Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education 
"Life's Cool!  Yarning about Being, Belonging & Becoming to Support ATSI Students' Health & Wellbeing

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In this course we will examine the following: 

Health Consideration

• statistics amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations (in general)     

• the continuum of health and wellbeing standards, lifestyles and practices Identity and belonging 

• Physical health and personal safety 

• Trust relationships 

• Barriers - e.g. lateral violence, access and shame, cultural appropriate approaches, engaging families and carers, health behaviours & attitudes 

Language & Communication

• How to communicate health messages, concerns, questions in a culturally appropriate and responsive manner 
• Responding effectively to students' worlds 
• Inner (mental health/emotional)
• • Social/Peer (friends, particularly non-Aboriginal interactions & experiences of racism, othering etc)
  • Family (immediate, extended, influences upon behaviour and attitudes)
  • Cultural (traditional/contemporary)
  • School (study, teachers, structures)

Values

• Realigning values required for health, wellbeing and success:

• Connection between ATSI values & contemporary values and vice versa - e.g. learning, commitment, dedication, code-switching, preparation and planning, long & short term goals, inter-dependence, team work

Facilitators:
Dr Roma Aloisi
Is a multi-cultural, multi-lingual and spiritual woman, first generation Australian of Calabrian heritage. Roma has enjoyed a multi-disciplinary educational career as: teacher and school based leader Currently Senior Education Advisor: ATSI Education & Senior Secondary Education, Roma’s diverse academic background spans interests across: education, theology and gender-race-ethnicities. Roma’s Doctoral thesis: Speaking the Unspeakable. Interrogating leadership: gender-race-ethnicity in Australian Catholic Education was nominated for two research awards. Roma also received a Transformational Leadership in Indigenous Education award from the University of Adelaide.

Jonathan Lindsay-Tjapaltjarri Hermawan
A multi-cultural and multi-lingual man whose cultural and spiritual home is Walungurru (Kintore) Community near the NT/WA border. He is a qualified teacher/educator and is currently the Central Australia Manager for Red Dust Role Models. Jonathan is an Indigenous Education Ambassador for the Australian Government Department of the Prime Minister & Cabinet, 2015 NT NAIDOC Award recipient and a prominent motivational speaker on the importance of schooling and learning for life. Since 2012 Jonathan’s commitment, support and contribution to the work of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Team has been considerable and extensive.