Culture-centered engagement with ethnic communities on violence prevention
Pooja Jayan engaged with ethnic and migrant communities in the Manawatu region to identify existing community needs in the context of primary prevention of family violence and sexual violence & build community-driven solutions based on these needs. There is a significant gap in research on family violence and sexual violence prevention among migrant and refugee communities using a strength-based approach.
The project findings were fed into the national action plan for violence prevention based on community voice- Te Aorerekura. This community project empowers the ethnic and migrant communities to draw on cultural strengths in developing prevention solutions. The prevention solutions are in dialogue with the necessary structural changes, with ethnic and refugee community members who have been historically absent from decision-making processes driving change processes.
The community members through advisory boards came up with community-led prevention solutions that include
(a) community-led hui for conversations on prevention,
(b) community education,
(c) awareness campaigns,
(d) new communication infrastructures,
(e) community spaces for social support,
(f) training of the community, and
(g) healthy relationships support.
Centre for Culture-centered Approach to Research and Evaluation (CARE)
School of Communication, Journalism & Marketing, Massey University