https://jhe.ewb.org.au/index.php/jhe <p>The Journal of Humanitarian Engineering (JHE) is dedicated to disseminating evidence-based, peer-reviewed research, with the aim of improving best practice in the field of international development.</p> Engineers Without Borders Australia en-US Journal of Humanitarian Engineering 2200-4904 <p>Authors retain copyright over their work and licence the work to the journal under a <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/">Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution (CC-BY) Licence</a>. The CC-BY licence is the most open licence in terms of enabling free distribution and communication of the work. Works prepared using contents of the journal must reference the author(s) and the journal.</p> https://jhe.ewb.org.au/index.php/jhe/article/view/207 <p><em>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.</em></p> Anna Cain Elia Hauge Leandra Rhodes-Dicker Copyright (c) 2023 Elia Hague, Anna Cain, Leandra Rhodes-Dicker 2023-12-05 2023-12-05 https://jhe.ewb.org.au/index.php/jhe/article/view/197 <p><em>Abstract</em>—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.&nbsp; Remote housing demand is high and under-resourcing in existing houses impacts on the health of the occupants.&nbsp; 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.&nbsp; 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.</p> Thomas Williamson Ali Rajabipour Cat Kutay Graham Gust Mark Fudge Copyright (c) 2024 Thomas Williamson, Ali Rajabipour, Cat Kutay, Graham Gust, Mark Fudge 2024-05-16 2024-05-16 10.36479/jhe.vi0.197