Frank Edwards - TDN Guest Speaker

At the September Training Directions Network meeting, we had the chance to listen to Frank Edwards. Frank has a long and broad experience working in the sector as Aboriginal trainer, mediator, conflict resolution practitioner and community services assessor and he was really pleased to answer our questions about recruiting and supporting Aboriginal workers in the community sector.

This is a brief summary of Frank Edward’s presentation and conversation with TDN members:

· Frank provided information about his professional background and involvement with the sector in the last couple of years

· His area of interest has been doing training on governance and supporting management committees, being involved as an assessor for prospective Foster Parents, and recruiter of carers.

· One of the major issues affecting Aboriginal workers in the sector is isolation.

· Once organizations are able to recruit an Aboriginal worker, there are usually no structures in place to support his or her work and the required cultural skills within the organization.

· It is crucial that the Aboriginal worker has the chance to connect with existing Koori Interagencies, to be allowed to attend events such as NAIDOC week, Sorry Day, and Survival Day.

· Workplace culture needs to change and to be aware of Aboriginal protocols. For example, Aboriginal workers need extra time to attend community events and funerals or alternate his/her roles at these events.

· Potential Aboriginal workers prefer full time positions rather than part time

· In terms of recruiting potential ATSI workers, one strategy is to advertise positions in the Koori Mail, use informal networking and word of mouth.

· Family issues could affect the performance of the Aboriginal worker. In some cases, the high level of incarceration could affect families and the performance of the worker.

· Another strategy is to have an ATSI advisory group to get advice and/or contract out an Aboriginal consultant.

· Mentoring projects are a good solution, especially when recruiting Aboriginal workers who have recently finished TAFE or University.

· From a HR perspective, put emphasis on a broader description of the position (job description) and include and highlight duties that involve going out and visiting the community and other organizations

· In terms of the worker’s office space: invite the worker to have pictures of their family, art work or posters with aboriginal motifs.

· Use Aboriginal colours in promotional material (logo, brochure, business cards)

Some thoughts before delivering training to Aboriginal participants

· Put up the Aboriginal flag or indigenous art work (in a visible place)

· Do your best to have an appropriate person available to do a Welcome to Country. If this is not possible, an Acknowledgement can be done.

· Learning principles: use round tables

· Round table: you as the trainer should be the last one in personal introductions

· Put learning outcomes in a visible place

· Use a lot of diagrams

· Learning is about reaching it out (NGAMALI GADAUMADWA GIARRUU)

· Use or bring in participant’s personal experiences and knowledge and connect this to outcomes

When having a younger Aboriginal audience

· Use cultural elements in training, so that it becomes more of a cultural experience (e.g. use stories in delivery of material)

· Increase their knowledge

· Try to reconnect their audience to their networks

· Reinforce their personal knowledge

Frank finalized his presentation by responding to the questions: are things getting better? And this is his summary:

· Funding is getting better, especially the funding to address issues raised by the Woodward report. The issue is to keep these funding commitments in the longer term.

· Other interesting areas are the Aboriginal cultural awareness sessions and the interest of the NGO sector in this kind of training.

· The relevance of training that aims to challenge deeper assumptions (anti-colonization training).

· More funding opportunities for early intervention programs.