What Do We Know? The Experiences of Social Workers Working Alongside Aboriginal People

Bennett, Bindi; Zubrzycki, Joanna; Bacon, Violet

doi:10.1080/0312407x.2010.511677

Cited by 82 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…A relationship was established between myself and the interviewee. I was prepared to listen deeply (Bennett, Zubrzycki, & Bacon 2011). Some participants stated they would not have participated if the researcher had not been of Aboriginal heritage.…”

Section: Data Collection and Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“Stop Deploying Your White Privilege on Me!” Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement with the Australian Association of Social Workers

Bennett

2013

Australian Social Work

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Historically, few Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social workers have joined and remained active members of the professional organisation that represents the interests of the social work profession, the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW). This research project uses qualitative methodology to investigate barriers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in the AASW and propose how these barriers might be overcome. In offering insights from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the research findings address issues of social justice, equity, and social disadvantage. They suggest ways of improving cross cultural relationships and practices that will increase practice knowledge and promote a more effective and sustainable relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social workers and the AASW.

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Section: Data Collection and Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“Stop Deploying Your White Privilege on Me!” Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement with the Australian Association of Social Workers

Bennett

2013

Australian Social Work

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“…For example, if health professionals seek more positive healthcare interactions with Aboriginal people at the interface, even in the presence of organisational barriers, they can focus on addressing personal ideology. The importance of health professionals self-reflecting, evaluating and increasing their self-awareness both personally and professionally has previously been acknowledged, for example a critique of one’s own practice [31], reflection on one’s beliefs, attitudes, values and worldviews [32–35], awareness of assumptions [33], knowledge of one’s limitations [36], preconceived ideas and stereotypes [37, 38] and motivation to work with Indigenous peoples [32] Health professional attitudes directly affect practice in Aboriginal health, for example physicians’ attitudes towards Aboriginal people affected the care they provided [39], demonstrating the importance of personal ideology as a contributor to experience. The presence of implicit biases about Aboriginal people, developed from past interactions, were also evident in health professionals, with some able to mitigate the negative effects of these when working at the interface, generally through self-reflection.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Working at the interface in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health: focussing on the individual health professional and their organisation as a means to address health equity

Wilson

Kelly

Magarey

et al. 2016

Int J Equity Health

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BackgroundAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience inequity in health outcomes in Australia. Health care interactions are an important starting place to seek to address this inequity. The majority of health professionals in Australia do not identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and the health care interaction therefore becomes an example of working in an intercultural space (or interface). It is therefore critical to consider how health professionals may maximise the positive impact within the health care interaction by skilfully working at the interface.MethodsThirty-five health professionals working in South Australia were interviewed about their experiences working with Aboriginal people. Recruitment was through purposive sampling. The research was guided by the National Health and Medical Research Council Values and Ethics for undertaking research with Aboriginal communities. Critical social research was used to analyse data.ResultsInterviews revealed two main types of factors influencing the experience of non-Aboriginal health professionals working with Aboriginal people at the interface: the organisation and the individual. Within these two factors, a number of sub-factors were found to be important including organisational culture, organisational support, accessibility of health services and responding to expectations of the wider health system (organisation) and personal ideology and awareness of colonisation (individual).ConclusionsA health professional’s practice at the interface cannot be considered in isolation from individual and organisational contexts. It is critical to consider how the organisational and individual factors identified in this research will be addressed in health professional training and practice, in order to maximise the ability of health professionals to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and therefore contribute to addressing health equity.

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“…Our understanding of "collaborative research" reflected principles of respectful engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and a commitment to participatory research that brought tangible benefits to the research participants (Bennett, Zubrzycki, & Bacon, 2011). Implicit in the processes of collaborative research is an understanding of the social and historical reality of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the application of cultural knowledge, values, and priorities (Lynn et al, 1998).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Racism Unmasked: The Experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students in Social Work Field Placements

Gair

Miles

Savage

et al. 2014

Australian Social Work

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Attracting more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to the social work profession is an important strategy in responding to Indigenous disadvantage. The literature suggests that the inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, knowledge, and skills in social work is impeded by racism and white privilege. This article reports on a research project that aimed to explore the field education experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social work students. Interviews were conducted with 11 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and graduates and their narratives were analysed through a collaborative process. Findings reveal experiences of subtle and overt racism as every day features of their placements. The findings highlight the need to address racism, the value of cultural mentors, and the necessity to increase the employment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander academic staff in social work education.

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What Do We Know? The Experiences of Social Workers Working Alongside Aboriginal People

Cited by 82 publications

References 10 publications

“Stop Deploying Your White Privilege on Me!” Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement with the Australian Association of Social Workers

“Stop Deploying Your White Privilege on Me!” Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement with the Australian Association of Social Workers

Working at the interface in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health: focussing on the individual health professional and their organisation as a means to address health equity

Racism Unmasked: The Experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students in Social Work Field Placements

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