This document outlines an upcoming workshop exploring cultural safety and working with Aboriginal peoples. The workshop will involve a discussion on current approaches to cultural safety training, as well as focus groups discussing strategies for cultural safety. The workshop aims to engage with critical questions around cultural safety terminology and implementation within curriculums and organizations. It will take a standpoint focusing on the relevance of cultural safety to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations and their approach to well-being.

1. Exploring the journey of
cultural safety and
working with Aboriginal
peoples
• Samia Goudie and Gaye Doolan (ANU)
Pascale Dettwiller(FNT)
• Disclaimer: there is no relationships
with commercial interests
1

2. Disclosure of Commercial
Support
• This program has not received
financial support from any private
organisation or funding body.
• There is no potential conflict of
interests to disclose.
2

3. Exploring the journey of cultural safety
and working with Aboriginal peoples
Samia Goudie and Gaye Doolan
ANU Medical School
ANU College of Medicine , Biology and Environment
Pascale Dettwiller, Flinders NT Katherine, School of Medicine
All Photos taken by Samia Goudie copyright used
with permission.
.
Disclaimer: There maybe
mention (or display images)
of people who have passed
away.

4. The PROCESS
Acknowledgement of country
Introductions of facilitators and of people who attend and why they came.
General discussion on current approaches to “ Cultural safety
projects and cultural immersion trainings” -led by Gaye Doolan and team.
Move into focus groups and discuss ‘what do we do’ and ‘what do others do’.
Questions ( slide 4) to help start conversation.
Nominate a note taker (or work out how you want to proceed) for your small group
and how you want to report the findings and information back. Work in small
groups for 20 minutes and each group feedback in remaining time.
Discuss how people would like the findings used ?
References ( last slide )
Thank you to all who participated.

5. OUTLINE
The design of the workshop will be to engage with critical questions
relating to questions around the use of and terminology of ‘cultural
safety’ and what it means on the ground and what it means to be
imbedded within curriculums and/or other organisational structures.
The demographic that this workshop will focus on
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples and how “cultural
safety” is relevant to this population.
The standpoint position and methodology
Is located from an understanding of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander health as a whole life approach to
that includes: The connectedness of ‘Wellbeing “: including the
physical, emotional, mental, cultural and spiritual aspects.

6. Some suggestions for questions: “Yarning up “
1. What, if any, are the differences between ‘cultural education’,
‘cultural sensitivity’, ‘cultural awareness’, and ‘cultural safety’.
Are we lost in a world of definitions?
2. How do we assess someone as being ‘culturally safe’ both
from the student perspective and the community. What is ‘cultural
competency’ and how can evaluate and assess this ?
3. What advantage or disadvantage would there be in having a
‘cultural mentor’ paid by a retainer in each community
the students visit.
4. How do we ensure that all students engage with the Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander health curricula? And how does this
relate on the ground with other providers etc.

7. References
• Anderson, I (2007), ‘Policy Processes’, in B Carson, T Dunbark R D
Chenhall & R Bailie (eds), Social determinants of Indigenous health, Allen &
Unwin, NSW, pp 231-252
• Beach, Mary C et al (2005) Cultural Competence: a Systematic Review of Health
Care Provider Educational Interventions, medical Care, April Volume 43 –
Issue 4 =- pp 356-373
• Betancourt, Joseph R (2004) Cultural Competence – Marginal or Mainstream
Movement?, New England Journal of Medicine, Septemb er 2, pp 953-955
• Dunbar, T and Scrimgeour, M (2009) Cultural competence in Aboriginal
education service delivery in Australia: Some lessons from the Aboriginal health
service sector, Peer reviewed paper, AARE International Education Research
Conference Canberra November 30 to 4 December 2009 access online at
http://aare09.confsite.com.au/ ISSN 13245 9320
• Eckermann, A C, Dowd, T, Chong, E, Nixon, L, Gray, R & Johnson, S (2010)
Binan Goonj, 3rd edn, Elsevier Australia, Marrickville
• Farrelly, Terri; Lumby, Bronwyn (2009) A Best Practice Approach to Cultural
Competence Training, Aboriginal & Islander Health Worker Journal,
September/October Vol 33 No 5 pp 14-22
• GPET (2011) Guide to General Practice Training In aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Health, New Millenniu Print

8. References (cont’d)
• Hampton, R & Toombs M (eds) (2013) Indigenous Australians and
Health: The Wombat in the Room, Oxford University Press, Australia
• Hayman, N E, White, N E & Spurling, G K (2009) Improving
Indigenous patients’ access to mainstream health services: the Inala
experience, Medical Journal of Australia, vol 190 no 10, pp 604-606
• Kendall, E, Miliken, J, Barnett, L & Marshall, C (2008) ‘Improving
Practice by Respecting Indigenous Knowledge and Ways of
Knowing’, in S Taylor, M foster & J Fleming (eds) Health Care
Practice in Australia: Policy, Context and Innovations, Oxford
University Press, Victoria, pp 221-238
• Kowal, E & Paradies, Y (2005) Ambivalent helpers and unhealthy
choices: public health practitioners’ narratives of Indigenous ill-health,
• Maddison, S (2009) ‘Ways of Knowing, Being and Doing: a
theoretical framework and methods for Indigenous and Indigenist
Re-search’, Journal of Australian Studies, no 76, pp 203-215
• Mitchell, J (2007), ‘History’ in B Carson, T Dunbar, R D Chenhall &
R Bailie (eds), Social determinants of Indigenous health, Allen &
Unwin, NSW, pp 41-64
• National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) (2003),
Values and Ethics: Guidelines for Ethical Conduct in Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Health Research, Commonwealth of Australia,
Canberra

9. THANK FOR YOUR
PARTICIPATION
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