Close the Gap Campaign

I just finished reading a government report called "Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage - Key Indicators 2007" and is the basis behind Oxfam's "Close the Gap" campaign. The thing that struck me as ironic was, all the examples of "Things that work" and recommendations were bottom up, community-owned, grassroots initiatives that have proved successful! One that i looked up caught my attention, and I've cut and pasted a little bit below: good stuff!


"The aim of the Empowerment Research Program is to explore the role and contribution that concepts of empowerment and control can make towards better understanding and addressing the social determinants of Indigenous Australian health and wellbeing.



We have utilized two practical programs or tools for studying empowerment and control and their relationships to Indigenous health. These are the Family Wellbeing Empowerment Program and Indigenous Men’s Support Groups. Both of these interventions are ‘inside-out solutions’ that build on Indigenous strengths. The dominant image of Indigenous Australia portrayed by health statistics and the media is a traumatised people plagued by chronic and debilitating disease, incompetent governance systems, alcoholism, violence, unemployment, boredom and appalling education outcomes. Too often these images overlook crucial facts that Indigenous communities, like all human societies, mainly consist of people trying as best as they can to go about the daily business of living a meaningful life. Equally important is that no matter how desperate the situation might look to the outsider, communities often have pockets of exceptional strength, resiliency, creativity and innovation."



National Close the Gap Day is on Tuesday 18 September 2007 - and will give Australians across the nation the opportunity to come together and show their support for closing the 17-year life expectancy gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and other Australians.

For Salvos in Melbourne: A group of us are going to the event at Federation Square 12pm - 2pm. Want to join??

See Oxfam's website for more details: http://www.oxfam.org.au/events/close-the-gap-day/