Connecting to Country December 2018

Connecting to Country is a 3-day cultural awareness training program offering a unique opportunity to engage directly with Aboriginal people at a local community level. This program is coordinated and presented by Minimbah AECG (Aboriginal Education Consultative Group).

Over the course of the three days, participants will be taking part in a program in which they will learn about local Aboriginal culture, history and social experience. They will also gain valuable access to Aboriginal parents, community members, representatives from Aboriginal community services and organisations and key Aboriginal education personnel.

Upon completion of this program, participants will have significantly enhanced the depth of their insight into the countless social, cultural, historic, economic and political issues that continue to affect and concern Aboriginal peoples and communities.

Participants will also reach a culturally informed awareness of the cultural layout of their local school area and, more broadly, their school’s region. They will encounter firsthand the concept and meaning of Country from an Aboriginal cultural perspective. Participants will also be given instructional insight into the educational needs and aspirations of Aboriginal communities, and provided with guidance on how to respond to these needs and aspirations from a culturally appropriate perspective.

Story contributed by Roselea Newburn from Minimbah AECG. Published in 2019.