Abstract

A report prepared for the community of Wugularr, the Jawoyn Association and The Fred Hollows Foundation by R.G. (Jerry) Schwab and Dale Sutherland, CAEPR, The Australian National University.

In 1999, CAEPR carried out research in the Katherine region that focused on food provision, nutrition and health service delivery to the Aboriginal people in the region. The research was funded by The Fred Hollows Foundation and sponsored by the Jawoyn Association.

Key features of that research were its aims to develop sustainable local capacity and to act as a catalyst for improving health in the region. Since that time, however, it has become clear that health improvements are and will continue to be hampered by the low literacy levels of people in that area.

This report is the first stage of what is envisaged as a long-term project aimed at enhancing health, education and employment outcomes in the Katherine region through a community literacy program. The focus of the study is the Aboriginal community of Wugularr (also known as Beswick), located on country belonging to the Bagula clan of the Jawoyn people, 120 kilometres south of the regional centre of Katherine.

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