“We are not stray leaves blowing about in the wind”: exploring the impact of Family Wellbeing empowerment research, 1998–2021

Abstract

Background An Aboriginal-developed empowerment and social and emotional wellbeing program, known as Family Wellbeing (FWB), has been found to strengthen the protective factors that help Indigenous Australians to deal with the legacy of colonisation and intergenerational trauma. This article reviews the research that has accompanied the implementation of the program, over a 23 year period. The aim is to assess the long-term impact of FWB research and identify the key enablers of research impact and the limitations of the impact assessment exercise. This will inform more comprehensive monitoring of research impact into the future. Methods To assess impact, the study took an implementation science approach, incorporating theory of change and service utilisation frameworks, to create a logic model underpinned by Indigenous research principles. A research impact narrative was developed based on mixed methods analysis of publicly available data on: 1) FWB program participation; 2) research program funding; 3) program outcome evaluation (nine studies); and 4) accounts of research utilisation (seven studies). Results Starting from a need for research on empowerment identified by research users, an investment of $2.3 million in research activities over 23 years produced a range of research outputs that evidenced social and emotional wellbeing benefits arising from participation in the FWB program. Accounts of research utilisation confirmed the role of research outputs in educating participants about the program, and thus, facilitating more demand (and funding acquisition) for FWB. Overall research contributed to 5,405 recorded participants accessing the intervention. The key enablers of research impact were; 1) the research was user- and community-driven; 2) a long-term mutually beneficial partnership between research users and researchers; 3) the creation of a body of knowledge that demonstrated the impact of the FWB intervention via different research methods; 4) the universality of the FWB approach which led to widespread application. Conclusions The FWB research impact exercise reinforced the view that assessing research impact is best approached as a “wicked problem” for which there are no easy fixes. It requires flexible, open-ended, collaborative learning-by-doing approaches to build the evidence base over time. Steps and approaches that research groups might take to build the research impact knowledge base within their disciplines are discussed.

Exposure to the Family Wellbeing program and associations with empowerment, health, family and cultural wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: A cross-sectional analysis

“…Those service users then often will also participate in the training program. The FWB has been delivered in 60 known sites across Australia with more than 5,400 participants [13,14]. Existing studies and evaluations of the FWB have analysed the applicability of empowerment used in the program to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contexts [15][16][17], the demand driven transfer of the program across sites and services [13] personal empowerment outcomes [17,18], the impact of research attached to the program and its application as a suicide prevention intervention [19].…”

Utilising existing data for a pilot social return on investment analysis of the family wellbeing empowerment program: A justification and framework

“…Initially designed as a 150-hour accredited vocational education and training (VET) sector certificate course, Family Wellbeing evolved in response to participant feedback, leading to the development of a non-accredited short-course by the JCU-led research team. This increased accessibility, allowing the program to be run in two or three-day blocks, or over a longer period with weekly sessions (Perera et al, 2022). Covering topics such as group agreement, human qualities, basic human needs, life journey, relationships, conflict resolution, managing emotions, crisis, grief and loss, beliefs, and attitudes, Family Wellbeing utilises a narrative group process fostering transformative human qualities like empathy, critical reflection, and problem-solving skills.…”

“…Covering topics such as group agreement, human qualities, basic human needs, life journey, relationships, conflict resolution, managing emotions, crisis, grief and loss, beliefs, and attitudes, Family Wellbeing utilises a narrative group process fostering transformative human qualities like empathy, critical reflection, and problem-solving skills. While initially tailored for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, its universal themes render it adaptable for all cultures and social groups (Perera et al, 2022).…”

“…Co-led and co-designed by Aboriginal community organisations and researchers, Family Wellbeing has evolved into a national network, collaborating with First Nations service providers to integrate the program into core services such as child protection, family support, and pre-employment and tertiary access. The program focuses on enhancing individuals' capacity to exert control over factors influencing their social and emotional wellbeing, yielding tangible outcomes and positive transformations for participants and increased community capacity (Innovative Research Universities, 2023; Perera et al, 2022). Yarrabah, located 56 km south of Cairns in north Queensland and Australia's largest discrete Aboriginal community, provides a notable example of the community-level results through its involvement with Family Wellbeing.…”

“…Family Wellbeing workshops have been intermittently delivered within the community for nearly 20 years, so a large proportion of the community has had some exposure. By 2011, 16% of the Yarrabah community, approximately 463 people, had attended Family Wellbeing sessions, demonstrating a significant reach (Baird, 2019; Perera et al, 2022). In addition to improving participants’ social and emotional wellbeing, Family Wellbeing workshops brought people together – men, women, and other community groups – to work collectively towards achieving important outcomes for the community, including building a comprehensive community-controlled health service, improving the local housing stock, and preventing suicide.…”