Beyond Awareness: Culturally Safe Practice in our Sector - (Gold Coast) September 2026

‘Beyond Awareness:  Culturally Safe Practice in our Sector’ is a unique opportunity for the workforce of domestic and family violence, women’s health and wellbeing and sexual violence sector. 

This is a series of two full day workshops where participants will deepen their knowledge and understanding enhancing their practice in working with and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.   

Embedding cultural safety into day-to-day practice requires more than awareness alone. This program builds knowledge, understanding and skills to support culturally safe practice and while contributing to healing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples we work with and our shared healing as a sector. 

‘Beyond Awareness:  Culturally Safe Practice in our Sector’ is program, developed with input from consultations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and designed by Leanne Levinge (Kombumerri and Ngugi descendant) from Big Hill & Oyster and Rona Scherer (Mamu and Eastern Yalanji) from WorkUP Queensland who will deliver the program, accompanied by Bowie Solutions, providing perspectives of Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Cultures.  

Program Structure 

The program consists of two full -day workshops, which are linked and offer practical and reflective activities to support ongoing learning over the duration of the series. It is important for participants to attend both days.  

(1) Thursday 17th September 2026 

• Using history to create a better future 

• Communicating in truthtelling ways that empower 

(2) Thursday 24th September 2026 

• Working in culturally safe ways 

• Building relationships with the community 

This will be an engaging workshop series providing a blend of educational content, self-reflective activities and robust group discussions facilitated by First Nations facilitators.  The addition of practical real-world activities will help participants to bring their learnings to life throughout and beyond the program. 

Your Commitment 

This is a workshop series, please ensure availability for both full days, as each day builds on the knowledge and insights learnt from the previous workshop. 

Learning Outcomes

• A deeper understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ ways of being, and how the ongoing impacts of colonisation, oppression, marginalisation and racism continue to shape cultures, histories, knowledges and contemporary practice contexts.  

• Participants are supported to build awareness of their own cultural perspectives and to engage in critical self-reflection, including on challenging or uncomfortable issues and how these influence day-to-day work. 

• You will develop a practical and actionable understanding of cultural awareness, competency, capability and safety, alongside increased confidence to respond in culturally responsive, respectful and effective ways when supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.  

• The program also offers strategies for alternative and innovative engagement, informed by lived experience, service user insights and shared learning from sector peers. 

• Through connection and collective learning, participants strengthen relationships across community and sector, grounded in trust, respect and a shared commitment to meaningful outcomes.  

Event details

Workshop 1: Thursday, 17th September 2026
Workshop 2: Thursday, 24th September 2026

Time: 8:30am - 4:30pm AEST (both sessions)
Location: Gold Coast Aquatic Centre - Marine Parade, Southport, QLD, 4215

Please note: This is a 2 part series. Participants should attend both sessions.

Travel support is available* – click here to apply. If you are unable to download the application form please email workforce@healingfoundation.org.au to receive a copy. *Target Group Services Only

Who should attend

Workforce of specialist domestic and family violence, sexual violence and women’s health and wellbeing services funded by the Office for Women's Safety and Violence Prevention, Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety.

About the facilitators

Leanne Levinge

Leanne Levinge is a Ngugi (Moreton Island) and Kombumerri (Gold Coast) descendant on her Dad’s side and non-Indigenous Australian on her mum’s side. She lives on Turrbal and Yugara/Yuggera Country in Meanjin (Brisbane) with her two sons. Leanne is a narrative therapist / counsellor, coach, mentor, facilitator, and consultant with experience working in a range of contexts and with a range of individuals, groups and communities.  

Leanne spent 20 years in management and leadership roles in the higher education sector (eventually in the role of Director of Faculty Services, QUT Business School) before a COVID-related career change in early 2020 led her to narrative therapy, counselling and coaching.  

 While running her own small practice, she Chairs the Board of Directors for Triple A Murri Country. 

 Leanne's academic history is like a patchwork possum-skin cloak: with degrees in journalism; librarianship; leadership through coaching and mentoring; and narrative therapy and community work. She says the thread that ties them together is curiosity and the art of a good question. 

Mareshah Bowie and Salma Bowie

Mareshah Bowie and Salma Bowie are both Consultants in Bowie Solutions, and have developed cultural content and capability tools utilised across sectors. They have also worked together in the community sector, serving together on their tribe’s native title body corporate board, from March 2022 until December 2025. 

Mareshah is also a non-practising Lawyer with formal qualifications in law and criminology and Salma is a Creative Consultant with formal training in Fashion Design and Interpretation. Mareshah and Salma come from nine siblings, whose heritage comes from Badu, Mabuiag, Pulu & Erub ​in the Torres Strait, and Jirrbal and Ngadjan-Jii​ tribes in Far North Queensland. 

 Jade O'Reilly

Jade O’Reilly proudly identifies as a Jirrbal woman with strong cultural connections to Far North Queensland. Culture is embedded in Jade’s work, and she is committed to practising with cultural humility, safety, and awareness. 

As a qualified social science professional, Jade’s work experience spans across the out-of-home youth care system, mental health service provision, and the domestic and family violence sector. Jade is deeply passionate about creating meaningful change and supporting our most vulnerable communities to thrive. 

As a Senior Project Officer with WorkUP QLD, Jade leads inclusive workforce initiatives, focused on building the capacity and capability of the domestic family violence, sexual violence and women’s health wellbeing sector.