Journal of Humanitarian Engineering

Embedding a strengths-based approach in humanitarian engineering research through reflexive practice

2024-01-21T11:26:53+00:00

Strengths-based approaches (SBAs) aim to empower communities, ensuring community assets are acknowledged and embraced. We embarked on a process to embed an SBA in ourselves as humanitarian engineering researchers. Through a process of collaborative reflexive practice, we discussed themes of engineering identity and problem-solving mentalities, power dynamics across a research process, theories for humanitarian engineering research, deficit terminology, and more. SBA tools and activities aided our process, allowing us to trial practical applications of an SBA across a research process. Through our journeys, we explored the empowering and transformational qualities of SBAs, which present in this paper. We emphasise that SBAs should not be seen as toolbox approaches, but rather as a philosophy that can be incorporated on both professional and personal levels. We present our model for embedding an SBA through reflexive practice, and we encourage others to consider the potential, and the importance, or both reflexivity and SBAs.

Training & Community Involvement for Remote Housing Projects in Australia Northern Territory

2024-05-24T03:09:00+00:00

Abstractâ€”Construction of houses in remote communities faces a range of challenges, many of which would be reduced by the involvement of local community members during the construction. Remote housing demand is high and under-resourcing in existing houses impacts on the health of the occupants. This research investigates and evaluates ways to improve community engagement in remote housing projects. Builders with experience delivering remote housing projects were asked to provide insight relating to the potential training and involvement of community members during construction. It was found that builders have major challenges with work ethics, poor numeracy and literacy and language barrier in remote areas which hinder community engagement in remote projects. Some building techniques such as slab on ground and steel wall framing were found more effective for community engagement. Results also show that training of community members could be improved by setting benchmark goals to be achieved throughout a project. This means there is an opportunity for housing projects in remote communities to improve on essential training and employment through better involvement of local community members during construction, in turn this will lead to better maintenance and understanding of houses.

Looking to the future: Higher Degree Researcher perspectives on Humanitarian Engineering research, practice, and paradigms

2025-01-19T21:53:49+00:00

(refer to document)

Investigating Approaches to Optimise the Value of a Blue Carbon Initiative on Yirrganydji Country

2025-09-02T21:04:38+00:00

Engineers Without Borders have identified the opportunity to implement a blue carbon scheme on Yirrganydji Country (between Cairns and Port Douglas), which would involve assisting the Yirrganydji community to conduct carbon abatement activities in exchange for carbon credits with monetary value. Mangroves are prevalent throughout Yirrganydji Country, and this type of forest is able to sequester significantly higher rates of carbon than arboreal forest ecosystems. However, mangrove-focused carbon abatement projects are relatively new, and this specific project necessitates additional considerations to address the needs and values of the Yirrganydji community. In order to identify design solutions that deliver optimised economic, environmental, and socio-cultural value, the context of Yirrganydji Country is analysed. A literature review then describes the legal mechanisms through which First Nations peoples are returned land in Australia, key scientific concepts, and carbon markets. Two relevant case studies are then analysed; the first was conducted across Australia and investigates best practices in developing First Nations carbon abatement projects; the second was conducted in the Indian Sundarbans, featuring a cost-benefit analysis of several mangrove species prevalent throughout Yirrganydji Country. Several potential project designs are then identified, with a criteria-based evaluation framework used to assess each option. From the evaluated results, it is recommended that direct propagule dibbling of Avicennia marina is undertaken at Dungarra. Additional considerations are also provided, as well as future research. The results are applicable to the multi-disciplinary field of humanitarian engineering, and can be applied to other First Nations contexts – both within Australia and internationally.