Research process and principles

The WCE team and ARPNet worked together to gather research data in Maningrida. ARPNet through a Service Level Agreement conducted one extensive wave of research in the community members of Maningrida . The WCE Community Leader and WCE Mentor and Engagement Officer conducted also research on their side around leadership and governance.

The ARPNet research team in Maningrida was composed by people who had linked with Maningrida community, in terms of relationship but also in terms of language - facilitating a higher rate of responses. It has always been really important for the whole WCE team to engage with local Indigenous community researchers, working with ARPNet in the West Arnhem region (Maningrida and Gunbalanya) was therefore highly recommended by elders and met our desire to conduct research following the PAR principles.

ARPNet researchers (2015-2016)

Christine Brown (Team Leader)
Godfrey Blitner
Dennis Naroldol
Alycia Campion
Mike Radford
Julius Kernan
Maurissa Henwood
Eddie Philips
Josiah Campion
Charlton Richards
Josie Diddo
Hmalan Hunter-Xenie

Some of the female ARPNet researchers working in Maningrida

Some of the male ARPNet researchers working in Maningrida

ARPNet Research training and findings

ARPNet asked five key questions (listed below in bold), using a range of participatory research tools (taken from the resource entitled: ‘The ARPNet DillyBag by Dr Bevlyne Sithole: A practical field guide to participatory and other research tools for use by Aboriginal Research Practitioners in Australia’). A representative sample of family members– taking gender, age and clan into account – were invited to participate in the research.

What do you think of higher education? (Do you know what that is? Would you let your kids get higher education?)

What is both ways education? (Is there Bininj education? Is this different from Balanda education?)

What kind of education do you want for your children?

Is getting an education important for Aboriginal people? (What is education for, why get it? Is getting an education important to you? What happens to you mob after you get an education?)

What 3 things are important for you about getting an education?

Download below the WCE/ARPNet Maningrida report to see the research findings:

Life Journeys Towards Higher Education in Maningrida

WCE funded five days of ARPNet training in May 2015 at a camp on the East Alligator River. All ARPNet researchers, who were interested in being involved in the WCE research were invited to participate.

ARPNet training in action