Research
The five Aboriginal Controlled Community Health Organisations (ACCHOs) across the Eyre and Far West Coast of South Australia welcome research to improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people.
They understand the importance of meaningful, ethical research. Over decades, they have partnered with governments, universities, other organisations and researchers on successful studies and projects.
The ACCHOs have appointed their network organisation – SAWCAN – to manage all research requests and research partnerships on their behalf. This centralised system benefits researchers, ACCHOs, and ensures research aligns with community priorities.
Benefits of working with SAWCAN
SAWCAN understands the local communities and their priority health and wellbeing needs. We can help researchers to:
- design culturally appropriate research
- take a region wide approach
- access ACCHOs facilities
- assist with analysis and evaluation of results.
RESEARCH PRINCIPLES
To work with ACCHOs, researchers need to agree to our principles.
Principles
Our culturally responsive research principles have been developed for and by Aboriginal people and ACCHOs. They are grounded in Aboriginal ways of knowing, being, and doing to ensure research aligns with community priorities, respects sovereignty, and leads to meaningful health and wellbeing outcomes.
S – Sovereignty
Research is led, owned, and governed by the local Aboriginal people. It ensures their right to make decisions about what research is conducted, how it’s done, and how outcomes are shared.
A – Aboriginal leadership
Aboriginal voices are central at all levels—design, implementation, evaluation and interpretation, and dissemination. This leadership ensures research reflects community knowledge, strengths, and perspectives.
W – Working together
Relationships are key. Researchers work in genuine partnership with communities, building trust and reciprocity over time.
C – Cultural integrity
Research must uphold and respect cultural protocols, knowledge systems, and values. This includes being mindful of language, customs, and traditional ways of sharing information.
A – Accountability
Researchers are accountable to the Aboriginal communities they are researching. Transparent processes, regular reporting, participatory interpretation, and mutual feedback are essential.
N – Negotiated benefits
Researchers must design and carry out research to provide tangible community benefits that ACCHOs and communities pre-determine. Benefits may include capacity building, access to data, or direct improvements in services or wellbeing.
Ideally researchers will come to us with a research idea or at the concept or planning stage. That way, we can help them to design and support the best possible research.
Whatever stage your research is at, researchers who want the assistance of ACCHOs and participation of the people they serve, must apply through SAWCAN.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
SAWCAN and its partner ACCHOs already successfully work with governments, universities, other organisations and researchers to attract funding and implement research to improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people and their communities.
MORE INFORMATION
Email research.data@sawcan.org.au
Find out more