Empowerment is the Basis for Improving Education and Employment Outcomes for Aboriginal People in Remote Australia

Byron Wilson; Tammy Abbott; Stephen J. Quinn; John Guenther; Eva McRae-Williams; Sheree Cairney

doi:10.1017/jie.2018.2

Authors

Byron Wilson Charles Darwin University
Tammy Abbott Charles Darwin University
Stephen J. Quinn Swinburne University of Technology
John Guenther
Eva McRae-Williams
Sheree Cairney Charles Darwin University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1017/jie.2018.2

Keywords:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, remote, employment, Interplay Wellbeing Framework, education

Abstract

In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people score poorly on national mainstream indicators of wellbeing, with the lowest outcomes recorded in remote communities. As part of a ‘shared space’ collaboration between remote Aboriginal communities, government and scientists, the holistic Interplay Wellbeing Framework and accompanying survey were designed bringing together Aboriginal priorities of culture, empowerment and community with government priorities of education, employment and health. Quantitative survey data were collected from a cohort of 841 Aboriginal people aged 15–34 years, from four different Aboriginal communities. Aboriginal community researchers designed and administered the survey. Structural equation modelling was used to identify the strongest interrelating pathways within the framework. Optimal pathways from education to employment were explored with the concept of empowerment playing a key role. Here, education was defined by self-reported English literacy and numeracy and empowerment was defined as identity, self-efficacy and resilience. Empowerment had a strong positive impact on education (β = 0.38, p < .001) and strong correlation with employment (β = 0.19, p < .001). Education has a strong direct effect on employment (β = 0.40, p < .001). This suggests that education and employment strategies that foster and build on a sense of empowerment are mostly likely to succeed, providing guidance for policy and programs.

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