Australian Community and Community Strength - Essay Example

Australian Community and Community Strength Name Institution Course Date The meaning of community and community strength has been the subject of discussion and debate because its meaning is defined and interpreted in different ways by different people. Reading and reviewing the literature about the meaning and definition of community shows many differences and inconsistencies about what is emphasise in them. Nevertheless, many definitions of community referred to it as a social interaction that takes place within a given geographic area and have common goals or norms. In the recent past, the word ‘community’ has been used in referring to group of people who undertakes a particular function, task, or purpose together. Moreover, it has also been used in referring to individuals who have some common identity though not basically associated with similar geographical area. The terms community and community strength are complex and defining them may depend on the perspectives and point of view one considers them. This essay describes what community and community strength are and relates them to Australian Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal communities. A community can be regarded as a population that is confined to a given area. They share common characteristics such as shared area (rural or urban population), cultural or workplace membership. There are several factors that can define and make a community. It includes beliefs, culture, location, ethnicity, history, and socio-economic background (Newton, 2008). The constitution of a community can depend on what makes it, what it does and its history. Aboriginal Australians have unique multicultural history that is different from non-Aboriginal Australians. This can be a basis that constitutes the strengths that both of these communities. Community strength can be narrowed down to the community social characteristics that make them apart and distinct from other communities. Black and Hughes (2001) reckon that community is the inclusion of members having many different points of view and have freedom in expressing them. The Commonwealth governments has emphasised the development of ‘stronger communities’ in Australia. In this case, definition of community strength should be identified and conceptualised in relation to Australia. Black and Hughes (2001) defined community strength as the extent to which resources and processes within a community offer maintenance and enhancement to individuals as well as collective wellbeing in forms that are consistent with equity, participation, self-reliance, comprehensiveness and social responsibility principles. In Australia, there exist Aboriginals and Non-Aboriginals Australians who belong to variety of communities. The contexts that these communities find themselves in constitute some resources that are important in satisfaction of their needs. The Australian government has been advocating for building of ‘stronger communities’ and informed policy must be instituted in building community strength and sustainability. It aims at offering communities, families and children an opportunity of building a better future for all Australian communities. The relations between Australians Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities have been characterised by deficit perceptions and conflict. Furthermore, the long history of constrained relationship has persisted for several decades since the first contact. The long held perceptions of deficit between these groups of communities is further exacerbated by the continued approach to the health and education needs of Aboriginal Australians as being ‘the Aboriginal problem’ (Gorringe, 2010). The responses to the challenges that Aboriginal communities faces are given such titles as ‘interventions’ and ‘mainstreaming’ which are inappropriate as they carry an underlying assumption of deficit between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians. The cultures of indigenous Australians communities are not homogenous and vary considerably. Community geographic location of indigenous and non-indigenous Australians has some characteristics unique to them and significant variation is registered across rural, remote and urban communities (Osborne, Ziersch, Baum, & Gallaher, 2012). In contemporary Australia, many Aboriginal communities face a lot of challenges. The resilience and strength of these communities is compromised by complexity of multiple problems that includes historical and continued marginalisation, dispossession and racism (Newton, 2008). High levels of unemployment, poverty and substance abuse among Aboriginal Australians communities are contributed by these factors. Aboriginal children are also impacted negatively as they demonstrate poor social, educational and health outcomes in comparison with non-aboriginal children. As a result, many Aboriginal communities’ families and children are vulnerable hence requiring support in order to empower them. There is reluctance from Aboriginal families and children to use and trust mainstream services such as child welfare agencies because of historical reason of ‘Stolen Generations’. Communities often have inherent strengths and most of them are not identifiable easily or immediately obvious. Some form of creativity may be needed in discovering the skills and abilities that a community have and how they can be harnessed. Australian Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australian communities have some strengths and resources unique to them. It includes the talents and skills of individuals, local businesses, community culture, arts and heritage and land, parks or historical buildings. Australian Bureau of Statistics (2008) asserted that the functioning of community strength has a huge effect on community, family and individual wellbeing. Additionally, the manner in which people use their time and voluntary work can affect the strength of community functioning. Volunteering can strengthen connections within Australian communities. Moreover, it also promotes economic and social participation. In this case, more endowed non-Aboriginal communities can undertake various voluntary functions in helping Aboriginal communities hence strengthening their relationship and community as a whole. Community strengths of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians are recognisable and others not obviously recognisable. The strengths of both communities differ. The structures of Aboriginal kinship are significant attachments which have many benefits to their children health and wellbeing in their entire development (Taylor, Wilkinson & Cheers, 2007). Aboriginals Australian understands the concepts and meaning of ‘what is family’ and ‘who is family’ which are one of the community strength that influences parenting decision making. It is a different situation to non-Aboriginals Australians. The decisions made by individuals of Aboriginal Australians are usually made basing on consensus undertaken by extended family and community views rather than the individuals’ opinion in an ‘immediate’ family setup. Nevertheless, these strengths of Aboriginal communities have been eroded by Australia’s historical treatment to them (Bennett & Carter, 2001). It has significantly undermined Aboriginal development of cultural identity and economic stability and growth. On the other hand, non-Aboriginal communities have some community strengths of their own which give them advantage over their Aboriginal counterparts in many spheres. Aboriginal Australians are one of the descendants and original inhabitants of Australia but they are disadvantaged compared to non-Aboriginal Australians. Aboriginal Australians have lower levels of income, employment and education as compared to the majority Non-Aboriginal communities (Biddle, 2014; Osborne et al., 2012). They differ from the rest of Australian population in the way they are distributed geographically across the country. The areas that Aboriginal Australians lives are characterised by relatively high rates of remoteness giving them undue disadvantage in terms of community strength compared to non-Aboriginal communities (Biddle, 2014). In contrast, most non-Aboriginal Australians live in suburbs and urban areas which are endowed with presence of basic amenities hence acting as one of their community strength. Australian community is a differentiated one and has led to diverse social and human capital patterns as well as the rest of local community strength indicators. Community has a shared purpose which may be related to education, entertainment, sport or work. Communities have shared identity that might be ethnic origin, religion, gender, occupation, disability, sexual orientation, age or any other characteristic (Black & Hughes, 2001). The members of such groups consider themselves as formation of a community; therefore, they can be described as communities of interest. This is because some people consider a community in terms of interest groups. These groups may be work-related, sports or shared hobby. Besides communities of interest, communities of location can also be identified. These communities are characterised by physical boundaries that separate them from others. Natural bush, rivers, mountains or open fields may distinguish communities of location especially in rural Australia where a populated area from non-populated area is easily identifiable. Development and wellbeing of communities needs resources in enhancement of community strength. Provision of financial capital is an important feature in a community life but it is not sufficient. Combining of different types of resources such as community organisation as one of community strengths becomes important in realisation of community transformation and development. In Australia, most people consider themselves as being part of more than community. It is more apparent in non-metropolitan areas where large centres are surrounded by more small centres. The plural involvement to different communities is more evident within Australian metropolitan areas (Black & Hughes, 2001). Most individuals that live in metropolitan areas identify themselves by the local identity and strength. The use of some resources, governance experience and communication takes place within the local metropolitan area. Most non-Aboriginal Australians resides in these areas. In contrast, most Aboriginal Australians live in rural areas where they have maintained cultures that are distinct in several ways from that of non-Aboriginal Australians. Non-Aboriginals Australians have advantage in terms of economic empowerment than non-Aboriginals communities (Western, Stimson, Baum, & Gellecum, 2005). In other words, non-Aboriginal Australians are isolated from economic opportunities. In essence, this difference in culture between these groups of communities has implications on policy making and practice. In order for services provided by different governmental agencies in strengthening Aboriginal communities to really work, they should adapt to the present Aboriginal cultural context. In conclusion, Australia is characterised by both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities. Community and community strength meaning has been identified in this essay and relate them to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities. A community are people living together or on different geographical areas and have some common interests, beliefs or characteristics. Community strength is the inherent resources and processes that are available in the community and helps them in maintaining and enhancing their wellbeing in manner consistent with equal principles. Aboriginal Australians are largely found in remote parts of Australia which gives them undue disadvantage in economic terms as compared to non-Aboriginal Australians. High education levels and health standards are some of the strengths that non-Aboriginal Australians have while cultural heritage can be identified as Aboriginal community strength. References Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2008). 2008 Year Book Australia No. 90. Australia: Australia Bureau of Statistics. Bennett, T., & Carter, D. (2001). Culture in Australia: Policies, publics, and programs. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Biddle, N. (2014). 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(2007). Working with communities in health and human services. South Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press. Western, J., Stimson, R., Baum, S., & Van Gellecum, Y. (2005). Measuring community strength and social capital. Regional studies, 39(8), 1095-1109. Read More