25th Annual Conference of the Australasian Association for Engineering Education: Engineering the Knowledge Economy: Collaboration, Engagement & Employability
You Can't Say That! is a cultural safety booklet containing a guide to terms that should be used by UOW staff and students to influence change in the space of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander discourse and was released at UOW’s National Close the Gap Day event in March 2019.<br /><br />The booklet represents a collaboration between Catherine Moyle, Teresa Treweek, Pippa Burns, Jade Kennedy and Jaymee Beveridge at Woolyungah Indigenous Centre.<br /><br />This booklet recognises the importance of terminology in decolonising and reconciling the Australian narrative. It respects the significance of the terms and phrases we use when bringing together cultures and peoples sharing Country. Importantly, it is an opportunity for us to challenge the practice that is present currently when speaking, writing and thinking about the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australia.<br /><br />The booklet can be found here: <a href="https://documents.uow.edu.au/content/groups/public/@web/@wic/documents/doc/uow257281.pdf" title="You Can't Say That!" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://documents.uow.edu.au/content/groups/public/@web/@wic/documents/doc/uow257281.pdf</a>
<p>The project team worked with local Aboriginal services and key contacts to develop a resource that can be used by UOW students and staff to develop and support culturally competent communication. The resource also provides information about the Yuin nation, the traditional lands on which the main campus of UOW stand. It is expected that this will raise awareness of Yuin ways of being and doing, and at the same time improve cultural safety. The final resource is illustrated with artwork created by UOW staff member Josie Atkinson.</p><p>The booklet includes information on:</p><ul><li>How to communicate positively</li><li>What words to avoid</li><li>Some information specific to the Yuin nation</li><li>Contact details for local Aboriginal organisations</li></ul><p><br />The idea for this booklet was to provide a resource primarily for UOW students that guides them in the use of words and language that are appropriate to use (and those that are inappropriate or worse offensive) when talking with and about Australia’s Indigenous peoples. The need for such a resource was felt to be especially apparent amongst the international student population. However, the internal stakeholders know from their joint experiences that there is a need for a resource to support students and staff to be more culturally competent. Feedback from the SMAH Trails Project evaluation showed that many staff are aware of gaps in their knowledge and understanding around the local Aboriginal community but do not know where or how to fill these gaps and are worried about causing offence.</p><p>Culturally safe interaction should be a skill that Australians develop and hone during their lifetime. The broad term ‘cultural safety’ encompasses an awareness of, and sensitivity toward many different cultures, however this project focusses on the pressing need to increase cultural safety in our medical students and staff toward Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.</p><p>It is also hoped that the local Aboriginal community will benefit from this project, as the booklet developed will provide students and staff with knowledge of the local area and information on how to communicate respectfully with Aboriginal people. On UOW’s part, recruitment and retention of Aboriginal students is likely to increase, as the resource will promote the local Aboriginal culture, fostering a sense of belonging in Aboriginal students.</p><p>The developed resource to support the current UOW wide Jindaola: Embedding Local Indigenous Knowledges in the Curriculum project. It is likely that many of the people consulted with for this project from local Aboriginal community controlled organisations will also have a role in sharing their knowledges through Jindaola.</p><p>The project is innovative in that there are few resources available that provide guidance on which terms are and are not appropriate to use when talking about Aboriginal people. The resources that do exist are old and not specific to the Yuin Nation.</p><p>The reception to the resources has been greater than anticipated. The booklet has been welcomed by the greater student body and faculty. Anecdotally, many staff report providing links from their subject sites to the pdf. The booklet has also been shared organically amongst local groups and organisation including Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD), Wollongong Council, NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and the Department of Education and Training</p><p>The impact of the “You Can’t Say That!” booklet can be seen to extend beyond UOW and beyond the original idea. This is illustrated by this feedback from the Disability Trust: “<em>You Can’t Say That” has been the major turning point for our organisation in raising the profile of our need for a Reconciliation Action Plan as not just a strategy, but a priority of the highest importance requiring high level resourcing and executive sponsorship. For that, and the extension of my education and understanding I am truly grateful for the chance conversation that brought us together</em>" Pam Stiff, Executive Manager. </p>
25th Annual Conference of the Australasian Association for Engineering Education: Engineering the Knowledge Economy: Collaboration, Engagement & Employability
You Can't Say That! is a cultural safety booklet containing a guide to terms that should be used by UOW staff and students to influence change in the space of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander discourse and was released at UOW’s National Close the Gap Day event in March 2019.<br /><br />The booklet represents a collaboration between Catherine Moyle, Teresa Treweek, Pippa Burns, Jade Kennedy and Jaymee Beveridge at Woolyungah Indigenous Centre.<br /><br />This booklet recognises the importance of terminology in decolonising and reconciling the Australian narrative. It respects the significance of the terms and phrases we use when bringing together cultures and peoples sharing Country. Importantly, it is an opportunity for us to challenge the practice that is present currently when speaking, writing and thinking about the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australia.<br /><br />The booklet can be found here: <a href="https://documents.uow.edu.au/content/groups/public/@web/@wic/documents/doc/uow257281.pdf" title="You Can't Say That!" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://documents.uow.edu.au/content/groups/public/@web/@wic/documents/doc/uow257281.pdf</a>
<p>The project team worked with local Aboriginal services and key contacts to develop a resource that can be used by UOW students and staff to develop and support culturally competent communication. The resource also provides information about the Yuin nation, the traditional lands on which the main campus of UOW stand. It is expected that this will raise awareness of Yuin ways of being and doing, and at the same time improve cultural safety. The final resource is illustrated with artwork created by UOW staff member Josie Atkinson.</p><p>The booklet includes information on:</p><ul><li>How to communicate positively</li><li>What words to avoid</li><li>Some information specific to the Yuin nation</li><li>Contact details for local Aboriginal organisations</li></ul><p><br />The idea for this booklet was to provide a resource primarily for UOW students that guides them in the use of words and language that are appropriate to use (and those that are inappropriate or worse offensive) when talking with and about Australia’s Indigenous peoples. The need for such a resource was felt to be especially apparent amongst the international student population. However, the internal stakeholders know from their joint experiences that there is a need for a resource to support students and staff to be more culturally competent. Feedback from the SMAH Trails Project evaluation showed that many staff are aware of gaps in their knowledge and understanding around the local Aboriginal community but do not know where or how to fill these gaps and are worried about causing offence.</p><p>Culturally safe interaction should be a skill that Australians develop and hone during their lifetime. The broad term ‘cultural safety’ encompasses an awareness of, and sensitivity toward many different cultures, however this project focusses on the pressing need to increase cultural safety in our medical students and staff toward Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.</p><p>It is also hoped that the local Aboriginal community will benefit from this project, as the booklet developed will provide students and staff with knowledge of the local area and information on how to communicate respectfully with Aboriginal people. On UOW’s part, recruitment and retention of Aboriginal students is likely to increase, as the resource will promote the local Aboriginal culture, fostering a sense of belonging in Aboriginal students.</p><p>The developed resource to support the current UOW wide Jindaola: Embedding Local Indigenous Knowledges in the Curriculum project. It is likely that many of the people consulted with for this project from local Aboriginal community controlled organisations will also have a role in sharing their knowledges through Jindaola.</p><p>The project is innovative in that there are few resources available that provide guidance on which terms are and are not appropriate to use when talking about Aboriginal people. The resources that do exist are old and not specific to the Yuin Nation.</p><p>The reception to the resources has been greater than anticipated. The booklet has been welcomed by the greater student body and faculty. Anecdotally, many staff report providing links from their subject sites to the pdf. The booklet has also been shared organically amongst local groups and organisation including Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD), Wollongong Council, NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and the Department of Education and Training</p><p>The impact of the “You Can’t Say That!” booklet can be seen to extend beyond UOW and beyond the original idea. This is illustrated by this feedback from the Disability Trust: “<em>You Can’t Say That” has been the major turning point for our organisation in raising the profile of our need for a Reconciliation Action Plan as not just a strategy, but a priority of the highest importance requiring high level resourcing and executive sponsorship. For that, and the extension of my education and understanding I am truly grateful for the chance conversation that brought us together</em>" Pam Stiff, Executive Manager. </p>
