1. Praxis Partnerships: Employing community engagement as a mechanism for reconciliation and active citizenship
Praxis Partnerships: Employing community engagement as a mechanism for reconciliation and active citizenship
Dawn Darlaston-Jones, University of Notre Dame, Australia;
Joanne Della Bona & Lisa Rutherford Moorditch Gurlongga Association
It has been argued that cultural competence is a critical component of psychological literacy and that this should be the lens through which all other knowledge is interpreted. In the context of Australia and its history of colonisation, cultural competence is applied most importantly in the context of relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the wider Australian community. Providing undergraduate students with the opportunity to work with an Aboriginal organisation in mutually beneficial and respectful partnerships enables them to enact the theoretical and philosophical frameworks they have been taught. Furthermore, it offers the opportunity to experience the importance of strong relationships as the foundation for reconciliation and active citizenship in order to effect social change. In this session, I will discuss the partnership between the Bachelor of Behavioural Science at the University of Notre Dame’s Fremantle campus and Coolabaroo, an Aboriginal community organisation that offers a range of services to support the local Nyungar community. Specifically, I will demonstrate the learning outcomes derived from building experiential learning opportunities into an undergraduate degree structure and the mutual benefits derived from this experience for the students and the partner agency.
Associate Professor Dawn Darlaston-Jones, PhD MAPS, University of Notre Dame, Australia
Joanne Della Bona & Lisa Rutherford, Moorditch Gurlongga Association

2. Language Psychological Literacy Cultural Competency
Application of psychological theory/knowledges to all aspects of life
Cultural Competency
Lens through which knowledge is interpreted/applied/understood
Competency = Misnomer
Cultural Responsiveness

3. Australian Context Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Peoples
Oldest living culture ~ 60,000
Colonisation
Dispossession
Structural & Systemic racism
Imposition of white dominant norms

4. Decolonisation Education
Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Fremantle Campus)
Transdisciplinary construction of knowledge/curriculum
Human Rights & Social Justice through liberation & empowerment
Decolonisation perspective
Depower non-Indigenous positions
Empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander positions
Education for substantive reconciliation
Partnerships
Moorditch Gurlongga Association
Coolabarroo Community services
Child care
Housing

5. Relationships Mutual respect & trust
Needs of the organisation paramount
Set the agenda for engagement
Determine tasks/roles
Authentic experiential learning
Critical reflexivity for students
Skill development
Practical application of knowledge
Substantive reconciliation potential

6. Partnership Context Moorditch Gurlongga Association
Small non-for-profit Aboriginal led
Coolabaroo Neighbourhood centre
Coolabaroo Housing Centre
Aboriginal Early years Support Service (AEYSS
Moorditj-Apiny
Behavioural Science
Critical community psychology
Transformative change agenda
Critical reflexivity
History of Moorditch Gurlongga Association (MGA)
An Indigenous health worker identified the need for childcare support for Indigenous parents. A non-Indigenous Community Health nurse who, during home visits, saw that Indigenous grandparents were caring for seven to eight grandchildren, as the parents of the children were attending Thornlie T.A.F.E. Moorditch Gurlongga Association (MGA) was established by the Indigenous health worker, the non-Indigenous Community Health nurse, a representative of Indigenous students from Thornlie T.A.F.E. and Indigenous community members. MGA became incorporated on the 11th of November 1985 and now coordinates and manages various community services such as; Coolabaroo Neighbourhood Centre, Coolabaroo Housing Service, Aboriginal Early Years Support Service (AEYSS) and Moorditj-Apiny.

7. The Task & Outcomes PS393 Community: Policy & Development
Final year first semester advanced unit
compulsory
2013 & 2014
Policy writing opportunities
Learning outcomes
Engagement
Experiential learning
Task skill development
Partner outcomes
Development of internal policies
Refinement of processes
Assessment against legislation
Additional Internship opportunities

8. Further Information Associate Professor Dawn Darlaston-Jones