Examining Challenges: A Tutorial for Resolution
In a bid to foster self-determination and community-led change, a new resource titled "Building Power: A Guide for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Who Want to Change the World" has been introduced. This guide is designed to empower Indigenous communities by enhancing their governance capabilities and fostering genuine control over their affairs and lands.
The guide, which emphasizes principles of culture-smart governance, encourages the recognition of Indigenous authority in decision-making, rule enforcement, dispute resolution, and administration within their communities. It emphasizes the importance of autonomy over political, social, and economic affairs through frameworks that support self-determination and community-led governance.
The guide also places a strong emphasis on capability building, encouraging the development of skills, knowledge, and expertise within the community to implement governance effectively in their own cultural context.
During a community problem-solving workshop, participants are asked to select two photo cards representing an issue or problem they would like to change and an activity or action they believe is making a difference in their community. This activity is intended to help shift people into the mindset of making change. Participants are then encouraged to share their selected photos with the group, not in full detail.
The workshop aims to address feelings of powerlessness and share tools to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to make change in their communities. It also includes optional additions such as the use of spectrums to further explore issues and potential solutions.
The guide includes resources for exploring change-making, power, strategy, and leadership development. It also features a training aid produced by Original Power, called The Timeline of Resistance, which summarizes a history of campaigning and organising since invasion for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander communities and allies.
In conclusion, the Building Power Guide is a valuable resource for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who want to bring about change in their communities. It provides a space for individuals to focus on one issue among many they may be dealing with, encourages the development of skills and knowledge, and aims to empower participants to make the change they want to see. The process concludes with a reminder that while there are many problems and issues, there is also great work being done to make things better, and the focus will be on exploring different ways to bring about change in communities.
- The guide, in emphasizing community-led governance and education-and-self-development, encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to take up community organizing and personal-growth through learning and developing resources for change-making, power, strategy, and leadership.
- During these workshops, participants are encouraged to focus on specific issues within their communities and engage in activism through facilitated problem-solving, learning from the Timeline of Resistance, and exploring different strategies for education-and-self-development.
- Through these resources, the guide supports the personal-growth of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders by providing them with the necessary tools and knowledge for organizing their communities, fostering self-determination, and facilitating true economic, political, and social self-governance.
