I recently attended the Indigenous Futures Centre (IFC)’s Annual Summit in Cairns, held on the lands of the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji peoples.
The IFC’s aims – such as improving the lives of Indigenous Australians through impactful and meaningful community research – closely align with Lowitja Institute’s own objectives. It was therefore a valuable opportunity to discuss how the Summit’s attendees can work together to strengthen the impacts of Indigenous-led research.
It was great to connect with like-minded First Nations university representatives locally and internationally, community groups, and government stakeholders standing strong in Indigenous health research.
Thank you to everyone who participated in Lowitja Institute’s recent policy roundtable on family and domestic violence. These are difficult conversations, but they don’t get any easier by avoiding the issue. The keynote, by Professor Marcia Langton AO and Associate Professor Kristen Smith, aligned with a Lowitja Institute discussion paper they’ve authored, which we will be publishing soon. Professor Langton and Associate Professor Smith will also be participating in The Lowitja Journal’s next webinar on Wednesday 15 July, when they’ll join Professor Sandra Eades and Professor Cath Chamberlain for a panel discussion exploring the concepts of Knowing, Being and Doing in health research. You can register here.
NAIDOC Week begins this coming week, with this year’s theme ‘50 Years of Deadly’ acknowledging an important historic milestone. I encourage all Doris readers to explore some of the 200-plus events taking place across the country and get involved where they can.
NAIDOC Week is always a great time for our Elders, young ones, and everyone else to come together and proudly celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. With the national NAIDOC program featuring art exhibitions, dance and language workshops, film screenings, family days, and more, there are lots of opportunities for deadly community connection. I hope to see some of you out and about!
ngun-godjin
(thank you)
Paul Stewart
CEO
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander evaluations informing policy and practice: position paper
Our new position paper – authored byDr Summer Finlay, Dr Bobby Maher, and Dr Anna Temby– demonstrates that the evidence generated through the evaluation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs is rarely used to inform genuine policy and practice shifts across Australia. Despite an increase in the number of evaluations in recent years, significant gaps remain in the evaluation and cultural capability of evaluation commissioners, the transparency of evaluation processes, and the implementation of established frameworks and guidelines.
To overcome these current barriers, the report highlights that there is a vital need for evaluations designed by or with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and for their sustained involvement throughout the evaluation lifecycle. More rigorous impact and outcome evaluations must be undertaken to generate useful evidence to inform policy decisions. Addressing these issues is essential to ensure that evaluations contribute meaningful evidence to inform more effective policy and practice, ultimately supporting better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Join us for an in-person workshop on Whadjuk Noongar Boodja: Yarning as a research method
Our Lowitja Learning Summit continues on Tuesday 18 August(8:30am–3pm AWST) when Professor Dawn Bessarab, a proud Bard/Yindjibarndi woman and renowned Indigenous researcher and educator, will deliver the 'Yarning About Yarning in Research' workshop on Whadjuk Noongar Boodja in Boorloo (Perth), Western Australia.
A highly regarded and sought-after leader in Indigenous methodologies and participatory action research, Professor Bessarab developed the framework on research Yarning as an Indigenous conversation, which is now widely applied across the Australian and International communities. She has championed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous researchers to build their capacity to deliver high-impact research.
Following the in-person workshop (at Burswood on Swan), attendees and Lowitja Institute members and friends are invited to stay for a dedicated Networking Event from 3pm–4:45pm at the same venue. This informal gathering provides an opportunity to connect, share knowledge, strengthen relationships, and reflect on the day's learnings.
This event is open to Lowitja Institute members and friends (or those who have applied to join our Members Community).
Whether you are a researcher, practitioner, student, or community worker, this workshop will provide valuable insights into culturally responsive and Indigenous research approaches.
Our 15 July Knowing, Being, and Doing series webinar will bring together leading Indigenous scholars and thinkers, Professor Marcia Langton AO, Professor Sandra Eades and Dr Kristen Smith, in a panel discussion facilitated by Lowitja Journal Co-Editor-in-Chief Professor Cath Chamberlain. The event will critically explore the increasingly used concepts of Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing within health research and publishing.
Drawing on diverse perspectives and experiences, panellists will examine the meanings and complexities of Indigenous epistemologies, ontologies and axiologies, including how knowledge is generated, embodied, valued and communicated within both Indigenous and Western systems.
The session will encourage greater clarity, critical reflection and rigorous engagement with these concepts, exploring their implications for research, publishing, health and wellbeing, and the development of future scholarship.
The upcoming OCHRe Convocation will take place on 15–16 October on Wurundjeri Country in Naarm. This two-day event is an opportunity to connect with colleagues and partners from across the research sector, share insights, spark collaboration, and draw inspiration.
Funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), OCHRe is a national network of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers that comprises four operational hubs, each driving innovation and excellence in their fields. Lowitja Institute leads the OWL (Our Wisdom Leading) Hub.
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