Abstract: My research is focussing on positive change in Aboriginal communities. I am keen to examine the factors that enable some successful Aboriginal organisations to contribute to positive change in their communities or regions. We all know successful Aboriginal individuals that shine in sport, music, or politics, for example, but my focus is on broader community outcomes, and how these have been achieved and can be sustained. Whilst not wanting to dismiss the very significant challenges facing Aboriginal communities, I approached some of those generating positive changes in their communities or regions to understand better why they succeed, with a view to enabling the necessary conditions to be more widely fostered. This seminar will present my findings to date, drawing on interviews with key personnel from eleven organisations. I will compare my findings with those of a larger study by Julie Finlayson, published in 2007.

Biography: Dr Janet Hunt is a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR). She joined CAEPR to manage the Indigenous Community Governance Project, an ARC Linkage Project with Reconciliation Australia 2004-2008 and has since conducted research on Indigenous engagement, the social benefits of Aboriginal involvement in natural resource management in NSW, and the work of International NGOs with Indigenous communities in Australia. She also has a strong interest in Indigenous policy in NSW and cultural heritage matters. She is currently researching success in Indigenous development, and maintains her focus on Indigenous governance and community development.