The lecturers of Community Development at Murdoch University


Dave Palmer - Image Meet Dave Palmer

Senior Lecturer, Sociology and Community Development

"Most of the time people who choose to study Community Development want to see, hear about and read examples of how this work gets done. One of the things I am enjoying right now is being able to show people what I have seen in my travels.

I spend a fair bit of time in remote Australia. I’m really keen on finding examples of work in Indigenous communities that is having a positive impact on people’s lives. In other words, I like chasing stories about what is working well. My hunch is that many of the excellent things happening with children, young people and seniors are happening in some of the most remote parts of this country.

Often in my travels I come across terrific examples of community work that are being recorded using the new technologies and in various art and performance forms. When I return I’m keen to show students and get them to 'go to places' and see living examples of community work."

Education

  • B Soc Sc – Hons (Youth Work)
  • MPhil Sociology
  • PhD Sociology


Websites

 External website - Image visit the Community Development Stories in WA website


Publications

Refereed publications since 2001

Collard, L and Palmer, D. (2008) Looking for the residents of Terra Australis: the importance of Nyungar in early European coastal exploration. In Veth, P. Sutton, P. and Neale, M. (Eds) Strangers on the Shore: Early Coastal Contacts in Australia. p. 181-197. Canberra: National Museum of Australia.

Netherwood, K., Buchanan, J., Palmer, D., Stocker, L., & Down, B. (2007). Valuing diversity in children’s voice – case study of the Western Australian cluster. In Lovat, T. & Toomey, R. (Eds) Values Education and Quality Teaching: The Double Helix Effect. NSW: David Barlow.

Palmer, D. (2006) “They came because of the James Dean effect”: ambivalence and youth participation in local government. In Paulin, S. (Ed). Community Voices: Creating Sustainable Spaces. p. 57-69. Nedlands: University of Western Australia.

Palmer, D. (2006) ‘Going back to country with bosses’: the Yiriman Project, youth participation and walking along with elders. Children, Youth and Environments, 16(2). p. 317-337. (MURI C1 – 1)

Collard, L. and Palmer, D. (2006) Kura, yeye, boorda, Nyungar wangkiny gnulla koorlangka: A conversation about working with Indigenous young people in the past, present and future. Youth Studies Australia, Vol. 25 No 4. p. 25-32.

MacCallum, J. Palmer, D. Wright, P. Cumming-Potvin, W. Northcote, J. Brooker, M. and Tero, C. (2006) Community Building Through Intergenerational Exchange Programs. Canberra: National Youth Affairs Research Scheme.

Judith MacCallum, Susan Beltman, David Palmer, Christine Ross & Cameron Tero (2005) Indigenous Mentoring Pilots Project 2001-2004: National Evaluation Report. Canberra: Department of Education, Science and Technology.

Palmer, D. and Gillard, G. (2005) Indigenous youth and ambivalence in some Australian films. Journal of Australian Studies, Vol 82. p. 75-84.

Saggers, S., Palmer, D., Royce, P. Wilson, L. and Charlton, P. (2004) “Alive and Motivated”: Young People, Participation and Local Government. Canberra: National Youth Affairs Research Scheme.

Palmer, David (2003). Uncertainty, ambivalence and talk about ‘Aboriginal youth’. Youth Studies Australia, v.22, n.4. p. 11-17. (MURI C1 – 1)

Palmer, David and Gillard, Garry (2002). Aborigines, ambivalence and Australian film. Metro Film Journal, No. 134, p. 128-135.

Palmer, D. (2001). The loopie traveller: non-Aborigines and ambivalence. Balayi: Journal of Culture, Law and Society. Vol 2 No 1. pp. 21-40.


Other publications

Palmer, D. (2008) “Like the proverbial oily rag, one sniff of appreciation and off they go”: the final evaluation of the Town of Kwinana’s LyriK Programme. Kwinana: Town of Kwinana.

Palmer, D. (2008) Nyungar Wangkiny kaitijin: language and local government work with Indigenous young people: A Keynote Address delivered to the Local Government Community Services Association of WA, Observation City, Scarborough 10th of April 2008

Palmer, D. (2007) “Good kids doing good things”: the six month evaluation of the Town of Kwinana’s LyriK Programme. Kwinana: Town of Kwinana.

Palmer, D. and City of Armadale (2007) Armadale Youth Precinct Study. City of Armadale.

Palmer, D. & Buchanan, J. (2007) Narratives of Community Development in Western Australia. Murdoch University.

Palmer, D. & Buchanan, J. (2006) Evaluation of the Children and Place Mapping Project. Fremantle: Lance Holt School.

Palmer, D. (2006) Resilience: useful youth policy idea or botox. A Keynote Address delivered to the Youth Affairs Conference, Perth.

MacCallum, J., Beltman, S., & Palmer, D. (2005, November). Mentoring as a context for developing motivation. Paper presented at Australian Association for Research in Education Conference, Sydney, November 29, 2005

Palmer, David (2005) The elevation of young people in an age of inequality: beyond clichés or platitudes and towards an ethic of respect. A Keynote Address delivered to the Youth Affairs Conference, Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle 2nd and 3rd of June 2005.

Palmer, D. (2004) “Hard Head and Soft Heart”: Narratives of Community Development in Western Australia. Murdoch University.

Palmer, David and Collard, Len (2001). Kura, yeye, boorda, Nyungar boodier nidja boodjar: community development and indigenous communities. Keynote address at the National Local Government Community Development Conference, Sheraton Hotel, Perth, March 23, 2001. Published as proceeding paper.


Current and previous projects

Title Researcher/s Time For
An Indigenous interpretive history of the area in the vicinity of the University Western Australia. Palmer and Len Collard 1998 UWA
Feasibility of establishing youth work traineeship in WA. Palmer 1998 WA Dept of Training
Vocational, education and training aspirations of year 9 and 10 students in the Fremantle District. Palmer 1999 EDWA
Nidja Noongar Boodjar: Nyungar Studies for Catholic Primary Schools Palmer, Collard, Mountford, Robison, Powell 1998-2000 Catholic Education Office, WA
Aboriginal People and the Golden Pipeline: A Scoping Study Palmer & Collard 2000 National Trust of WA
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Protection in the Fremantle Region Palmer 2001 City of Fremantle
An Indigenous Oral History of the City of Cockburn. Palmer, Collard & Stella, Murdoch University 2001-2002 City of Cockburn
Connecting with Aboriginal Cultures: A Teacher Training Resource Package. Palmer as a part of a team led by Professor Gary Martin under the auspice of the CLCD, Murdoch University 2003 Catholic Education Office
Evaluation of the Mentoring Pilots for Indigenous Students Project Palmer, Judy McCallum, Susan Beltman and Chris Ross - Centre for Learning, Change and Development. 2004 Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs
Local Government and Youth Practice Palmer, Sherry Saggers (ECU), Lou Wilson (Adelaide University) and Paul Royce (Town of Kwinana) - Institute for the Service Professions, ECU 2004 National Youth Affairs Research Scheme
Community consultation for the development of a Youth Activities Centre for the Town of Kwinana Palmer, Trish Harris and Dee Davies – Murdoch University 2003 Town of Kwinana
A history of community development in Western Australia. Palmer 2003-2004 Murdoch Research Excellence Grant
A National Study of Intergenerational Programs to encourage young people’s engagement with community. Palmer and McCallum, J., Wright, P., School of Education, Murdoch University 2004 National Youth Affairs Research Scheme
Youth Practice in the West Kimberley Palmer 2005 REGS, Murdoch
Children and Youth Policy - Research & Policy Assistance Palmer 2005 Shire of Derby/West Kimberley
Evaluation of Children and Place Mapping Project Palmer and Buchanan 2006 Lance Holt School
Pro Bono
Armadale Youth Precinct Study Palmer 2006-2007 City of Armadale
Evaluation of Kwinana Youth Incentives Programme Palmer & Buchanan 2007-2008 Town of Kwinana
"Please remember … Who I was and who I am now": returning the voices of profoundly brain injured people Palmer and Buchanan 2007 Murdoch University REGS
Evaluation of the Northcott Narratives Project Peter Wright, Murdoch University and Palmer 2007 Big hART (Sydney)
Evaluation of Ngapartji Ngapartji Project Palmer and Wright 2007-2010 Big hART (Alice Springs)
Town of Kwinana Naanakaat Family Support Team (using digital tools for planning) Palmer and Buchanan 2007 Town of Kwinana
Evaluation of Town of Kwinana Aboriginal Health and Lifestyle Project Palmer 2008-2009 Town of Kwinana
Evaluation of Lucky Project Palmer and Wright 2008-2009 Big hART (Tas)
'Taking pride in Belmont’s young people' - a plan for the City’s work with young people 2009-2014 Palmer 2009 City of Belmont
Evaluation of CANWA’s ‘Rock Hole Pipeline’ Project Palmer 2008-2009 Community Arts Network of WA
Evaluation of the Yiriman Project Palmer 2009-2011 Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre