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‘Working Together’: An Intercultural Academic Leadership Programme to Build Health Science Educators’ Capacity to Teach Indigenous Health and Culture

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 June 2016

Angela Durey ,
Kate Taylor ,
Dawn Bessarab ,
Marion Kickett ,
Sue Jones ,
Julie Hoffman ,
Helen Flavell  and
Kim Scott
Angela Durey*
Affiliation:
School of Dentistry, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, 6009, Australia Centre for Aboriginal Studies, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, 6845, Australia
Kate Taylor
Affiliation:
Curtin Teaching and Learning, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, 6845, Australia
Dawn Bessarab
Affiliation:
Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, 6845, Australia Centre for Aboriginal Medical and Dental Health, School of Primary Aboriginal and Rural Health Care, University of Western Australia, Perth, 6009, Western Australia, Australia
Marion Kickett
Affiliation:
Centre for Aboriginal Studies, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, 6845, Australia
Sue Jones
Affiliation:
Curtin Teaching and Learning, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, 6845, Australia
Julie Hoffman
Affiliation:
Centre for Aboriginal Studies, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, 6845, Australia
Helen Flavell
Affiliation:
Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, 6845, Australia
Kim Scott
Affiliation:
Faculty of Humanities, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, 6845, Australia
*
address for correspondence: Dr Angela Durey, Research Associate Professor, School of Dentistry M512, University of Western Australia, 17 Monash Ave, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia. Email: angela.durey@uwa.edu.au.
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Abstract

Progress has been slow in improving health disparities between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) Australians and other Australians. While reasons for this are complex, delivering healthcare respectful of cultural differences is one approach to improving Indigenous health outcomes. This paper presents and evaluates an intercultural academic leadership programme developed to support tertiary educators teaching Indigenous health and culture prepare interdisciplinary students to work respectfully and appropriately as health professionals with Indigenous peoples. The programme acknowledges the impact of colonisation on Indigenous Australians and draws on theories of the intercultural space to inform reflection and discussion on Indigenous/non-Indigenous relations and their impact on healthcare. Furthermore, the programme encourages establishing a community of practice as a resource for educators. Evaluation indicated participants’ confidence to teach Indigenous content increased following the programme. Participants felt more able to create intercultural, interdisciplinary and interactive learning spaces that were inclusive and safe for students from all cultures. Participants learned skills to effectively facilitate and encourage students to grapple with the complexity of the intercultural space, often tense, uncertain and risky, to enable new understandings and positions to emerge that could better prepare graduates to work in Indigenous health contexts.

Keywords

Aboriginal peoplehigher educationhealthcarereflection
Type
Research Article
Information
The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education , Volume 46 , Issue 1 , August 2017 , pp. 12 - 22
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2016 

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