It is acknowledged by Indigenous people that their younger generation are the future of Indigenous society and of Indigenous cultures. Much energy has been invested in reclaiming culture, building and revitalising communities and moving beyond the basic issues of poverty and oppression bought about as a consequence of colonisation. The success stories tell of the strength, resilience and determined commitment of Indigenous people to survive and thrive despite a legacy of dispossession, which explains the widespread disadvantage amongst Australian Indigenous people today.
Unfortunately, the more positive experiences are not the most common. In recent times Indigenous people have expressed serious concerns about the future of many of their communities, and the prospects for Indigenous young people. Compared with their non-Indigenous peers, a great many Indigenous young people face significant additional challenges as young people now and on the journey to adulthood – to the extent that, for some, it can literally be ‘a matter of life and death’ (Averis, 2003).
On the evidence of almost all social indicators, Indigenous Australians as a category (that is, those who identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples) experience extreme disadvantage compared with non-Indigenous groups. The forms that this disadvantage takes, and the reasons for it, are well documented. Forty-nine percent of the Indigenous population is aged under 19. They suffer high and persistent levels of poverty, social and economic exclusion, and low rates of life expectancy (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2007). Youth suicide, especially amongst young men, has been on the increase. Indigenous young people experience distinct barriers in accessing employment and appropriate assistance in the areas of health, community services, education and training. Racism continues to be a central issue. Many Indigenous people and Indigenous communities feel deprived of the capacity to be self-determining by racism within non-Indigenous society, which is exhibited by patronising control over how services or resources are provided for Indigenous people.
This paper seeks to provide frameworks for working with Australia’s Indigenous young people, and within their communities. This is because Indigenous youth development as an approach and the subsequent practice frameworks pertain more broadly than to young people themselves, given the importance of kinship and community within Indigenous culture. It aims to promote awareness of issues that face young Indigenous Australians and consequently how youth practice frameworks might be made more applicable, accessible and culturally relevant for young Indigenous Australians whether they are based in an urban environment, regional centres, or have a more traditional lifestyle in remote Indigenous communities. Most importantly it promotes an ethos of self-determination, and explores ways the worker can facilitate this process when coming from a non-Indigenous background.
YOUTH PRACTICE FRAMEWORK FOR YOUNG INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
A practice framework consists of a set of beliefs and assumptions about how, when and under what conditions, people and systems change and what the youth worker can do to facilitate desire and needed change (Sheafor et al, 2006, p82). Because of the wide variety of practice settings (rural, urban, remote) and situations when working with Indigenous young people, it is not possible to identify a single practice framework that is superior and therefore more suitable than others. In working with a specific “Mob” or community group, and when considering traditional laws and customs, workers may use several practice frameworks together or sequentially, and shift from one to another as they move through phases of the helping process. (Morgan et al 1997)
The workers selection of a practice framework is never a completely objective process. Individually, each worker brings subjective factors to the selection process, such as a feeling that a particular approach fits with his or her practice style or that it works better than other approaches. However, subjective factors alone are not adequate. The concepts, beliefs and assumptions that are the elements of particular frameworks must be continually re-examined and tested against changing times and new ways of thinking.
When working with Indigenous communities, the core element of any framework for any Non-Indigenous practitioner in any capacity is self-determination. Self-determination is recognised internationally as a fundamental human right for individuals and distinct peoples, including Indigenous peoples (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 1995). Self-determination is also fundamental to restoring the capacity of Indigenous communities to overcome disadvantage. Consultation with community-controlled organisations is critical to orchestrate self-determination thus ensuring that Indigenous communities have a voice in policy development and directions; and that programs and services are culturally sensitive and appropriately targeted. With this in mind, the following three frameworks have been chosen as they view the worker as a facilitator of change, rather than the director or implementer of change. Once identified and defined, the application of each framework will be outlined in relation to its relevance of working with Indigenous young people.
The Generalist Perspective
A youth worker utilising the generalist perspective is willing and able to identify and focus on a variety of factors that many contribute to problems in the social functioning within the community. These include conflicts in common beliefs and values; broken relationships; disempowerment; destructive individual and family patterns; oppression, injustice, racism, poverty, lack of basic resources; misuse of power by those in authority; misguided or unworkable programs and policies and so on. (Sheafor et al, 2006, p88). The Generalist approach to practice is most relevant and useful during the beginning phases of the helping process, when the problem is being defined, and assessed and when decisions are being made concerning what needs to be changed and what other frameworks might be used. Therefore, its versatility and flexibility when applied to working with Indigenous young people given the diversity within this group would make for the cornerstone of good practice.
The generalist framework is most effective when activities are provided over sustained periods of time, that foster personal and skill development, and that enable positive interaction with other young people and adults in the community. Workers who recognise and address the diversity of Indigenous young people will form networks and linkages to address issues such as mobility, language, community connections, peer relationships, skill building and specific needs Prime Minister’s Youth Pathways Action Plan Taskforce report, Footprints to the Future (Proceedings from National Future Directions in Youth Development Forum, 2002). In this way, Indigenous young people can be at the centre of activity, which is designed to provide safe and supportive pathways whilst maintaining a self-determined outcome.
It should not be assumed that all Indigenous young people can or want to access mainstream youth development activities or conversely, that all Indigenous young people live traditional cultural lifestyles. The Generalist framework provides not only the choice by the young people themselves to be involved in youth development activities, but choices about the sorts of activities they would like to participate in. Opportunities for peer interaction and networking across a diversity of settings strengthen the young person’s connections and access to decision making processes. Programs should aim to enable young people to make a contribution now, and strengthen the capacity of Indigenous communities in the future (Zubrick, SR, et al.2000). In this way, the diversity of Indigenous young people is reiterated.
There is strong research based evidence to suggest that, by providing youth development activities and programs in a way that engages with communities, workers can make our communities stronger and also provide better support networks and opportunities for our young people. In other words, workers are ‘building’ communities. In strong communities, each and every member should be respected and valued. This is where the Generalist Framework is most effective.
Community connection has a central place in the values and practices of Indigenous communities. Young people want to belong and to be recognised for making a contribution. They need to be respected by peers, family and community, to learn coping and surviving skills, to have experiences that are meaningful and gratifying, and to feel part of a social network. If positive developmental opportunities are not made available for young people, the outcomes for them may not be positive either (Couzos.et. al 2000). The Generalist approach can strengthen the skills of the worker to empower, assist self determination, and create positive outcomes for Indigenous young people.
The Strengths Perspective
The strengths perspective is based on the theory that it is much easier to help achieve positive and lasting change by building on strengths rather than focusing on problems or inadequacies. A strength can be viewed as anything important and positive that the young person is doing, can do, or wants to do, focusing on capabilities, knowledge, experience, integrity and other assets. (Saleebey 1997) explains that keeping the focus on clients strengths is a “dramatic departure from conventual social work practice. (It means that) everything you do…. Will be predicated, in some way, by helping to discover and embellish, explore, and exploit clients’ strengths, resources in the service of assisting them to achieve their goals”. If strengths are recognised and used in the helping process, they elevate the client’s motivation and the possibility for positive change. Because this perspective views young people as true experts on their situations, the workers role again, is mostly that of facilitator or consultant, acknowledging self determination.
Strengths based practice could be described as a holistic youth framework as it is young person centred, addressing the needs in all spheres of the young person’s life. The challenge for strengths based youth practice framework in an Indigenous context is to take account of the young person’s environment and unique circumstances, to achieve specific outcomes for all young people regardless of their circumstances or starting point. This means that specific considerations must be included to achieve for every young person who participates in the process. Many programs and activities that are known to be succeeding and producing better outcomes for young Indigenous people apply a Strengths based approach to practice. For example, a range of case studies are presented in the Prime Minister’s Youth Pathways Action Plan Taskforce report, Footprints to the Future, and others have been reported in literature about Indigenous health and well being. What these have in common are that all or many promote the wellbeing of the whole person, drawing on the skills and resources of the whole community in an integrated way. Accordingly, the desire to maintain community involvement in programs determined by the community as a whole, is also achieved.
An issue that has been recognised by many Indigenous young people themselves is that a strong sense of cultural identity is critical to self determination The strength’s perspective aims to create positive outcomes from a non-Indigenous perspective – a mainstream perspective. But are these outcomes also the ones that Indigenous Australians would choose for their young people, or that Indigenous young people would choose for themselves? Some may not be considered positive for or by Indigenous young people or there may be other outcomes that are considered necessary or desirable from a cultural perspective. It is important that Indigenous young people’s views on this matter are considered and valued, even when there are tensions between traditional cultural practices and modern participatory approaches to ‘youth voice’. “Young Indigenous Australians have already done much to build ‘cultural capital’. There may be some potential here in Australia for youth development program design to include more elements that build up cultural capital – where individual young people and Communities are empowered to speak out about social concerns through traditional cultural forms”. (Torjman,1998).
The Ethnic Sensitive Perspective
This framework is needed whenever the worker is involved with young people who identify as a member of an ethnic or minority group or who has a cultural background different to that of the worker. This model becomes more applicable especially when oppression and discrimination are related to the young person’s presenting problem or concern. This framework ensures the worker is attentive to ethnic, cultural and religious diversity among young people and that the problems and effects of discrimination and minority status are addressed in practice. (Sheafor et al, 2006, p94).
Respecting community identity and engaging community voice is vital in youth development from an Indigenous self-determined perspective to produce effective outcomes. Community involvement is understood to play a major part and young people’s families and communities are instrumental to their wellbeing (McMurray 2003). Community values and beliefs play an integral part in shaping young people’s own values and beliefs. From the Ethnic Sensitive Perspective, understanding and respecting the values and identities of young people’s families and communities is crucial for young people to be able to take an active role as community members.
For non-Indigenous people involved in youth work practice, the key to developing this understanding is ensuring that effective consultation takes place with Indigenous people through their communities. The customs in one community will not necessarily be the same in another – so what works well for one Community may not suit another. The Roadmap to Reconciliation (Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, 2000) places high importance on consultation processes. It seeks that programs and services be designed and developed, in partnership with Indigenous people, with local needs and preferences in mind and in accordance with the wishes of Indigenous people about ownership and control. Communication and genuine involvement of Indigenous people (young and older) in decision making processes are necessary to ensure that program design remain relevant. Like the Generalist framework, there are no specific guidelines to working in a culturally appropriate and sensitive way, however thorough knowledge of all the issues important to understanding community voice and identity are essential.
CONCLUSION
The legacy of colonisation has seen the breaking down of culture, laws, families, ceremonies, economic independence and the kinship system for Indigenous people. In other words, all those things that gave Indigenous people identity, strengths and humanity. Developing and implementing youth practice frameworks for young Indigenous Australians is too important to be left to chance. Indigenous young people are the future of Indigenous society and of Indigenous cultures. They deserve to be valued, affirmed as contributing members of society, and be equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to take their rightful place in the shaping of Australia’s future.
The framework principles discussed in this paper – the Generalist Perspective, Strengths Based Approach and Ethnic Sensitive Model - have strong potential for application in work with Indigenous young people. Mainstream youth development programs and activities, represented largely by a range of youth organisations and other voluntary community service organisations, are currently seen as the ‘public face’ of youth development in Australia. However, while there is undoubtedly strong support for youth development opportunities to be made more readily available for young Indigenous people, the existing youth development programs as it stands will not accommodate their needs and circumstances (Averis, 2003).
Youth practice frameworks need to be applied everywhere Indigenous young people are – in all aspects of their lives. It is clear from the perspectives that have contributed to this paper that a key principle in any strategy for Indigenous young people will be a focus on the young person – in all their complexity – and in a way that is strengths based, needs based, long term sustainable and underlyingly self determined. The importance of engaging young people in their communities in their capacity as young people, rather than future adults, is a vital and necessary condition for the ongoing evolution and advancement of all Indigenous people.
Embracing good practice in youth development by all who are involved will ensure that young people and their communities gain the maximum benefit. Strategies for implementing principles of good practice in youth frameworks, and for adapting them to specific environments need to be planned and worked through in consultation with communities, accommodating cultural dimensions and the right to self determination by Indigenous people. Indigenous youth frameworks need to be seen as going beyond the narrow understanding which has its focus on mainstream programs (Strategic Policy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People’s Health 2005-2010), Brisbane. 2005. They must foster the empowerment of young people where the achievement of specific youth development outcomes is intentional. Such youth frameworks can be used broadly in policy, organisation, program, service and community settings to effect change in the way we work with, value, and prepare Indigenous young people in Australia.
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