Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Program
Posted: 4 August, 2009
North Coast Area Health Service (NCAHS) is committed to providing accessible and appropriate care to the Aboriginal Population of the North Coast.
Cultural appreciation, respect and sensitivity are all significant elements required in delivering services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
North Coast Area Health Service (NCAHS) is committed to the Cultural Awareness Program being implemented within each of its four geographical networks - Tweed/Byron, Richmond, Hastings/Macleay and Coffs/Clarence.
Already, a new Cultural Awareness Program is operating in the Hastings/ Macleay and Coffs / Clarence Networks and a new Program is now being implemented in the north of the Area Health Service.
NCAHS has been working in collaboration with the Ngayundi Aboriginal Health Council, along with the Bundjalung Elders, who have been instrumental in the development of the northern Cultural Awareness Program Training Package.
NCAHS Chief Executive, Chris Crawford highlighted that based on the NSW Aboriginal Health Strategic Plan, “Cultural understanding shapes the provision of health services. Understanding of Aboriginal Culture must be applied in order to achieve improved Aboriginal health outcomes,” Mr Crawford said.
The importance of this Program has been reinforced by two recent initiatives driven within the NCAHS. The initiatives were the Journey of Aboriginal Children and their Families Project, that commenced in 2008 and has been recently completed, and the other initiative was the Casino Aboriginal Chronic Care Project.
Mr Crawford stated that, “Both these initiatives have identified Cultural Awareness Training as a solution to support NCAHS Staff in delivering services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people”.
The Cultural Awareness Program is designed to provide training to Health Managers and clinicians to: increase their understanding and knowledge of Aboriginal history and culture; enhance their knowledge of events that have impacted on Aboriginal people; raise their awareness of the cultural needs of Aboriginal clients; and improve their interaction with the Aboriginal community showing respect for Aboriginal ways of being.
In launching this Cultural Awareness Program, NCAHS acknowledges the efforts of the Ngayundi Aboriginal Health Council, and the Bundjalung Elders, Mr Crawford said, “This is a collaborative effort between the NCAHS and Ngayundi.”