First Nations Community Panels on COVID-19

Collaborators

Chris Degeling

Outcomes for Australia

This project will provide a framework for engaging First Nations peoples in making decisions during a public health emergency.

Background

This project builds on existing work to explore a way of engaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in making decisions around public health emergencies through culturally appropriate and First Nations-led engagement processes. First Nations Community Panels (or Citizen’s Juries) will be employed to engage community representatives to explore views and values in a process to inform decision making about risk mitigation for COVID-19.

An Indigenist research approach will use yarning circles to draw understanding of First Nations people’s views and cultural perspectives of the engagement process and issues regarding COVID-19.

Objectives

The project examines the following research questions:

  • How can a First Nations-informed perspective of COVID-19 inform better decisions around risk mitigation?
  • What does a First Nations lens on disease control look like for families and First Nations ways of living?
  • How can First Nations perspectives on COVID-19 communication strategies be explored?
  • What impact does this type of engagement with First Nations peoples have on decision-making and policy development?

Related Research Areas

  • Key populations