Impact of Colonialism and Social Work Practices: SOAD9102 Essay

This essay explores the adverse effects of colonialism on Aboriginal communities in Australia, emphasizing the resulting discrimination, unequal rights, and health disparities. It discusses the negative impacts on income, political factors, health, land rights, education, and culture. The essay highlights the role of social workers in addressing these issues through funding, counselling, and advocating for policy changes. It emphasizes the importance of decolonization within the social work profession and the need for cultural competency. The author shares personal experiences and insights gained from interacting with Aboriginal healing centers. The essay concludes by stressing the ongoing challenges faced by Aboriginal people and the need for continued efforts to promote equality and well-being, including government funding for social work initiatives.

ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY 0
“SOCIAL WORKER”

ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY 1
Aboriginal Australians are people who are descended from their groups that lived
in Australia and surrounding islands before British colonisation(Carlson, Jones, Harris, Quezada,
& Frazer, 2017). It is demonstrated that colonialism affects the Aboriginal population in an
adverse manner because that resultant in increasing discrimination among the community.
Therefore, in this essay, the impact of colonialism on the community is discussed and the social
work practices which benefit the community are also discussed.
In my opinion, Colonialism affects the living of the community negatively because of
various factors which include that through this the people do not get enough support and
encouragement from society. It also leads towards increasing differences and unequal rights
among the Aboriginal and other communities of Australia. Further, after Colonialism the income
of the people also reduces that is it was "$364 weekly"(Kilcullen, Swinbourne, & Cadet‐James,
2018). I also investigated that there are various other factors that are related with political
factors. These factors do not increase initiatives to develop policies for the people. This affects
the health of the community in a negative manner because of the lack of treatment facilities and
lack of acceptance of Aboriginal people in the society. However, health issues influence the
overall mental health of the people(Ridani, et al., 2015).
I also analysed the other status of the people was that they do not get their land and
children were remove from their families and do not get proper diet which increases various
health issues such as obesity, respiratory diseases and several other diseases. The people also
suffered from a lack of education facilities which increase the unemployment rate that is it was
about 30%(Harris, Tompkins, & TeHiwi, 2017). It also impacts the culture of the people were
forced for adopting their own culture, belief and rights. I also found that due to Colonialism
people do not get adequate opportunities to maintain and get equal opportunities in society.

ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY 2
Therefore, I also participated and provide benefited by responding to the oppression because of
increasing health discrimination among the community. I provide some funding and other
necessary items to the Aboriginal healing centres because it takes various initiatives to heal and
provide equal rights to the community people. I also analysed that centres also involved in
providing education to the children so that they can understand their culture, rights, and norms.
I also visited the Aboriginal healing centres to provide them counselling so that it can
affect in a positive manner, this is because it is considered an effective strategy to address the
issues of increasing physical, the mental health of the people. For oppression I also came in
contact with the care providers and discussed the awareness which should be spent among all the
communities it is because of Colonialism that majority of the people are uneducated and they do
not know their rights and duties. Further, I also have to adopt other practices in which I have to
recognize the policies and strategies which all are developed to heal the Aboriginal communities.
This supports in ensuring that all the professionals and care providers give enough training
regarding the cultural competency to provide information about the discrimination and biases.
I investigated that there are many ways in which social workers complicit in the
oppression created by colonialism and through which the Aboriginal people do not follow their
rights and culture. The social workers develop various strategies to empower the people so that
the motivation will be increased; this is done through including various stakeholders. The social
workers also develop various programs through which it communicates with them regarding
removing of the disparities and by engaging them in the development activities (Ridani, et al.,
2015). I also revealed that social workers organize training and counselling sessions so that the
mental health problems of the children and Aboriginal people will be improved. This supports in

ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY 3
developing their relationship and increase the level of confidence(Dudgeon, Milroy, & Walker,
2014).
I examine that social workers also develop the child protection system so that children of
the Aboriginal community will be protected and it also develop various game sessions and other
activities so that corporation among the community increased. This supports in increasing the
level of motivation between people(Akbar & Hallak, 2019). Furthermore, in my perception
social workers also provide funding so that more education and proper diet are provided to the
people so that diseases can be reduced. It is because due to improper diet the death rate of the
people is increased in Australia in comparison to other communities. I also investigated that
social workers also provide a recommendation to the government to reduce health disparities and
give specialized treatment to the community members in a timely manner.
From my own experiences the “First Nations Australians” is in the centre of analysis
because I saw the health care providers and other healing centres provide food, shelter and
education to the children because of not getting the education and understanding of their own
culture and belief. Furthermore, I also focus on understanding the practices which they used to
increase confidence and knowledge. From investigation, I revealed that the centres organize
various activities, programs so that all the community members meet from each other and this
creates involvement and relationship building because this results in reducing their stress and
maintain a positive environment.
However, from impacting highly from colonisation the health status of Aboriginal people
in Australia which affects the overall living of the community (Kilcullen, Swinbourne, & Cadet‐
James, 2018). Therefore, this centre provides specialized services by providing regular treatment

ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY 4
so that their health status in Australia will be improved. Through this, I investigated that through
the time of colonisation till the present period the discrimination among the Aboriginal people is
not reduced and it is suggested to the government to provide more funds to social work centres
so that more efficient services will be provided to the people.
From the above, it is investigated that colonisation increase various problems for the
community people that are not getting equal rights, income, food and increasing health issue, this
also removes the children from their homes. Therefore, social workers provide various initiatives
such as organize training, provide education, better treatment. However, still, an issue arises, for
this government of Australia should develop some other initiatives.
References

ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY 5
Akbar, S., & Hallak, R. (2019). Identifying Business Practices Promoting Sustainability in
Aboriginal Tourism Enterprises in Remote Australia. Sustainability, 11 (17), 4589.
Carlson, B. L., Jones, L. V., Harris, M., Quezada, N., & Frazer, R. (2017). Trauma, shared
recognition and indigenous resistance on social media. Australasian Journal of
Information Systems , 21.
Dudgeon, P., Milroy, H., & Walker, R. (2014). Working Together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Mental Health and Wellbeing Principles and Practice (2 ed.). Canberra:
Commonwealth of Australia.
Harris, S. B., Tompkins, J. W., & TeHiwi, B. (2017). Call to action: a new path for improving
diabetes care for indigenous peoples, a global review. Diabetes research and clinical
practice , 123, 120-133.
Kilcullen, M., Swinbourne, A., & Cadet‐James, Y. (2018). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
health and wellbeing: Social emotional wellbeing and strengths‐based psychology.
Clinical Psychologist, 22 (1), 16-26.
Ridani, R., Shand, F. L., Christensen, H., McKay, K., Tighe, J., Burns, J., et al. (2015). Suicide
prevention in Australian Aboriginal communities: a review of past and present programs.
Suicide and Life
‐Threatening Behavior , 45 (1), 111-140.