Developing a community-development approach through engaging resettling Southern Sudanese refugees within Australia

Abstract

This article presents an approach to community development when working with refugee groups within a resettlement context. The approach parallels an elicitive research initiative within the cities of Brisbane and Logan, Australia in response to Sudanese accusations of neo-colonial methods of 'service delivery' and from two challenges posited from an analysis of the literature. The dimensions of privileging emic perspectives (the insider perspectives of Sudanese refugees in contrast to etic or outsider professional perspectives), using a dialogical method (the creation of a safe space to make sense of the new settlement context), taking an elicitive stance (whereby the community development worker orients themselves towards facilitation and discovery) and focusing on the resources of culture, community and power are outlined. © Oxford University Press and Community Development Journal. 2008 All rights reserved.