Overview

This one-day in-person only workshop provides a culturally safe space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander AOD workers to explore cultural/colonial load and how it can show up in their roles, workplaces, families and communities. It acknowledges the additional cultural, emotional and community responsibilities that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers may carry alongside their formal work duties.

Participants will reflect on strategies to protect wellbeing, strengthen boundaries, access mentoring or cultural supervision, connect with peer networks, recognise their rights, and identify ways to have their cultural knowledge and contributions properly valued in the workplace.

Learning outcomes

Participants will learn how to:

· Describe what cultural/colonial load is and how it can show up in AOD work, workplaces, families and communities.

· Identify common experiences of cultural/colonial load, such as cultural representation, community obligations, Sorry Business, emotional burden, tokenism, isolation and the expectation to educate others.

· Reflect on the impact of cultural/colonial load on wellbeing, including burnout, stress, disengagement and social and emotional wellbeing.

· Explore practical strategies to manage cultural/colonial load, including setting boundaries, accessing cultural supervision or mentoring, connecting with peer networks and prioritising wellbeing.

About the facilitators:

Karina Clarkson: Karina is a proud Gamillaroi and Dunghutti woman, born in Sydney and raised on the Far North Coast of NSW. She has more than 15 years’ experience across the alcohol and other drug, social and emotional wellbeing, and mental health sectors, working in a range of roles with a strong focus on teaching and supporting the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce in health and wellbeing.

Karina is currently undertaking a Master of Philosophy (Research) with The University of Sydney, exploring the impacts of cultural load on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander alcohol and other drug workforce. She also holds qualifications in alcohol and other drugs, public health, and education.

Karina is passionate about building the capacity and capability of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, families, communities, and workforces through culturally informed education, workforce development, and community-led approaches.

Raechel Wallace: Raechel is a proud Wandi Wandian and Wodi Wodi woman from the Yuin Nation on the South Coast of NSW. She has worked in the Aboriginal AOD Sector for over 20 years working in training and development, program management and service management in both Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation and non-Government organisations.

Raechel is currently the Aboriginal Program Manager at NADA and is passionate about supporting the Aboriginal AOD Workforce and ACCO sector. Raechel also has a passion around Aboriginal led Aboriginal AOD research and previously held a Senior Research Role at NDARC at UNSW and has a published paper “I Think That Is a Big Step From Here to There': Exploring the Views of Service Providers About Delivering Drug- and Alcohol-Related Health Services to Aboriginal People in Rural New South Wales” Raechel is an Adjunct Research Professor, with the Rural Health Research Unit, at Charles Sturt University and an Honorary Senior Fellow, School of Psychology, at the University of Wollongong.

Who should attend?

Aboriginal AOD Workforce from NADA Member Services. The workshop will have a maximum of 20 participants.

Other information

For more information

Please email raechel@nada.org.au

Contact the host of Cultural/Colonial load for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander AOD workers - Dubbo

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