Pathways to Employment project - Reference Group workshop presentation
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This document summarizes research from three case studies examining pathways to meaningful livelihoods for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in remote areas. The first case study looks at microenterprise development in very remote communities as an alternative to standard business training models. The second examines perceptions of economic participation pathways for Anangu youth in the APY Lands. The third analyzes prison learning experiences and post-release employment aspirations. Key themes emerging across cases include the importance of investing in cultural identity and belonging, recognizing interdependence, and reimagining economic participation beyond traditional industry models. Systemic barriers include education and training programs that are dominated by non-Indigenous beneficiaries and prioritize paperwork over listening to community needs.
![Facilitation rather than ‘delivery’
[the] facilitator should not behave as an expert to whom the
[contributors] in the project look up to for advice. His or her role is
to ask action-oriented questions, encourage the group to explore
options and support them to explore all aspects of the project
(ELP Facilitator Manual)
…so it’s not about coming in with a top down – we’ve got this
great business idea for you. It’s like what do you want to do, how
do you want to do it, what are your ideas and drawing those out
slowly over time… (Facilitator Transcript 2, 2013)](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/mcraelwilliamsepathwaysprojectoct22-150102102143-conversion-gate01/85/Pathways-to-Employment-project-Reference-Group-workshop-presentation-14-320.jpg)
![Case Study 2
Burton & Osborne (2014: pg) have asked,
Is it possible that an optimistic and hopeful
“imagined future” for Anangu youth looks
different to the “externally imagined” linear menu
on offer in the Piranpa [non-Indigenous]
education, training and transition to employment
context?](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/mcraelwilliamsepathwaysprojectoct22-150102102143-conversion-gate01/85/Pathways-to-Employment-project-Reference-Group-workshop-presentation-19-320.jpg)
Pathways to Employment project - Reference Group workshop presentation
- 1. CRC-REP Program 3 – Investing in People Pathways to Employment Project Dr Eva McRae-Williams
- 2. Pathways to Employment Project Structure 5 Year Duration Project initiation 2012 Completion December 2016 • Principal Research Leader (@ 0.5 FTE) • One Honours Student, University of South Australia • (completed 2013 - 1st Class) • 1 x Vacation Student • 1 x Vocational Scholarship • Collaboration with the CRC-REP Education Systems Project
- 3. Research Questions • How do Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people who reside in (very) remote communities navigate their way into meaningful livelihoods? • What kinds of work might help to support sustainable livelihood outcomes? • What kinds of learning could support meaningful livelihood agendas, aspirations and pathways?
- 4. Overview of Presentation • Challenging assumptions through census analysis • Are there no ‘real’ jobs in very remote Australia? • Is education/training the ticket into employment? • Case Study 1 – Microenterprise pathways • Case Study 2 – Educator perceptions of pathways in the APY Lands • Case Study 3 – Inmate learning and aspirations for employment • Key themes emerging from cross case analyses • Raising questions and possible future research directions
- 6. No ‘Real’ Jobs in Very Remote Australia? Total number of jobs (place of enumeration): 106, 437 Indigenous non-Indigenous not stated
- 7. Industry of employment for non-Indigenous and Aboriginal workers, Very Remote Australia, 2011. Source: (ABS, 2012) based on place of enumeration
- 8. Engagement in the Economy = Good GO TO SCHOOL EVERYDAY GET CERTIFICATE III OR ABOVE EMPLOYMENT
- 9. Very Remote Employees Without Qualification Up to Cert II Cert III & IV Diploma + Source ABS (2011) see Guenther and McRae-Williams (2014) for breakdowns per industry
- 10. Key Questions Are people choosing certain kinds of jobs for reasons associated with cultural alignment and the local legitimacy of certain professions? What pathways into economic engagement foster rather than fragment local identity and belonging?
- 11. Case Study 1 Microenterprise development as a pathway to livelihood Key Stakeholder: ENTERPRISE LEARNING PROJECTS Duration: 2012 – continuing Methodology: Participatory action research using a range of ethnographic methods of inquiry
- 12. Case Study 1 Microenterprise development - a poverty alleviation strategy? TRADITIONAL APPROACH • Micro Finance programs • Return on investment • Feasibility and Business Plans • Standardised Training (Cert III/IV) ALTERNATIVE APPROACH • Tailored support • Assessment of individual needs • Engagement with local markets and contexts • Recognition and development of social and identity capital
- 14. Facilitation rather than ‘delivery’ [the] facilitator should not behave as an expert to whom the [contributors] in the project look up to for advice. His or her role is to ask action-oriented questions, encourage the group to explore options and support them to explore all aspects of the project (ELP Facilitator Manual) …so it’s not about coming in with a top down – we’ve got this great business idea for you. It’s like what do you want to do, how do you want to do it, what are your ideas and drawing those out slowly over time… (Facilitator Transcript 2, 2013)
- 15. Case Study 1 Explore Enterprise Project Facilitation Develop Business incubation Grow Marketing support services How do you support the development of enterprising cultures not just enterprising Individuals? How do you overcome the many infrastructure and access limitations experienced by very remote entrepreneurs?
- 16. Case Study 2 Economic participation pathways for Anangu youth Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, South Australia Key Stakeholder: Umuwa Trade Training Centre Duration: 2012- continuing Methodology: to date - 16 semi-structured interviews (2013)
- 17. Case Study 2 “change the whole thinking of communities, which is what has to happen” “we want to change that worldview, which is what we’re trying to do with this idea of come to school, work hard, and you’ll get a job”
- 18. Case Study 2 “Anangu can help Anangu …empowering them to become good citizens within their community…to be proud … who we are as a person and who we stand for and who we speak up for. Not for ourselves but for our people…” “We can’t go work in another community…this is our responsibility here, ours, our community, we belong”
- 19. Case Study 2 Burton & Osborne (2014: pg) have asked, Is it possible that an optimistic and hopeful “imagined future” for Anangu youth looks different to the “externally imagined” linear menu on offer in the Piranpa [non-Indigenous] education, training and transition to employment context?
- 20. Case Study 3 Prison learning experiences and employment aspirations of inmates Key Stakeholder: Northern Territory Department of Correctional Services Duration: 2013- 2014 (completed) Methodology: 10 semi-structured interviews
- 21. Case Study 3 Reflection as Learning “Clear thinking” Interactive Learning to navigate prison Culture “…learning the ropes” Values Derived from Work “more easy to pass the time” Prison as a vehicle for employment “…it will make it better for me”
- 22. Case Study 3 Aspiring beyond Reality “Make you want to leave grog when you get out” “The pain keep bouncing back. The old people gone now. We have to drink to cover that sorrow, to hide it. Abusing our body the only way – and then you think nobody loves us anymore and you can’t get out”
- 23. How do Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people who reside in (very) remote communities navigate their way into meaningful livelihoods? Guenther et al. (2011: 9); …creating opportunities for employment requires more than successful completion of a Certificate… it requires a shift in identity so that the trainees values become more closely aligned to the workplace… We may at first cringe at the thought of training as a vehicle for identity change but that is what we are indeed doing in training.
- 24. Investment in Belonging Family, Community, Country Learning Experiences Voluntary & Negotiated Honesty in unpacking the magic of mainstream Building positive cultural sense of self Building decision making capabilities Recognising interdependence Fostering not fragmenting local identity Economic Participation Identity investment in work and the economy Family and community investment in the legitimacy of employment or economic activity Re-imaging beyond large industries and (old) industrial models of work activity Systemic Barriers? The Indigenous Pathways Industry Dominated by non-Indigenous beneficiaries Possessive investment in ignorance (Gilbey 2014) Burden of ‘paper work’ - no time to hear (Osborne 2014)