Recommendation 1
That a Community Development Process should be a fundamental part of whatever measures are taken
With a goal of attaining economic and social equity for residents of remote communities and town camps, a sustained Community Development program is essential. This is a long term process requiring consistency and commitment (over 5 to 25 years depending on the level of disadvantage).
Major components of this process need to include:
- Training of community leaders and government agency personnel in an understanding of community development principles and practice, including governance.
- Assessment of each community's assets e.g. using ABCD (Asset Based Community Development) approach.
- Holding a whole-of-community planning event in each community, which involves community members and government and non-government agency personnel the outcome of this planning would be a comprehensive community development plan which includes an Action Plan and identification of resources needed to implement the plan.
- A whole-of-government approach to delivery of services to communities e.g. in the former ATSIC Murdi Paaki region, the ATSIC Regional Council developed an effective partnership between Aboriginal organisations and government agencies for provision of services to the Aboriginal communities in the region.