Download files
Abstract
It must be possible to harness the passion for soccer/football to help refugee youth settle into their new country: but how does one turn this good idea into a viable program? This query frames my autoethnographic study set in South-Western Sydney. A Type 2 Translational research framework drawn from the broader field of Implementation Research underpins the study. Multiple levels of analysis began with identifying emergent issues from within the data. Clarke s framework analysis provided the foundation for an in-depth situational analysis. Thorough subsequent analysis opened up the data for more profound scrutiny of the forces at play during the design of the resulting program. Complexity and social innovation theories were brought into the final level of analysis, opening a new path for considering social change processes in health promotion.
As autoethnography is written to analogy, the analysis mirrors a theatre play. The plot synopsis reflects lessons learned regarding the classic challenges of scope: football, finances, and community organising. The character notes present the players, describing the different elements identified from initial data analysis. The complex situation is rendered more challenging by the considerable volume and diversity of the cast of characters. A filtering mechanism was used to determine three primary story lines that emerged: forces, engagement, and belief. They build upon each other, cross connecting frequently. Within each story line a thesis and anti-thesis phenomenon is found.
By examining the findings through a complexity and social change science lens, we find a shifting in the genre of health promotion research. Consideration of the researcher as a non-engaged observer/analyst changes to reveal a wholly-involved member of the processes of change: a change agent. I propose that the genre of health promotion consider the change agent through the lens of social innovation as a better fit for the complex world of community-based health promotion. The autoethnographic methodology allows for appreciation of the researcher as a social innovator. Significantly the tale presents the value of autoethnography as an effective method for research in health promotion, and one currently under-appreciated and under-used.