Cross-cultural workshop held at Latrobe CityMore than forty staff members from Latrobe City Council attended a training seminar on indigenous cross-cultural awareness last week By Latrobe City Council - 6th May 2002 - Back to News Latrobe’s Chief Executive Officer, Richard Hancock, said that the aim of the workshop was to explore the relationship between past policies and practices and the present-day status of Aboriginal Australians in the south eastern region.
"The workshop also explored the emergence of contemporary issues and the extent to which both have impacted on Aboriginal people and service delivery systems. By delivering the seminar to staff, Latrobe City can begin to address its own perceptions of indigenous culture and experience and look at the cross cultural issues that arise in the service delivery and employment areas," Mr Hancock said.
"Staff feedback suggests that the workshop encouraged a better understanding and respect for indigenous people and their culture and customs, as well as exploring the issues that the Koorie community have been confronted with over the past two hundred years up to the present day.
"Whilst in the past, commentaries on Aboriginal issues have often been from a non-Aboriginal viewpoint, we felt it was important to have this workshop facilitated by indigenous presenters. Having this indigenous perspective enabled staff to gain a deeper understanding of the problems still facing Aboriginal communities," Mr Hancock said.
Presenters were Graham Atkinson from Yuruga Enterprises and Joanne Brunt, Latrobe’s Indigenous Development Officer, with contributions also made by indigenous Community Job participants and trainees.
Ms Brunt said that it was anticipated that all staff at Latrobe City would be undertaking the cross-cultural workshop over the next eighteen months.
"Together with the recently launched Indigenous Traineeships, this cross-cultural training is another positive step forward that Latrobe City has made towards reconciliation," Ms Brunt concluded.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com

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