Indigenous Cultural Awareness Training (CIT Staff Only)

Program Review:

Cultural Awareness Training is a fantastic opportunity to learn how you can contribute towards learning more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ culture and contribute to positive educational outcomes.

The purpose of the workshop is to provide you with a sound understanding and awareness to develop effective communication and engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colleagues, students and communities.

Gain knowledge and awareness of the issues Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders people face, you will be able to develop and implement improved and clearer ways of supporting and working with us.

This session will cover:

• Ngunnawal Traditional Custodianship of the ACT and region.
• The difference between Welcome and Acknowledgement of Country, including the ACTPS Interim Acknowledgement.
• The contemporary situation and its relevance to CIT.
• First Nations’ history and its impact on issues today.
• Kinship systems and managing "Sorry Business".
• Cross-cultural communication challenges and skills.
• Understanding cultural load and obligations of CIT First Nations staff and students.
• Putting knowledge into practice.

Participant Benefits:

On completion of this session, participants will be able (or better be able) to:

1. Demonstrate understanding and awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and diversity and differences.
2. Engage effectively and respectfully whilst developing basic cross-cultural communication skills.
3. Develop awareness of contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, issues, and Reconciliation.
4. Appreciate how everyday interactions are affected by the impact of history, disadvantage, and intergenerational trauma.
5. Identify the issues or barriers that exist in working with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander colleagues, students, and communities.
6. Strategies to address the issues/barriers and improve work relationships and community outcomes.
7. Network across CIT to offer support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colleagues, students, and communities.

Suitable for: All CIT Staff

Presenter: Wendy Brookman

Note: Catering is not provided for this session. Staff must bring their own lunch and morning/afternoon tea.

For more information please contact the Staff Engagement & Development team at HumanResources@cit.edu.au

Reconciliation at CIT

As part of CIT's ongoing commitment to reconciliation and fostering a culturally safe space for students, staff, and the community, all new staff are required to complete Cultural Awareness Training and all staff are encouraged to complete it again every three years as well as continue to develop their cultural competency and knowledge outside this training.

CIT is inspired by Reconciliation Australia’s vision for a just, equitable, and reconciled Australia and encourages all staff to actively engage in developing their cultural competency and understanding.

Reconciliation is the process of bringing together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians to recognise the truth of colonial history and to acknowledge and address its ongoing, adverse systemic impacts on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, their cultures, communities, wellbeing, and identities.

Remember that reconciliation is an ongoing journey, rather than the finish line to a race we cross and then stop running. It is a lifelong journey of listening, self-examination, learning, and ultimately, acting in ways that acknowledge the injustices of the past to ensure that they are not repeated and to promote equitable outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.