Cultural Awareness Training

Enhance your cultural awareness, and prepare yourself for your student placement in outback Queensland and future practice.

What is Cultural Awareness Training?

The Centre for Rural and Remote Health (CRRH) offers a cultural awareness workshop for students who will come into direct contact with patients of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage, during a placement. All students undertaking a rural and remote placement with CRRH must complete cultural awareness training before commencing first placement.

The one-day course aims to help students:

• Extend their knowledge about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture
• Explore how attitudes and values can influence perceptions, assumptions and behaviours in a clinical setting
• Develop ways to become more culturally aware
• Learn how to build better relationships Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients and community
• Develop appropriate skills to interact with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples while on placement and in a clinical setting

Students have the opportunity to attend regular reflection sessions extending their cultural competence and self-awareness.

Nationally, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples represent 3% of the population, while regionally Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples make up 25% of the total population in North West Queensland based on information from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), so this training is important.

For more information, phone (07) 4745 4500

Cultural Awareness Training Facilitator

Shaun Solomon
Head of Indigenous Health, Centre for Rural and Remote Health

Shaun, an Ewamian and Birri man, graduated from Sydney University with a Graduate Diploma in Indigenous Health Promotion. Shaun is also a graduate and fellow of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation. 

Shaun is the current Chairperson of the Mount Isa Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service, Gidgee Healing. His interests include supporting Aboriginal Health Workers, chronic disease care and rural and remote health in Outback Queensland.

Meet Shaun