Jobs and livelihoods - ways forward for ‘being on country’

Jocelyn Daviesa, Josie Douglasb, Hannah Huenekea, Michael LaFlammea,

Karissa Preussc, Jane Walkerb, Fiona Walsha.

a CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems b Charles Darwin University

c Australian National University

Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre

Livelihoods thinking – understanding the systems that

drive well-being

Mainstream view policy• A job tends to be seen as an outcome in themselves, or a

proxy indicator for the ‘good life’

Livelihoods view people centred (concerned with people’s choices and actions)

• acknowledges diversity in people’s aspirations• concerned with capability: people’s ability to live the life

they want to live, be the people they want to be. A powerful indicator of well-being, correlated with health.

• A job tends to be a strategy to achieve other aspirations (eg learning, respect, pride, income, self-reliance)

Visible motivation & purpose

The sustainable livelihoods framework

• Strategies – what people do• Outcomes/aspirations – what people get or aspire to get • Assets – what people have• Rules – who is allowed to do what • Risks – threats to what people have• Influence – the power to change rules

A straightforward way of thinking about sustainable systems to generate health, well-being, income and good land condition

Outcomes Financial

Natural

Human

Cultural

Social

Assets

Physical

Risks Rules Strategies Influence

Employees workplace aspirationsAboriginal employment success at Desert Park

Outcomes Assets Risks Rules Strategies Influence

EnterpriseEnterprise

Satisfied visitorsVisitor numbers & income enhanced

Long term employees

Aboriginal apprenticeships, employment & training

Recruitment processes,Workplace culture, Work roles,Traditional owner relationships

Knowledgeable, confident, experienced staff

EmployeeEmployee

Outcomes Assets

Risks Rules StrategiesInfluence

Work at Desert Park

KnowledgeSocial networksConfidence

1) Learning2) Aboriginal co-workers 3) Aboriginal culture4) Natural environment

Aboriginal employment success at Desert Park

Outcomes

Assets Risks Rules StrategiesInfluence

EmployeeEmployee

Outcomes Assets Risks Rules Strategies Influence

EnterpriseEnterpriseEmployees

leave

Individual attention‘Open door’

Support family or community,

Be on country

Leave Desert Park job

Challenges in Aboriginal employment at Desert Park

• being actively involved in school education

• transmission of traditional knowledge; social, cultural, ecological, linguistic

• teaching Aboriginal languages including specialised vocabulary, complex grammar, special ways of talking in particular situations (eg ceremony, funerals, sign language etc)

• strong localised identity & well-being (i.e. Warlpiri, Eastern Arrernte)

Elders’ strategies and outcomes

Language & culture in bush schools

Valued role in a mainstream organisation

Language & culture in bush schools

Elders perspectiveElders perspective

Outcomes Assets Risks Rules Strategies Influence

Work part time with school,

teaching language &

culture

Supportive policy;

Principal sets

priorities

Young people with knowledge, know-how

& relationships; Succession pathways for future generations

Relevance of language & culture not clear: no

resources allocated

Learning knowledge• “The old words tell us

where we come from, they tell the stories of the dreaming tracks”

• In 40 minutes, the old people come up with 200 words… and it just keeps on going!

• “We need to record these old people, put it in a computer database.”

• “It’s desperate-measures time.”

Using video to record and share knowledge

Young people’s perspectivesYoung people’s perspectives

Learning media skills“I love working with old people with the camera.”“We want more projects like this – bring ‘em on!”

Outcomes

Assets Risks Rules Strategies Influence

Videos recorded & shared; skills gained for

further media work

Go on country with elders, record and

edit videos

Stronger Aboriginal

identity, new communication

skills

Very large need very small project

Right person for country;

Right ways to use equipment;Small funding.

Using video to record and share knowledge

Young people perspectiveYoung people perspective

• Biodiversity conservation

• Aboriginal aspirations for country supported

• stronger National Reserve (protected area) System

• Whole-of-landscape management

• Partnerships are created

Conservation management Northern Tanami Indigenous Protected Area (IPA)

DEWHA (Australian Government) desired outcomesDEWHA (Australian Government) desired outcomes

Conservation management Northern Tanami Indigenous Protected Area (IPA)

DEWHA (Australian Government) perspectiveDEWHA (Australian Government) perspective

Outcomes Assets Risks Rules Strategies Influence

Effective National Reserve (protected area) System, Biodiversity conservation, Landscape connectivity;

Strong partnerships

Resource IPA management;

Keep continuity in staff responsible

for particular IPAs

Land in good condition; Networks;

Community capacity for conservation management.

Plan of Management; Contracts for agreed works; Flexibility given diversity of

on-ground situations

Instability at community

level; Changes in

program rules

• teaching & learning about culture & country

• self-esteem, identity, well-being

• meaningful employment

• reduced substance misuse & improved social cohesion

• improved health

• maintaining responsibility to county

Yuendumu community aspirations

Generating stronger livelihoods through land management in Warlpiri country

Outcomes

Assets Risks Rules Strategies Influence

Sustainable livelihoods (health, well-being, income, cultural maintenance, good

land condition)

Development of ranger

group

Young people with knowledge

of country, skills, confidence; local

employment

Funding bodies may not

resource elders’

involvement

Elders & young people go together

on country

Yuendumu community perspectiveYuendumu community perspective

Generating stronger livelihoods through land management in Warlpiri country

• Strategies – diverse and adaptive • Outcomes/aspirations – often integrate land, family, culture• Assets – often people and place-based• Rules – two laws, with few shared rules• Risks – high due to uncertainty of rainfall & government policy• Influence – often low. Inequities are entrenched.

Sustainable desert livelihood characteristics

Outcomes Financial

Natural

Human

Cultural

Social

Assets

Physical

Risks Rules Strategies Influence

Principles for land management to produce sustainable livelihood outcomes (health, wellbeing, income, good land condition),

covering…• Authority structures accountable to customary governance

of land• Intergenerational learning• Partnerships for two-way learning about environmental

change• Management approaches that promote social learning and

account for both community and investor aspirations• Attention to diet, exercise, safe working practice and skills

development, with investment & infrastructure to support this.

ThankyouCollaborating & support organisations:Alice Springs Desert Park Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts Australian National University Central Land CouncilCentre for Remote HealthCharles Darwin University CSIROGriffith UniversityNorthern Territory GovernmentPAW-Warlpiri MediaRural Industries Research & Development CorporationCommunity members and staff at Lajamanu, Yuendumu, Anmatjere, Willowra, Ntaria

Photos: Karissa Preuss, Michael LaFlamme, Fiona Walsh, Josie Douglas, Jane Walker, Alice Springs Desert Park