A community-driven approach to supporting the health, cultural, social, economic and political wellbeing of African Australian communities.
Please note: AREiA is not currently active. The information below is for information purposes only.
About AREiA
The African Research and Engagement in Australia Initiative (AREiA) is a collaboration between the University of Melbourne and key partners in the African Australian community.
AREiA enables collaborative research and knowledge exchange in order to address existing knowledge gaps regarding African Australian communities. The insights generated from AREiA projects are utilised by policy and decision-makers, business and community agencies and the broader Australian community.
AREiA Launch Event
The African Research and Engagement in Australia Initiative (AREiA) was officially launched by Professor Nicola Phillips, Provost of the University of Melbourne, on Monday 6 December 2021.
The event also served as a completion celebration for the 2021 participants in the Blue Nile African Australian Business Masterclass Program with Mr Josh Bull, Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs, the keynote speaker.
Research Projects
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Sense of belonging for African students at the University of Melbourne
Understanding and improving the student experience
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Reintegration and resettlement: Post-release family and community support for African-Australians in Victoria
Investigating the post-release support needs of African-Australians who have been imprisoned in Victoria
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Evaluation of the Black Rhinos Basketball Program
The Ubuntu philosophy perspective
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Empowering African mothers: Ubuntu in practice
Using culturally responsive approaches to build capacities of African Australian mothers
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Greater Shepparton African Focus Community Survey
Understanding the demographics, experiences and support needs of the African communities in Greater Shepparton
Community Fellows Program
In 2021, AREiA supported three African Australian community organisations to undertake research projects in collaboration with university-based researchers through the Melbourne Social Equity Institute's Community Fellows Program.
- Annelise Lecordier
It’s Not A Compliment
Capturing the voices of marginalised communities facing street harassment
- Yohanna Mequwanint
Ethiopian Community Association in Victoria
Exploring the experiences of racism and discrimination for African Australian students in Victorian schools
- Vivian Ying Hang Tong
Afri-Aus Care
Application of the positive change model with African Australians in facilitating posttraumatic growth
Learn more about the Community Fellows Program
Annelise Lecordier
It’s Not A Compliment
Capturing the voices of marginalised communities facing street harassment
Considerable gaps currently exist within street harassment literature on the experiences of individuals from marginalised communities. With most of the research up until this point largely focusing on the experience of cis-het white women, little is known about how people from particularly vulnerable groups experience harassment within public spaces in their day-to-day life. This project seeks to address this gap by applying an intersectional lens to the issue, conducting focus group discussions with individuals from communities known to be targets of harassment despite often being left out of public discourse on this issue. Through these, the project hopes to gain a more in-depth understanding of how particular aspects of an individual’s identity might influence their experiences of street harassment and what kind of responses marginalised communities would like to see developed to address this issue.
Academic Mentor
Dr Megan Sharp
Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences
Yohanna Mequwanint
Ethiopian Community Association in Victoria
Exploring the experiences of racism and discrimination for African Australian students in Victorian schools
This project is examining racialised experiences confronting young African Australians in Victorian schools. The objective is to review the historical and contemporary contexts of racism and discrimination in Australia as a settler and immigrant country; explore the experiences, challenges, and effects of racism and discrimination confronting African Australian students in Victorian schools; and develop culturally responsive anti-racism policy and practice recommendations to empower and support African Australian students confronting racism and discrimination. The anti-racism policy and practice recommendations will be presented to the Ethiopian Community Association in Victoria for use in educating and empowering young African Australians in the community.
Academic Mentor
Dr Gerald Onsando
School of Social And Political Sciences
Vivian Ying Hang Tong
Afri-Aus Care
Application of the positive change model with African Australians in facilitating posttraumatic growth
Afri-Aus Care (AAC) is a not-for-profit organisation that aims to empower African Australian youth, their families and those from other CALD backgrounds by providing culturally appropriate health and wellbeing support services. This research project is focused on the application of the Positive Change Model in AAC. Since it was founded in 2015, AAC has used the concept of Ubuntu and the Positive Change Model to support community members who suffer from unresolved trauma. Through this project, the Positive Change Model will be described, theorised and explained for the first time through the study of data collected from practitioners and service recipients of AAC. By establishing a concrete theoretical framework of the Positive Change Model, this project aims to enhance the quality of service delivery at AAC. A resource kit on the Positive Change Model with practice guidelines for broader community use will also be developed. Dr Sharon Huebner and Dr Lyndon Ormond-Parker
Academic Mentors
Professor Karen Farquharson
School of Social and Political Sciences
Associate Professor Diana Johns
School of Social and Political Sciences
The Blue Nile Program
The Blue Nile African Australian Business Masterclass Program is a heavily subsidised program designed for African Australian entrepreneurs and leaders of not-for-profit organisations.
The program has been developed by the University of Melbourne in collaboration with the African Australian community to respond to the specific challenges faced by African Australian entrepreneurs in the Australian business landscape.
Participants engage with entrepreneurs, world-class staff executives, managers and community leaders, who will share tools for growing businesses and developing economic opportunities for the community at large.
Learn More About the Blue Nile Program
Contact
For any enquiries related to the African Research and Engagement in Australia Initiative (AREiA) please contact ARE-iA@unimelb.edu.au.