Institutional matching and bridging networks for improved livelihood options

1. Institutional matching and bridging networks for improved livelihood options Yiheyis Maru, Jocelyn Davies, Hannah Hueneke, Kostas Alexandridis, Paul Box, Robyn Grey Gardner, Vanessa Chewings CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems Desert Knowledge CRC Desert Knowledge Symposium 6 November 2008, Alice Springs Warning : this presentation may contain photos of people who have passed away

2. Anmatjere region • 1150 people • 85% Aboriginal • Dispersed settlements • Strong local languages • 50% speak Anmatyerr at home, 10% Warlpiri, 10% Arrernte • Diverse economies • art, community services, customary (hunting, gathering), horticulture, mining, traveller trade.

3. The issue • Low labour force participation • Aboriginal aspirations for jobs • Aboriginal employment high only in some sectors • Regional economic development requires local employment • Mining and horticulture likely to expand

4. The sustainable livelihoods approach • People have valued ends • People use strategies to achieve these • People use strategies within institutional contexts • People who achieve their valued ends build on their assets • People have varying degrees of influence over the ‘rules’ • People’s assets are subject to risks • Institutions the ‘rules of the game’ • the ‘software’ of a social system • the ways people operate • how to behave to be considered as behaving in a socially acceptable way • what makes interactions predictable and safe • (not physical things or organisations) Left to right: Anita Randall at Tangentyere Jobshop in Ti Tree; Daniel O’Connor, grape farm manager, the Block; Alfred Albrecht Morton, Pmara Jutunta CDEP coordinator, in the workshop; Deborah Scrutton, research assistant and former Anmatjere Community Government Councillor, at Alyuen; Trevor Glenn in the Pmara Jutunta CDEP workshop; Gerry Price with children at Wilora.

5. Top to bottom : Elizabeth Inkamala with her grandchildren at Wilora; Cedric Cook and Lewis Nelson working on a car at Ti Tree; Mary-Anne Stirling, office manager, and Tracy Glenn at Pmara Jutunta; Jennifer Ross and Annette Allan packing lunches at the Ti Tree Aged Care Centre.; Night Patrol workers at Pmara Jutunta, l to r Monty Moore, Janie Cook, Davey Presley, Paul Glen, Rosemary Tilmouth; Terrizetta Gorey in Pmara Jutunta for the school holidays

6. Key factors affecting meaningful access to paid employment Our preliminary analysis • Capacity • Accessibility • Job suitability & availability • Motivation Left to right: Edna Snape, Aged Care Coordinator, with Paddy Willis at Ti Tree Aged Care Centre; Terrizetta Gorey in Pmara Jutunta for the school holidays; the Anmatjere Regional Economic Development Committee meets in Ti Tree. Local people’s analysis in workshop • Knowledge & understanding • Role Models • Two laws, one set of rules, working together

7. Bridging networks to improve access to jobs “See me and I will introduce them to key people” “Come [here] and talk with me and I'll talk to the boss” “Go talk to [this person] or [that person].” “Need to get picked by [that person].” “I'd invite him. Maybe just join him in, start work. Someone's working: someone might ask you,[then] you can start. That's what everybody does. Someone invites you.” “Tell them to talk to supervisor or boss.” (various interviews) • Social networks relied on for jobs • But, social networks are very separate • Need to support bridges “What would you tell someone who wanted to work in your job?” (interview question)

8. Two sets of ‘institutions’ ? workplace institutions Aboriginal institutions

9. Institutional matching for improved livelihood options – ‘Two laws, one set of rules, working together’ Workplace institutions Emerging shared institutions Local Aboriginal institutions (ways of doing things, rules) developed by a process of institutional matching

10. Emerging bridges, matching institutions Individuals that wear two hats, work two ways Organisations – development, government, training Industries - Pastoral industry; community service sector Agreement processes, for mining, horticulture

11. Threats to institution matching: ‘the churn’ • “We have to keep on changing, different rules, the way we live. The rules are now changing, and the laws we have to obey, how we have to live and work. Our culture never changes, it’s always the same. … there’s been changes in the government too … NT government as well, change rules, and we have to keep changing? How are we gonna live then? See these rules change, and the whole system you know. We’ll never be resting in peace. How can we live a normal life? Rules changing overnight. Why can’t there be one set of rules, for people to follow, especially for people who are at work…We want simple rules to live by, so that it’s easy. We hear too many stories, too many stories on the media, from the paper, or information … we want something that will make life better, you know. Just something simple.” (focus group participant)

12. The sustainable livelihoods approach • People have valued ends • People use strategies to achieve these • People use strategies within institutional contexts • People who achieve their valued ends build on their assets • People have varying degrees of influence over the ‘rules’ • People’s assets are subject to risks • Institutions the ‘rules of the game’ • the ‘software’ of a social system • the ways people operate • how to behave to be considered as behaving in a socially acceptable way • what makes interactions predictable and safe • (not physical things or organisations) Left to right: Anita Randall at Tangentyere Jobshop in Ti Tree; Daniel O’Connor, grape farm manager, the Block; Alfred Albrecht Morton, Pmara Jutunta CDEP coordinator, in the workshop; Deborah Scrutton, research assistant and former Anmatjere Community Government Councillor, at Alyuen; Trevor Glenn in the Pmara Jutunta CDEP workshop; Gerry Price with children at Wilora.

13. Thankyou Steering Committee members Central Land Council, former Anmatjere Community Government Council, NT Department of Local Government and Housing, NT Department of Business, Economic and Regional Development, DEET, DEEWR, Centrefarm, Tangentyere Jobshop, Central Desert Shire Field research support: Maryanne Stirling, Deborah Scrutton, Gerry Price, Malcolm Ross Photos: Robyn Grey-Gardner and Hannah Hueneke