Work effectively with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people Assessment

In order to be competent in this assessment you must use your research skills to research Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and history and how these impact health and community services they receive.

Section 1- Research Report

Complete research and write a report.

During your research it will be beneficial to find out about the current health care services and programs that are currently available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia and how they can access and engage in them. Also research the political, social and economic issues associated with these services.

When writing the report there is no word count expectation, however, it is estimated that this will be at least somewhere between 1500 - 2500 words. You may write more or less but you must thoroughly cover all of the dot points below in your own words.

Dot points to research and include in your report:

• The history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in Australia
• Culture including the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures
• The importance of law and kinship - explain family structures
• Loss of land
• How culture has been lost or maintained
• Racism and discrimination - explain how the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were/are still viewed by many Australians
• Communication - identify ineffective and inappropriate communication processes and provide solutions
• Factors that have contributed to ill health in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
• Power relations - past and present and their effect on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• The impact/issues European Settlement and modern western health care systems and structures have had on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
• Reflect on your own culture and belief systems and how they could affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Section 2 - Develop Culturally Safe Work Practices

Develop (make up)a workplace policy and procedure or a booklet that can be given to new nursing staff at their induction to make them aware of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples culturally safe work practices that are to comply with the workplace.

Include the following dot points that relate to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people:

The names of and how to access the following

• commonwealth, and/or territory/state legislation
• codes of practice
• community standards and regulations
• organisational policies and practices

Interpreter services that are available

Health and community services and programs available in Victoria

Common cultural customs that staff need be aware of

Appropriate communication methods you may need to use

Ways to improve cross cultural communication and understanding in the workplace

Ways to promote participation and engagement in culturally safe workplace practices

How to locate other resources that staff can access to increase their understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples culture and customs e.g. web sites or book titles

Include other topics any that are relevant to the development of culturally safe work practices e.g. something you have learned from you research

Section 3- Mutual Mentoring

Reasonable Adjustment

CTA has been requested to make reasonable adjustments to section 3 of this assessment by Nurse Educators who raised concerns/issues on behalf of their nursing student cohorts re their ability to complete this section. These concerns/issues include:

- being unable to obtain assistance from the list of organisations provided to students, that students were advised would be able to assist them to make contact with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander persons to discuss mutual mentoring arrangements

- Privacy and confidently concerns raised by these organisations

- Some instances where organisations did not reply to student requests for assistance

- Students found it difficult to locate Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander persons in metropolitan Melbourne who would agree to participate in a mentoring relationship with nursing students.

Reasonable adjustments have been made as per the information provided in the Student Handbook. Student Instructions

1. Develop a Mentoring Plan

2. Begin by selecting a Mentoring Plan Template from a website or create one yourself

3. Choose a mentoring topic that you would like to discuss with an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person and write them in the template

4. Create questions that are relevant to the topic and write them in the template

5. Ideally the Mentoring Plan (template) that you have created would be competed with an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person, instead of this list and/or describe the ways you would communicate with an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person

Before creating your questions you will need to do some research of the following organisations websites to ensure you have created questions that would not be seen as inappropriate or offensive to an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person.

• Australian Indigenous Education Foundation
• Australian Indigenous Mentoring experience
• Victorian Aboriginal Education Assistance Inc.
• Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages
• Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Inc.
• Stolen Generations Victoria
• Reconciliation Australia
• Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation
• Department of Justice & Regulation, State Government of Victoria
• Aboriginal health, Department of Health and Human Services, State Government of Victoria
• Supporting Aboriginal Businesses and Employment, Business Victoria
• Australian Government, Department of Social Services.

Section 4 - Self reflection

Once you have completed Sections 1 to 3, write a reflection answers to the following points:

What you have learnt about yourself and your understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, consider what has changed in regards to your understanding of their culture, the similarities and differences that you have?

How will you advocate for anti-racism?

Were there any surprises. Will you change any of the behaviours you have to accommodate their culture? If yes what? If no, why not?

How you would develop cultural competency towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and ho would encourage others to gain the same competency.