Alison Nelson

Taking exercise: cultural diversity and physically active lifestyles

‘Taking exercise’, whether it be recreational walking, participating in club sport, or joining in a physical education (PE) lesson, is a culturally loaded behaviour. We all see, do and talk about physical activity differently, yet, there has been relatively little research or theorising around difference in race, ethnicity, cultural diversity and physical activity from an educational perspective. This paper presents snapshots of data from three research projects with Indigenous and Muslim young people to illuminate how they and their families think about PE, physical activity and health. We will draw on ‘post’ discussions around biopolitics, colonisation, governmentality and citizenship to argue that PE needs to better account for ‘others’ and ‘othering’ in its research, planning and practices.

Learning from the past, looking to the future: Exploring our place with Indigenous Australians

This paper aims to explore ways in which we as occupational therapists in Australia can participate in enabling a different and better future for all Australians. In doing so, it is necessary to explore our history and our cultures, both individually and collectively as a profession, and to understand the ways in which these shape who we are and what we do. As occupational therapists, we have valuable knowledge and skills that have the potential to contribute in a positive way to the health and educational outcomes of Indigenous Australians. As a profession operating in Australia, we also have a responsibility to reach this potential. This paper aims to present some of these contributions and to provide examples of practical and culturally safe ways in which we can take action.

Doing Whitefella 1 Research in Blackfella Communities in Australia: Decolonizing Method in Sports Related Research

There is much for non-Indigenous researchers to consider when researching in Indigenous contexts. This paper is a story of discovery for two researchers working on a project with the Indigenous Sports Program section of the Australian Sports Commission. It documents the slow, meticulous and sometimes clumsy steps taken to gain access to communities and conduct research guided by a social justice ethic. The research was successful in that eventually it was possible to develop the trust of individuals and some of the Indigenous communities more broadly, so that information could be gathered and given within the context of shared understandings and mutual interest. However, it is the turbulent journey, filled as it is, with latent tendencies, privileged assumptions and eventually reflexive readings of the data, which remains the focus of this paper. Tentative recommendations are offered to those wishing to advance this politically and epistemologically challenging approach to culturally based research.

‘You don't have to be black skinned to be black’: Indigenous young people's bodily practices

In contemporary Western societies, disciplinary and normalising technologies function to create a sense of moral obligation within each individual to monitor and regulate the body in terms of health, including diet and exercise. The settler/Aboriginal experience in Australia provides an example of the ways in which biopolitics has operated at a population level for all Australians and in specific ways for Indigenous bodies. This study sought to explore the perceptions of a group of urban Indigenous young people regarding their views of their bodies in the context of health and physical activity. Using the lens of biopolitics, complemented by post-colonial theory, this paper will draw attention to the ways in which historical and current discourses around Indigenous health might illustrate biopolitical technologies of power whilst also highlighting the ways in which Indigenous young people have navigated both disciplinary and normalising regimes. Fourteen participants (six male and eight female) were interviewed seven times over two and a half years using mapping, photos and drawing as stimuli. Data were analysed both thematically and through a process of discourse analysis with a view to explore the ways in which participants negotiated discursive constructions of the body, particularly notions of self-governance. It appeared that the young people engaged with, were ambivalent to, contested and resisted discourses around ‘proper’ bodily appearance, the obligation to ‘work’ on their bodies, their perceptions of an ideal body, their negotiation of an authentic ‘black’ body and the ways in which they used their bodies to perform or achieve. The voices of the young people illustrate these themes. This research contributes significantly to the modest body of physical education and health literature from the perspectives of Indigenous young people. It raises questions about the impact of normalising discourses on Indigenous young people and in particular the ways in which those who resist them might be positioned.

A Visiting Occupational Therapy Service to Indigenous Children in School: Results of a Pilot Project.

The need for additional support for Indigenous children at school is well documented. Occupational therapists are well positioned to form part of this support. However, many occupational therapists report that Indigenous families do not access their services and when they do, the occupational therapist feels uncertain about how best to meet their needs. This article documents a pilot project which delivered occupational therapy services within several schools and preschools in Brisbane which had significant numbers of Indigenous students. The project was evaluated using a qualitative methodology and included focus groups and interviews with teachers and parents. The results indicated that in general the service provided valuable support to students, teachers and parents. In particular, providing the service within the school context was seen as critical to its success. Suggestions for improvements in future support services are also provided.

Responding to the World Report on Disability in Australia: lessons from collaboration in an urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander school.

Abstract The timely release of the World Report on Disability serves as a challenge to members of the health professions to review and renew their response to inequity of access and provision of services to children and adults with a disability. This paper responds to the lead article by Wylie, McAllister, Davidson, and Marshall, and provides commentary on two of the recommendations of the World Report on Disability in the context of a novel inter-professional service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with communication and learning needs. Speech-language pathology and occupational therapy students reported on their learning within a model of service delivery based on partnership with an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander school community and inter-professional collaboration. Lessons learned have the potential to inform future services for under-served populations and to impact on capacity building through health professionals gaining experiential knowledge and understanding of an urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

Closing the gap: Supporting occupational therapists to partner effectively with First Australians

BACKGROUND/AIM Occupational therapists need to be able to work competently with all clients, including First Australians. Currently, there are no national standards for occupational therapists working with First Australian clients. This article presents current issues in practice and education with First Australians and makes recommendations for the future. METHODS A survey of 41 occupational therapists working with, or interested in First Australian health issues was conducted at a workshop held at the Australian National Occupational Therapy Conference in 2008. Results of the workshop group discussions were also collated. RESULTS Several themes emerged from both survey data and discussions. A substantial proportion of participants rated their confidence and competence to work with First Australians as low to moderate. Higher levels of perceived confidence and competence were associated with current experience in the field. Discussions centred around six major themes: building relationships, service provision and design, education and training of occupational therapists, increasing First Australian representation within occupational therapy, professional issues and political issues. These themes were further collapsed into areas of action, which could be taken by individuals, managers, researchers and professional bodies to improve practice with First Australians. CONCLUSIONS Occupational therapists will benefit from coordinated efforts, on individual and systemic levels, to work more effectively, and in partnership with, First Australians. Such developments should include guidelines for practice, education and research; professional development and networking opportunities; and improved collaboration, especially with First Australian partners, on a national level.

The cultural interface: Theoretical and 'real' spaces for urban Indigenous young people and physical activity

for the preservation of health, .... that it will now be in the power of every considerable person, to ascertain what rules are suited to his particular situation, and to adopt those which are likely to be most efficacious. (Sinclair 1818: 13) Motivating Sir John’s tome nearly two hundred years ago was his concern that ‘people seldom attend to their health till it be too late’ (p.12) and that ‘the attainment of longevity, if accompanied with good health, is not only an important consideration to the individual, but also to the community to which he belongs’ (p.12).

My body’s getting healthy and my mind is getting healthy with it. Considering Urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Conceptions of Health.

Drawing on the salutogenic, or ‘origins of health’ framework, this article explores the health and well-being conceptions of urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and identifies individual and community health-enabling strategies employed to support their health and well-being. This qualitative study included 12 focus groups with 83 predominantly Indigenous Australian participants of Work It Out, a chronic disease self-management and rehabilitation program in South East Queensland. The focus groups explored meanings of health and well-being as well as strategies used to keep healthy and well. The findings indicate that urban Indigenous Australians participants view health as a balance between physical, psychological, socio-emotional and environmental factors and are active engagers in health enhancing behavior. This study provides new insights into the health and well-being conceptions of urban Indigenous Australians at risk of suffering from a chronic disease and reveals a unique view of health and well-being. Understanding how urban Indigenous Australians conceptualize health and well-being will contribute to the evidence base to inform culturally responsive public health programs and policy.

Healthy eating in urban Aboriginal households may be promoted through cooking workshops and by recognising the importance of women's work, shared meals, time and cost management: Synopsis: Commentary

Research objective: The research aimed to investigate food attitudes and practices among urban Aboriginal Australians and to assist health professionals to provide appropriate dietary advice. Design: Two-year ethnographic study utilising in-depth interviews, participant observation, informal discussions and participation in author-facilitated cooking workshops. Setting: A suburb in Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland, Australia, with the highest proportion of Indigenous people for any Brisbane suburb (7.3%). Participants: Purposive recruitment through local organisations (a community Indigenous Health Service, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders’ Corporation and Mission Australia). The sample included 31 Aboriginal participants (24 women, 7 men). Eligibility for participation included either having diabetes or recognised risk factors for diabetes, or a family member with diabetes. Additional people (number unknown) contributed to informal discussions during cooking workshops offered by the author. Data collection and analysis: Data were collected at a variety of community groups (a walking group, and cooking workshops provided as diabetes support, healthy lifestyle and mothers’ groups). Interview topics included diabetes, family food practices, healthy lifestyle attitudes and experiences of nutrition promotion. Informal conversations and supplementary participant observation at workshops, local shops and community events explored food practices and attitudes. The author recorded observations in a study diary and used a quali-