Developing a framework identifying the outcomes, principles and enablers of 'gathering places': Perspectives from Aboriginal people in Victoria, Australia

Aboriginal 'gathering places' have been described as cultural hubs, healing centres, and social meeting places. This article explores a gap in the literature on the health and wellbeing outcomes of gathering places from the perspectives of Aboriginal people who attend them. The aim of this study was to develop a framework to articulate the enablers, principles, and outcomes of 'successful' Aboriginal gathering places. In this study, sixty-nine (n = 69) community members participated in qualitative interviews or focus group discussions across thirteen gathering place sites in Victoria (Australia). The research found that gathering places address social health disparities through the provision of a broad range of health and wellbeing programs that benefit Aboriginal community members accessing them. Gathering places were described by participants as providing connections to place, Aboriginal culture, and healing and mainstream health services that enhanced wellbeing. These findings contribute to a better understanding of how Aboriginal gathering places function and offer strategies for creating culturally safe and welcoming settings for Aboriginal peoples, with potential for consideration in international contexts. This research informed a best-practice framework and outlines different models for developing community empowering and culturally affirming gathering places for improving Aboriginal people's access to culturally appropriate health and support services, while simultaneously reducing health and social inequalities. Key elements of this framework that contribute to a successful gathering place include the people, place (location/facilities), programs and community themselves, whilst the principles that enable these places include elements like self-determination, respect of culture, sustainability and strong governance.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's domains of wellbeing: A comprehensive literature review

There are significant health and social disparities between the world's Indigenous and non-Indigenous people on factors likely to influence quality of life (QOL) and wellbeing. However, these disparities in wellbeing are not captured in conventional QOL instruments, as they often do not include dimensions that are likely to be relevant to Indigenous people. The objective of this comprehensive literature review was to identify these wellbeing domains for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia (hereafter, respectfully referred to collectively as Indigenous Australians). We searched PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Econlit, CINAHL, and Embase (from inception to June 2017, and updated in March 2019), and grey literature sources using keywords relating to adult Indigenous Australians' QOL and wellbeing. From 278 full-text articles assessed for eligibility, 95 were included in a thematic analysis. This synthesis revealed nine broad interconnected wellbeing dimensions: autonomy, empowerment and recognition; family and community; culture, spirituality and identity; Country; basic needs; work, roles and responsibilities; education; physical health; and mental health. The findings suggest domains of wellbeing relevant to and valued by Indigenous Australians that may not be included in existing QOL and wellbeing instruments, domains that may be shared with Indigenous populations globally. This indicates the need for a tailored wellbeing instrument that includes factors relevant to Indigenous Australians. Developing such an instrument will ensure meaningful, culturally-relevant measurement of Indigenous Australians' wellbeing.