A theoretical empowerment framework for transdisciplinary team building

Abstract

Social workers seeking to address the relative disadvantage experienced by Indigenous Australians frequently find themselves working with complex social realities, including working in transdisciplinary teams with people of differing cultural backgrounds, values, and levels of education. Managing these complexities is critical to change, yet can be difficult to achieve. Theoretical frameworks can be used as tools to help the practitioner make sense of complex social realities and to plan and evaluate change. This paper presents a framework derived from a pilot initiative to culturally orient and build teams within a child and maternal health program for Indigenous Australian families. This framework, which closely aligns with empowerment theory, potentially provides a useful tool for social workers engaging with Indigenous groups, communities and organisations whether through policy, planning, research, or practice.