Since December 2022 the Community Services team with TAFE Digital have been focusing on introducing First Nations perspectives in webinars. This includes inviting local Aboriginal services to discuss issues so students can benefit from the perspectives of community leaders and subject matter experts.
We have collaborated on a range of teaching webinars including ‘trauma informed care from a First Nations perspective’, strategies to effectively collaborate with local Aboriginal services, unique perspectives from experts across the country to collectively gather different approaches to culturally informed service delivery. However, the focus is to actively encourage all students to engage with these sessions and learn from these perspectives to implement the skills into their roles within the industry for all community members requiring their assistance.
The aim of these teaching strategies were to incorporate perspectives across units of study (not solely those that require them), to provide opportunities for students to identify unique approaches in their service delivery.
The sessions have had great engagement, our attendance numbers being 335 students across 16 webinars. The feedback fantastic, with many students who do not identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander appreciating the opportunity to learn from these perspectives, understand the holistic cultural approach to implement practical skills which can be effective for different workplace environments. There are challenging and engaging conversations in sessions which helps students to reflect and recognise the value of varying perspectives. We have seen improvement in the quality of submissions across many of our units.
By highlighting the value of these perspectives in teaching, attendees at the 2024 TDA convention will be made aware that cultural safety is not a ‘tick of the box’ item. Instead, offers a unique learning experience for all students. These approaches are excellent for staff to incorporate to their everyday duties, where possible.