for vulnerable and at-risk Indigenous families; and „ prevention of child abuse and neglect in Indigenous families and communities. The paper synthesises the findings and discusses the implications for future research. The reports were identified in the research audit, Protecting Australia’s Children Research Audit 1995–2010 (McDonald, Higgins, valentine, & Lamont, 2011).
What works Evidence from process evaluations and documented practice experience reveal that servi... more What works Evidence from process evaluations and documented practice experience reveal that service delivery coordination initiatives designed with, and for, Indigenous populations must: • focus on outcomes • be culturally appropriate • invest time and resources into community consultations • apply a strengths-based approach • support Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff. Initiatives work best when they are targeting a specific issue or problem that demands coordination across organisations: that is, they must be ‘fit-for-purpose’.
This paper provides an overview of the research evidence on why Indigenous Australians have much ... more This paper provides an overview of the research evidence on why Indigenous Australians have much lower employment rates than non-Indigenous Australians, and which policies and programs have been most successful in increasing Indigenous employment. The focus of this paper is on articles published from 1993 onwards. Sections include: current Commonwealth government policies; trends in Indigenous labour force status since 1994; recent history of Indigenous labour market policies and other major policies that impacted on Indigenous job seekers; what do we know about the reasons for the low employment rate of Indigenous Australians?; how Indigenous people find employment; effectiveness of labour market programs in increasing Indigenous employment rates; employer programs aimed at increasing Indigenous employment; and which policies and programs are most effective in increasing Indigenous employment rates? It features brief profiles on schemes such as The Community Development Employment ...
Can insights from the field of community capacity-building improve child welfare practice and pol... more Can insights from the field of community capacity-building improve child welfare practice and policy in Australia? This paper explores this question by outlining the concept of community capacity, and uses real-life examples to illustrate the ways in which service providers might apply community capacity-building approaches in their work with children and families.
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