Advice to researchers

2 Consulting

2.1   Have you found out who to consult? 

  • It is essential to identify the appropriate representative of the community - an elder, an official spokesperson, the CEO of an organisation.
  • We suggest that you approach the peak body most relevant to your topic for advice on who to consult for your project.  For example:
    • Welfare and Social Issues -  Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association Ltd (VACSAL) no website but ph: 9416 4266

 

2.2   Have you sought advice from the relevant federal/state/local Aboriginal agencies, prior to the design of the proposed project?

  • Included here are the peak bodies listed above, and the Aboriginal units or departments within the bureaucracy, and especially Aboriginal community controlled health organisations.

 

2.3   Have you obtained written support, or at least ‘in principle’ approval, for the research from an appropriate Aboriginal community controlled health organisation, other state-wide Aboriginal organisations or appropriate community representatives?  

  • Approval or support for your project should only be asked for after adequate consultation has occurred.  Too often researchers contact Aboriginal organisations to support proposals that are due for submission within a few days.  However good your proposal is, and however important the topic is, you cannot expect support unless you have allowed sufficient time to consult thoroughly with all relevant stakeholders.

 

2.4   Have you developed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or a Project Agreement (PA) with the Aboriginal community/ies or organisation/s that will be involved in and affected by the project?

  • VACCHO recommends an interim Project Agreement that is developed as an agreement between the partners engaging in a specific project.
  • VACCHO regards a MOU as an agreement between partners who have established a mutually respectful relationship over a series of individual projects.
  • While neither a PA nor a MOU are legally binding documents, they provide written evidence of the expectations and commitments each person or organisations has and can be useful in avoiding research disputes.

 

2.5   Have you established an Aboriginal reference group or steering committee for the research, or have you proposed that such a committee be established when the research is funded?  If so, how?  If not, how will the project be monitored by Aboriginal people?

  • VACCHO suggests you start with 2 or 3 Aboriginal stakeholders and ask them to nominate a range of representatives from relevant organisations and/or communities.

 

2.6   Have you negotiated and agreed upon the project outcomes before any research begins?

  • Research should only be conducted if it aims to produce outcomes that will benefit the Aboriginal community/ies involved.

Resources: Consulting

Australian Government Culture and Recreation Portal

Provides numerous links to Indigenous ‘culture and heritage’ websites.

http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/website/category/ZXKA80~Indigenous+Arts,+Culture+and+Heritage;+Research

 

Australian Government Indigenous Portal

Provides resources, contacts, information, and government programs and services for Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders, which can also be beneficial for non-Indigenous researchers.

http://www.indigenous.gov.au/

Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)

Provides information about the cultures and lifestyles of Indigenous peoples, including guidelines for ethical research in Indigenous studies, downloadable at:

http://www.aiatsis.gov.au/research_program/grants

or directly at:

http://www.aiatsis.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/2290/ethics_guidelines.pdf

Australian National University Program

Provides information about the graduate program in Interdisciplinary Cross-Cultural Research:

http://info.anu.edu.au/studyat/_Graduate_School/Study_Fields/_intercultural/index.asp

Provides information about innovative graduate training:

http://www.anu.edu.au/culture/research/grad_training.php

 

Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health (CRCAH): Education and Training

Provides information about opportunities with the CRCAH for new and innovative approaches to training in Aboriginal health research, particularly for Aboriginal people.

http://www.crcah.org.au/educationandtraining/

 

Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health (CRCAH): The Research Agenda

Provides information to support high quality strategic research, such as conducting the research, how it can lead to change, and thinking beyond the research project (including a downloadable Research Transfer Toolkit).

http://www.crcah.org.au/research

 

Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre – Aboriginal Research Engagement Protocol

Provides a guide to how research is conducted in Aboriginal communities for both researchers and community members.

http://www.desertknowledgecrc.com.au/socialscience/downloads/AborEngageprotocoltemplatedoc.pdf

 

Institute of Koorie Education (Deakin University)

The largest provider of Koorie higher education in Victoria, IKE promotes a community-based delivery model that enables Indigenous students to continue contributing to their communities whilst completing their courses.

http://www.deakin.edu.au/ike/

Koori Human Services Unit: Improving Care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Patients (ICAP)

Provide cross cultural training for hospital staff that can be translated to researchers, and information about Aboriginal health.

http://www.health.vic.gov.au/koori/icap/g-line2.htm

 

La Trobe University

Mother and Child Cross Cultural Issues Research Project List and Resources:

http://www.latrobe.edu.au/mchr/crosscultural.html

 

Southern Health

Cultural awareness

http://www.southernhealth.org.au/culture/culture.htm

University of Melbourne Masters of Social Health (Aboriginal Health):

http://www.onemda.unimelb.edu.au/teaching/msh.html

University of Melbourne - Onemda Vic Health Koori Health Unit

An arm of the University of Melbourne, Onemda fosters an academic environment incorporating Indigenous peoples knowledge and methodologies, whilst supporting ethical practice and Indigenous self-determination.

http://www.onemda.unimelb.edu.au/

Wirraway Mirrim

A forum for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders involved and interested in research and a potential link for non-Indigenous researchers with community members.

http://wirrawaymirrim.net/

 

World Health Organization – Ethics and Health

Provides a focus on Indigenous peoples and participatory health research. http://www.who.int/ethics/indigenous_peoples/en/index.html

Resources: Aboriginal Health

Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker Journal

http://www.aihwj.com.au/issues.html

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Welfare Unit, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

http://www.aihw.gov.au/indigenous/

Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council (South Australia)

Provides information and links. Subject links include youth-specific, gambling, health information and health promotion links.

http://www.adac.org.au

Aboriginal Health Provider Network

For providers and consumers of health services in Adelaide, South Australia.
http://www.abhealth.net

 

Australian Bureau of Statistics

http://abs.gov.au/

Australian Health Promotion Association

http://www.healthpromotion.org.au/

Australian Indigenous Doctors Association

http://www.aida.org.au/

Australian Indigenous Health Promotion Network

Provides an extensive links page.

http://www.indigenoushealth.med.usyd.edu.au/

Drs Reference Site – Aboriginal Health in Aboriginal Hands

Provides a range of useful links on Aboriginal health and related subjects.

http://www.drsref.com.au/aboriginal_health.html

 

Health and Welfare of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Report, The

Released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2008. http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/10583

 

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

Provides a links section.

http://www.humanrights.gov.au/social_justice/

IndigAbility - Western Australian Aboriginal Disability Network

The website of the Aboriginal Disability Network. The Network is a group of people interested in disability as it affects the Aboriginal population.

www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/indigability

Indigenous Health Ethics Network – Links and Resources (Health Organisations)

Provides a list of Aboriginal health organisations throughout Australia, state-buy-state.

http://www.indigenoushealthethics.net.au/organisations

Indigenous HealthInfoNet

The Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet is an innovative web resource that makes knowledge and information on Indigenous health easily accessible to inform practice and policy. It is a part of the Kurongkurl Katitjin, the School of Indigenous Australian Studies, at the Edith Cowan University.

http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/

 

Indigenous Health Publications, NHMRC

http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/subjects/indigenous.htm 

 

Indigenous Health Unit - James Cook University

http://www.jcu.edu.au/fmhms/faculty/IHU/

 

Indigenous Psychological Services

Indigenous Psychological Services is the only provider of psychology specific services for Indigenous people in Australia.

http://www.indigenouspsychservices.com.au/

 

Medical Journal of Australia

Links to Articles on Aboriginal Health through (currently lists 184 articles)

http://www.mja.com.au/Topics/Aboriginal%20health.html

ABC Online Indigenous – Cultural Protocol

http://www.abc.net.au/indigenous/education/cultural_protocol.htm

National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO)
The national peak Aboriginal health body promoting holistic and culturally appropriate health to Aboriginal communities.

http://www.naccho.org.au/

State affiliates:

 

NSW Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AHMRC)

http://www.ahmrc.org.au/

Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT)

http://www.amsant.com.au/site/

Queensland Aboriginal and Islander health Consortium (QAIHC)

http://www.qaihc.com.au/

Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia Inc. (AHCSA)

http://www.ahcsa.org.au/

Tasmanian Aboriginal Health Service (TAHS)

Website unavailable but the TAHS is located in Burnie, Tasmania, and can be contacted on (03) 6431 3289

Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO)

http://www.vaccho.org.au/

Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia (AHCWA)

http://www.ahcwa.org/

Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, Department of Health and Ageing

Provides links to resources and programs:

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/Aboriginal+and+Torres+Strait+Islander+Health-1lp

Indigenous Affairs, Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

http://www.facsia.gov.au/internet/facsinternet.nsf/indigenous/nav.htm

OXFAM Australia

Provides information on initiatives supporting Indigenous Australians, including Indigenous health

http://www.oxfam.org.au/world/pacific/australia

 

University of Tasmania Indigenous Health Theme Bank

Provides information about the culture, history, policy and health of Aboriginal people.

http://www.ruralhealth.utas.edu.au/indigenous-health/

University Of Wollongong - Indigenous Health Library Resources

http://www.library.uow.edu.au/eresources/UOW026488.html

                                                                                                 

Victorian Koori Health Website

http://www.health.vic.gov.au/koori/

Western Australian Aboriginal Child Health Survey

Provides a wealth of information and resources including various publications from the Western Australian Aboriginal Child Health Survey

http://www.ichr.uwa.edu.au/waachs/

Resources: Protocols

 

The Greater Perspective: Protocols and Guidelines for the Production of Film and Television on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities

Bostock, Lester, SBS, Sydney, 1997

http://www20.sbs.com.au/sbscorporate/media/documents/5315sbs_booklet.pdf

 

Protocols for consultation and negotiation with Aboriginal people

Huggins, Jackie, Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy and Development, Brisbane, QLD, 1999

http://www.datsip.qld.gov.au/resources/cultures.html

 

Mina Mir Lo Ailan Mun: Proper communication with Torres Strait Islander people

Torres Strait Regional Office, Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy and Development, Brisbane, QLD, 1999

http://www.datsip.qld.gov.au/resources/cultures.html

 

Valuing Art, Respecting Culture: protocols for working with the Indigenous visual arts and craft sector

Mellor, Doreen, Janke, Terri, National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA), Sydney, NSW, 2000

http://www.visualarts.net.au/files/VARCes.pdf

 

Indigenous Protocols Guides, Australian Council for the Arts

Protocols for producing Indigenous Australian performing arts, media arts, music, visual arts and writing.

http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/publications/indigenous

 

Respect, Acknowledge, Listen: Practical protocols for working with the Indigenous Communities of Western Sydney

Community Cultural Development New South Wales, NSW, 2003

http://www.ccdnsw.org/ccdnsw/artwork/protocols.pdf

 

NHMRC Values and Ethics Handbook

Values and Ethics: Guidelines for ethical conduct in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research, 2003.

http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/synopses/e52syn.htm

 

Cultural Respect Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health 2004-2009

Australian Health Minister’s Advisory Council’s Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Working Party, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, 2004

http://www.sapo.org.au/binary/binary1882/Cultural.pdf

 

Research in Aboriginal Communities: Cultural Sensitivity as a Prerequisite

Tchacos, E and Vallance, R.J. AARE, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 2004

http://www.aare.edu.au/04pap/tch041021.pdf

 

NHMRC Keeping Research on Track Handbook

Keeping research on track: a guide for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people about health research ethics, 2006.

http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/synopses/_files/e65.pdf

 

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