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
Improving the Well-Being of Low Socioeconomic Status Students at University. This project aims to investigate a new approach to improving the mental well-being of university students from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds. University students have a high risk of experiencing mental health problems, and students from low SES backgrounds have a particularly high risk. This project aims to investigate university-relevant Facebook groups as a method of improving the mental well-being of low ....Improving the Well-Being of Low Socioeconomic Status Students at University. This project aims to investigate a new approach to improving the mental well-being of university students from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds. University students have a high risk of experiencing mental health problems, and students from low SES backgrounds have a particularly high risk. This project aims to investigate university-relevant Facebook groups as a method of improving the mental well-being of low SES students by improving their online social integration at university. Expected outcomes and benefits include a scalable, low-cost approach to reducing an SES inequality that costs Australia billions of dollars each year.Read moreRead less
Examination of the integration and diffusion of Aboriginal voices in public health collaboratives. Does the integration of Aboriginal voices in governance processes of public health collaboratives influence equity of access in service delivery? Improving access to services is a key priority in order to improve the wellbeing of Aboriginal people. However there is no rigorous scientific evidence base driving current integration reforms. This project will use innovative methodologies (mathematical, ....Examination of the integration and diffusion of Aboriginal voices in public health collaboratives. Does the integration of Aboriginal voices in governance processes of public health collaboratives influence equity of access in service delivery? Improving access to services is a key priority in order to improve the wellbeing of Aboriginal people. However there is no rigorous scientific evidence base driving current integration reforms. This project will use innovative methodologies (mathematical, visual, and vocal) which will lead to a performance indicator framework of the relationships between integration, collaboration, equity and access to services within a social model of health. This is a way to move from assessments of Aboriginal participation processes as 'bad, poor and no' to 'good, green and go'.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
Raising the Bar: Learning from the Life Stories of Indigenous Lawyers. It was not until the 1970s that individuals such as Mullanjeiwaka, Dr Pat O'Shane and Judge Bob Bellear became the first generation of Indigenous lawyers. Over six hundred Indigenous people have since followed in their footsteps. Today, Indigenous lawyers pursue test cases for the victims of stolen wages practices, represent native title claimants, and are leading the conversation on the proposed Indigenous Voice to the Par ....Raising the Bar: Learning from the Life Stories of Indigenous Lawyers. It was not until the 1970s that individuals such as Mullanjeiwaka, Dr Pat O'Shane and Judge Bob Bellear became the first generation of Indigenous lawyers. Over six hundred Indigenous people have since followed in their footsteps. Today, Indigenous lawyers pursue test cases for the victims of stolen wages practices, represent native title claimants, and are leading the conversation on the proposed Indigenous Voice to the Parliament. Despite such contributions, the stories of Indigenous lawyers have been overlooked by scholars. In an Australian first, the project will gather the life stories of Indigenous lawyers. It will generate new knowledge about their career motivations, and how they are changing law and the legal profession.Read moreRead less
Governing Aboriginal self-determination in NSW: 1980-2025. This project aims to examine how Aboriginal affairs governance in NSW has operated in the era of self-determination since 1980 to today. Using an ethnographic approach to study political power through time, it can develop a new understanding of the real practice of self-determination as policy. It expects to investigate whether governance processes have enabled improvements in the lives of Aboriginal people in NSW. Today, as policymakers ....Governing Aboriginal self-determination in NSW: 1980-2025. This project aims to examine how Aboriginal affairs governance in NSW has operated in the era of self-determination since 1980 to today. Using an ethnographic approach to study political power through time, it can develop a new understanding of the real practice of self-determination as policy. It expects to investigate whether governance processes have enabled improvements in the lives of Aboriginal people in NSW. Today, as policymakers negotiate co-design and partnership in Aboriginal affairs, this project can create new knowledge on the potential of resetting relationships between government and Aboriginal people. This will provide a significant contribution to crucial debates on advancing Aboriginal self-determination today.Read moreRead less
#thismymob: Digital land rights and reconnecting Indigenous communities. This project aims to investigate how social technology can connect Indigenous communities and enhance wellbeing; design culturally appropriate and sensitive technologies that afford a safe refuge for Indigenous peoples and their communities. This project will design and evaluate a mobile app to implement a national-scale, Indigenous-led technology development project and develop a national technology research and developmen ....#thismymob: Digital land rights and reconnecting Indigenous communities. This project aims to investigate how social technology can connect Indigenous communities and enhance wellbeing; design culturally appropriate and sensitive technologies that afford a safe refuge for Indigenous peoples and their communities. This project will design and evaluate a mobile app to implement a national-scale, Indigenous-led technology development project and develop a national technology research and development framework and post-secondary Indigenous software engineering curricula. The project expects to benefit Indigenous developers, entrepreneurs and start-ups to develop, operate and own technology.Read moreRead less
Indigenising the Built Environment in Australia. In 2021, Performance Criteria relating to Country and First Nations Communities and Cultures were introduced by the Australian architectural profession in the National Standard of Competency for Architects. This Indigenous-led research project will determine the efficacy of these criteria by interacting with key stakeholders to collect critical information for the 2025 iteration of Competencies and provide important observations for the profession ....Indigenising the Built Environment in Australia. In 2021, Performance Criteria relating to Country and First Nations Communities and Cultures were introduced by the Australian architectural profession in the National Standard of Competency for Architects. This Indigenous-led research project will determine the efficacy of these criteria by interacting with key stakeholders to collect critical information for the 2025 iteration of Competencies and provide important observations for the profession. This project aims to Indigenise discourse between Indigenous Communities and built environment professions, promote greater cultural competency and advocate for considerations of First Nations specific Performance Criteria in other registered built environment professions across Australia.Read moreRead less