The Centre for Remote Health team of Annie Farthing, Kath Martin and Pat Ansell Dodds has received a Flinders University Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences ‘2016 Executive Dean’s Teaching Excellence Award’. This award is for developing and delivering a high quality, well regarded, cultural training workshop titled Introduction to Central Australian Aboriginal Cultures and Context.

All students on placement in Central Australia attend this one day course as part of their orientation. Other organisations including government and non-government agencies and businesses are increasingly using the workshop as part of the orientation for new staff. Due to the integrity of the workshop content as well as the reputation it has established in a short space of time, Central Australian Health Services (CAHS) have made attendance at this workshop a mandatory requirement for all new staff.

The overall aim of the workshop is to encourage participants to reframe conventional ideas about “Indigenous health”. The course feedback and evaluations consistently report a genuine shift towards openness and understanding for many participants. The workshop has also inspired participants to continue their learning journey in order to be better practitioners in this area.

Here are some of the typical comments made by workshop participants:
The course has made me more mindful – inspiring – provokes me to look further in[to] working with Indigenous Australians.  Nov 2015
So much about history, culture and health. All very interesting. Certainly want to go away and do independent research on some aspects e.g. The Intervention. July 2016
Flagging what will be important issues in my work and experience here in Alice. What to be mindful of, and to dive in deep in an ocean of learning about culture. July 2016

This award is a great honour for the Centre for Remote Health team.