Dr Graeme Stuart

I am passionate about inclusive, interactive processes that build on the strengths of communities and individuals. I started at the Family Action Centre (FAC) in 2003 as a community worker with the Caravan Project supporting permanent residents of caravan parks. Since then I've been involved in a range of FAC projects and now focuses on community engagement, family studies, asset based community-driven development and strength-based practice through teaching, research and supporting other organisations.

I started working with communities in 1983 (through social change movements) and have continued to do so ever since in both paid and voluntary capacities. Before starting at the Family Action Centre, I worked in a range of organisations including Newcastle Youth Service, the Newcastle Community Youth Development Project, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Uniting Church’s Division of Social Justice and Newcastle TAFE. I’ve also volunteered with a range of peace, justice and environment movements including Transition Newcastle, People for Nuclear Disarmament, the Alternatives to Violence Project, Action for World Development, Oxfam and the Wilderness Society.

I have extensive experience facilitating workshops on a variety of topics with a wide range of people including community workers, teachers, students, homeless youth, parents, Aboriginal prison inmates, and the general community.

My research focuses on practice-based and applied research in relation to strengths-based approaches to working with communities. Current and previous research projects include:

1. Evidence-based practice in NSW children and family support services – A project supporting nine children and family support services in regional and rural NSW to enhance their implement evidence-based programs and practice and to identify strategies to improve the capacity of services to adopt evidence-based programs and practice. (Co-researchers: Alan Hayes and Deborah Hartman)

2. Strengths-based approaches for organisations working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities - Exploring what is working in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and how organisations can build on these strengths. (Co-researchers: Jenny Cameron, Amanda Howard, Paul Hodge).

3. Special Needs Unlimited Group (SNUG) – The evaluation of strengths-based retreats for the whole family of children with rare conditions and the engagement of students in service-learning. (Partner: SNUG; Co-researchers: Emma Hazelwood, Jessica Altmann, Kirsty Stapylton, Imelda Burgman, Bernice Mathisen and Elizabeth Sinclair).

4. What can we do? Communities Responding to Violence –An action research project which explored how to build on community strengths to respond to domestic and family violence. (Partner: Caravan Project; Co-researchers: Dee Brooks, Craig Hammond).

5. The Transition Streets – Exploring the community engagement strategies (both the process and impact) involved in the Transition Streets - a local neighbour level sustainability project. (Partner: Transition Newcastle).

6. Engaging Aboriginal Fathers –Explored ways in which family and community services can engage Aboriginal fathers. (Co-researcher: Craig Hammond).

7. Supporting residents of caravan parks: Principle of promising practice – Identified principles of practice for strengths-based community engagement in caravan parks. (Partner: Caravan Project).

I have taught a range of graduate and udergraduate courses including Community engagement; Capacity building in the human services; Effective group leadership; Domestic and family violence; School and community partnerships; Engaging communities; Current trends in human service delivery; Schools, families and communities; Youth studies and Community administration. I have also been invited as a guest lecturer in a range of other courses. Before starting at the University, I also taught in the community welfare and youth work courses through TAFE.

Currently, I am part of The University of Newcastle strengths-based approaches research cluster, which includes academics from Geography, Social Work and the Family Action Centre. We are interested in how strengths-based approaches can be applied in a range of contexts and the impact of this approach.

I am also the convenor of Transition Newcastle, a facilitator with the Alternatives to Violence Project, a blogger (the Sustaining Community blog) and  the proud father of two wonderful daughters.