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

Moving Forward TogetherJanet KellyCollaboration involves both a process and an outcome. This research foundthat the process of being involved in collaboration was usually enabling andpositive. Aboriginal community women co-researchers reflected that beinginvolved in collaboration, being heard, acknowledged and included, countereddaily negative experiences of being excluded, unheard, ignored andoverlooked. They found the process of collaboration very healing, even whenthe outcomes were short lived. Their experience of being included andrecognised as a valuable partner was a step forward. Similarly healthprofessionals found the process of being listened to and involved in coplanningprograms very healing. Rather than having to implement top downselective primary care programs that may or may not work, they were able touse their professional expertise, commitment to consultation and knowledge toco-create effective and responsive comprehensive primary health careprograms.Co-researchers and I agreed that participatory action research (PAR) would bean effective methodology for our collaboration. We identified a need to adaptStringer’s (2007) model of Look Think and Act to become repeated cycles ofLook and Listen, Think and Discuss and Take Action. These changes reflectedan emphasis on the importance of listening respectfully to each other, beingheard and discussing issues with each other before taking action. We trialedthis model of collaborative practice in a range of health care and educationsettings and found it very useful and responsive to meeting Aboriginalwomen’s comprehensive primary health care needs. Four specific areas ofcollaboration were explored and these included; working with Aboriginalcommunity women who felt marginalised from the health system as a result ofcontinual health system changes and unmet expectations; health professionalsattempting to meet complex client needs with minimal resources and support;collaboration between the health service and local high school to better meetthe needs of young Aboriginal women; and an inter-sectorial andinterdisciplinary national action research and action learning conferenceembedded in Aboriginal preferred ways of knowing and doing. In each of theseCollaboration Areas, three central themes of collaboration emerged andbecame the central theses of this research. They are; knowledge sharing,330