Moving Forward Together in Aboriginal Women's Health: - Theses ...

Moving Forward TogetherJanet Kellycame to understand other world views. Over time I realised the importance ofendeavoring to give something of myself in all interactions (Franks & Curr1996, p. 109), to break down the barriers created through Western professionalbehaviours. Looking back I realised that this course was a crucial step in melearning how to work with accountability and respect in collaborative healthcare and research. I learned to move past artificial professional barriers thatkept my emotions safe, instead connecting with the women around me,listening deeply and compassionately. I allowed myself to be human andvulnerable, accountable and connected. I learned to work in ways described inDadirri and Ganma.Toward the end of the year, plans were made for the fifth term of the FamilyWell-being course to be held in 2004, enabling participants to become traineefacilitators themselves. I was not able to commit to supporting or attending thisdue to conflicting commitments. The Aboriginal Neighbourhood House wasnear completion the course was to be held there, supported by the newAboriginal health team. Delays to the opening and staffing of the AboriginalNeighbourhood House occurred, but the women were welcomed in by themanager and spent term one of 2004 in the Aboriginal health building havingfull access to the building, including photocopier, kitchen and communitygroup rooms (Gilles Plains Community Campus 2005 - 2008). The Aboriginalwomen felt a sense of ownership and relief that the long awaited AboriginalNeighbourhood House was finally available, and that they could access it asplanned for so many years. Unfortunately, changes in the role and function ofGilles Plains Aboriginal services soon changed this dynamic, and theAboriginal Neighbourhood House became an Outreach Health Service. Thesesignificant changes are discussed later in this chapter.Researching and working together prior to this researchDuring 2003, I invited the same four Aboriginal community women to becomeinvolved in a research project focusing on sexual health nurses and meeting theneeds of young Aboriginal women (Kelly 2004). The Aboriginal Family Wellbeingfacilitator assisted me in explaining research, confidentiality, informedconsent and personal choice, stressing that participants could freely decidewhether to be involved or not. All of the women chose to be involved, and our166