A Word on Consultation and Community Involvement

Consultation with the relevant Aboriginal community is important before you develop your research proposal, and before you submit it for funding or for ethics approval.  However, approaching community representatives before funding is obtained may raise expectations that cannot be met. It is important to balance these considerations.  Aboriginal community organisations are often small, under-funded, busy and short-staffed.  Some communities feel that too much research has been going on and that it rarely makes a difference to their lives.  In some cases, it may be more appropriate to consult with VACCHO in the first instance, and only begin discussions with the specific community organisation(s) when funding is certain.

We recommend that you plan your research in consultation with the relevant community, involving them as much as they want to be involved and at a pace that suits them.  Some communities may wish to have a high level of involvement; others may not have the time or the resources. If the project is community-initiated, or if the community representatives support the idea for the project you propose, they may prefer that you go off and develop the proposal, using your specific knowledge and skills as a health researcher with specific knowledge of the health topic and expertise in appropriate research methods.

Keeping the community informed of the planning process and checking with them about all aspects of the research that will affect their community is essential.  With increasing numbers of Aboriginal researchers and graduates of the MPH program in Victoria, there will also be communities where individuals may seek a higher level of involvement in the planning process.  You should be guided by the community you are working with.