Kim Hudson PhD FHEA

In current discussions about contemporary forms of spirituality, consideration is given to the question, what is spirituality and to exploring the range of associated beliefs and practices. Common to most discussions is the acknowledgement that the term spirituality is ambiguous and does not represent any one finite quality or thing, but rather, is a wide and somewhat identifiable set of characteristics. Some commentators suggest that contemporary spirituality, characterised by its separation from institutional forms of religion, and represented by the hallmark expression I am spiritual, but not religious, is an increasing phenomenon in Australian society. In view of this, there are several debates about the merits of a spirituality without explicit links to religion (in particular Christian traditions) and whether a personal spirituality can hold any real depth or purpose, or whether it just perpetuates a superficial, narcissistic focus of the self. This kind of critique pays little attention as to how spirituality, and the associated beliefs and practices, are developed and applied in an everyday sense, and how this impacts on the lives of those who subscribe to their own sense of spirituality. In this thesis, I shift the focus from analysing the merits of a personalised spirituality to exploring in depth some of the lay understandings and purposes underlying contemporary forms of spiritual practice. The primary concern of my thesis is to describe this phenomena of spiritual life as experienced by eleven younger Australian women aged 18-38 years inclusive, who considered themselves 'spiritual' women, yet do not necessarily identify with a particular religious denomination. At its core, and as a phenomenological study, the thesis undertakes a theoretical exploration of consciousness and the apprehension and formation of belief, meaning, and identity. Held central, and alongside the phenomenological methodology, is the feminist notion that every woman is the centre of her own experience, that any interpretations and understandings of women's spirituality, must start with the personal. The empirical stages of research therefore focus on an exploration of the women's personal understandings, experiences, interpretations and translations of spirituality to uncover the location and application of spirituality in everyday life. A primary factor explored throughout the thesis is the intersection between emotional experiences, meaning and purpose, and notions of spirituality. It is my assertion that grief, crisis and trauma, and the more general emotional experiences arising from everyday life, can be a driving force to embark on an exploration of the spiritual; inform personal constructions of spirituality; and provide a basis for the articulation of that spirituality, with a central purpose of alleviating emotional pain. Thus, my main thesis contention is this 'new' form of spirituality, as experienced and practiced outside of religious institutions, was expressed by the women in this research as a conscious and pragmatic resource applied, and developed in relation to, the various events and experiences of everyday life, and in relation to the ongoing process of developing and locating a sense of self and identity.

Increasingly state and local governments in Western Australia are identifying 'community development' as a way of involving community members in addressing areas of community need and social issues. Definitions of community development are varied and are most often presented as a set of values or processes used to enhance community participation and to promote soda/ change. Commonly the principles of self-help, resource access and equity, democratic participation and community mobilisation are used to provide an understanding of what is community development Within these understandings common practices or tools of community development are identified as ways to achieve these principles or outcomes, some of which include resource information, education, empowerment, facilitation and negotiation. The aim of this thesis is to explore the ways in which 'community development' is understood and practiced by community development workers. It is my argument that while there are some core and recognisable traits found within these understandings, these combine with a number of variables specific and relevant to a particular situation and thus form a 'situated' community development 'discourse’. These variables are loosely formed 'filters' that surround the community development practitioner, the employing organisation, and the factors found in broader social political and economic environment these filters represent a complex interaction that converge and subsequently 'load' how community development is understood and practiced within a particular context. This thesis will explore how 'community development' is constructed through academic, government, and industry literature. It will examine it's historical application and emergence in Australia as a form of community service work, and explore it as a response to the shifting social political and economic environment as its context Here the thesis sets out the processes for exploring with community development workers, their understandings and practices of community development as employees of government organisations. The findings from two case studies, one state and one local government organisation involved in the delivery of youth services, are presented. Finally, the concluding chapter draws upon the similarities and differences found between the literature and the research findings to demonstrate the ambiguity of the term 'community development' and how it can be adapted to suit a multitude of situations, with varying ideological purposes.