Hosted by Jessica Staines, Director of the multi-award-winning Koori Curriculum, this live webinar is dedicated to enhancing educators' understanding and practice in forming meaningful connections with Aboriginal communities and integrating authentic Aboriginal perspectives into learning environments.

This session will include:

  •    Cultural safety: Gain deep insights into the significance of building relationships with Aboriginal families and communities, ensuring culturally safe practices that align with the EYLF and National Quality Standards.

  •    Tips for Practical engagement: Learn practical approaches to engage respectfully and effectively with Aboriginal communities. Understand the importance of reciprocity and how to offer your service and support to foster genuine relationships.

  •    Resource integration: Discover how to utilise local knowledge and resources effectively within your educational setting, include Aboriginal perspectives daily, and understand the protocols and boundaries of working with Indigenous communities.

  •    Addressing challenges: Address common challenges and anxieties that educators face when trying to connect with Aboriginal communities, including fears of cultural missteps and finding local contacts.

  •    Comprehensive Support: Explore multi-layered reasons for integrating Aboriginal perspectives, including the vital role of education in closing educational and societal gaps for Aboriginal children.

  •    Interactive Learning: Engage with case studies and scenarios that illustrate successful community engagement and cultural inclusion. Participate in Q&A sessions to discuss specific challenges and learn from peers' experiences.

Benefit from Jessicas’ extensive experience and commitment to improving educational outcomes.

This webinar is not just a learning opportunity but a step towards transformation in your professional practice. It's designed for educators who are committed to making their educational spaces welcoming and affirming of Aboriginal families and communities, ensuring that these essential perspectives are woven into the fabric of everyday learning.

Join us to make a meaningful difference in the lives of all children and communities.

Links to EYLF:

Outcome 1.2: Children develop their emerging autonomy, inter dependence, resilience and agency. Educators support this learning when they for example build on culturally valued learning of individual children’s communities.

Outcome 1.3: Children develop knowledgeable confident self-identities, and a positive sense of self-worth. This is evident when children for example engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders and community members to explore their own and others social and cultural heritage.

Outcome 1.3: Children develop knowledgeable confident self-identities, and a positive sense of self-worth. Educators promote this learning for all children when they for example demonstrate deep understanding of each child, their family and community contexts in planning for children’s learning, development and wellbeing.

Outcome 1.3: Children develop knowledgeable confident self-identities, and a positive sense of self-worth. Educators support this learning when they for example have opportunities to develop knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander relationships and connections to Country and family including kinship systems.

Outcome 2.1: Children develop a sense of connectedness to groups and communities and an understanding of their reciprocal rights and responsibilities as active and informed citizens. Educators support this learning when they for example create opportunities for open and authentic partnerships with all families, communities and organisations, including with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations and those from culturally diverse backgrounds.

Outcome 2.1: Children develop a sense of connectedness to groups and communities and an understanding of their reciprocal rights and responsibilities as active and informed citizens. Educators support this learning when they for example build partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations that are genuine and sustainable.

Outcome 2.2: Children respond to diversity with respect. This is evident when children, for example explore Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children’s kinships systems, their relationships, and connections that they have built with their own community.

Outcome 4.2: Children develop a range of learning and thinking skills and processes such as problem solving, inquiry, experimentation, hypothesizing, researching and investigating. This is evident when children, for example connect with their local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community (e.g. Elders, role models) to engage with stories about place- based history and culture.

Please note: the webinar will be live and not recorded.

Duration: approximately 1 hour