Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
Prerequisites
Nil
Teaching organisation
On Campus mode: This unit comprises 48 hours of face-to-face learning and teaching (or equivalent) with a prescribed attendance requirement.
ACU Online: 150 hours of study, inclusive of a 5 day intensive.
Unit rationale, description and aim
Acknowledging, respecting, collaborating, and learning from the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is a priority in social work practice. The AASW recognises that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing contribute to social work practices. Social workers are responsible for ensuring that their practice is culturally aware, responsive and safe. The social work profession has a responsibility to strive to respect, understand, listen to, support, and promote the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their cultures.
The aims of this unit are to develop students’ knowledge and experiences of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and aims to develop professional and culturally responsive capabilities to work effectively and collaboratively in this area of social work practice.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description | Relevant Graduate Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| LO1 | Explain how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing can inform social work practices with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC5, GC12 |
| LO2 | Analyse the impact of key historical and social policy issues on the contemporary experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples | GC6, GC7, GC8, GC11 |
| LO3 | Apply culturally appropriate, safe and responsive practice approaches and knowledge to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in different fields of practice | GC2, GC4, GC5, GC6, GC9, GC10 |
| LO4 | Critically reflect on personal and professional identities, values and ethical issues when working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples | GC3, GC6, GC7 |
AASW Practice Standards
This Unit has been mapped to the ACU Graduate Attributes and the ASWEAS Profession-Specific Graduate Attributes. The following table sets out the broad relationship between the Learning Outcomes, Graduate Attributes and the ASWEAS Profession-Specific Graduate Attributes provided in the Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards: https://www.aasw.asn.au/document/item/13565
1.Values and ethics |
2.Professionalism |
3.Culturally responsive and inclusive practice |
4.Knowledge for practice |
5.Applying knowledge to practice |
6.Communication and Interpersonal skills |
7.Information recording and sharing |
8.Professional development and supervision |
ASWEAS Profession-Specific Graduate Attributes
This Unit has been mapped to the AASW Practice Standards. The following table sets out the broad relationship between the Learning Outcomes, ACU Graduate Attributes and the AASW Practice Standards.
| Standard/Attributes/Criteria | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
1.1Practice in accordance with the AASW Code of Ethics 3.2 Respect, strive to understand and promote the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their cultures 4.4 Understand and articulate how and when theories, knowledge bases and knowledge sources inform practice 5.4 Apply critical and reflective thinking to practice | LO1 |
3.2 Respect, strive to understand and promote the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their cultures 4.1 Understand higher level systemic influences on people with respect to an area of practice. 5.4 Apply critical and reflective thinking to practice | LO2 |
1.1Practice in accordance with the AASW Code of Ethics 3.1 Work respectfully and inclusively with cultural difference and diversity 3.2 Respect, strive to understand and promote the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their cultures 4.4 Understand and articulate how and when theories knowledge bases and knowledge sources inform practice 5.1 Assess and analyse needs to inform practice | LO3 |
1.1 Practice in accordance with the AASW Code of Ethics 2.2 Behave in a professional manner and be accountable for all actions and decisions 3.1 Work respectfully and inclusively with cultural difference and diversity. 5.4 Apply critical and reflective thinking to practice. | LO4 |
Content
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing
- Connection to Country
- Kinship and connection to community
Historical and political overview
- Pre-invasion - Dreamtime
- Political and social history - resistance and activism
Human rights and social justice issues
- Privilege and power
- Racism
- Self-determination and sovereignty
Social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB)
- Identity and intersectionality
- Transgenerational trauma
- SEWB Practice frameworks
- Trauma informed practices
Theoretical, practice frameworks and skills
- Critical race and whiteness theories
- Anti-racist practice
- Anti-oppressive practice
- Cultural responsiveness and cultural safety
- Yarning
- Deep listening and use of silence
Community practice
- Cultural protocols, inclusive engagement, consultation and relationship building
- Collaborative practice
- Allyship
Professional and personal identity
- Critical use of self
- Social work values and ethics and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander way of being and doing
- Being a culturally responsive practitioner
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
ON CAMPUS:
The unit will be co-facilitated by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lecturer and a non-Indigenous lecturer. The aim is to model collaborative practice, joint knowledge and practice development and application. Teaching and learning strategies will reflect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of learning (Yunkapoorta - 8 ways of learning):
Tutorials will incorporate a range of simulation activities designed to provide learning opportunities that facilitate the development in culturally responsive communication and practice.
ACU ONLINE:
This unit is offered in an intensive mode with online activities. It will be delivered using an active learning approach where students are expected to complete readings, reflect and engage with peers and cultural facilitators over the study period. The on-campus five-day intensive will incorporate a range of experiential learning activities designed to provide learning opportunities that facilitate the development of culturally responsive communication and practice. Online activities will include self-paced learning modules, readings, webinars and discussion forums. Students should anticipate undertaking 150 hours of study for this unit which includes readings, participation in online forums, the on-campus intensive and completion of assessment tasks.
Cultural governance has informed the design and content of this unit. The unit will be co-facilitated by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lecturer and a non-Indigenous lecturer for both the online activities and during the 5-day intensive. The aim of this approach is to model collaborative practice, joint knowledge, and practice development and application. Teaching and learning strategies will reflect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of learning (Yunkapoorta – 8 ways of learning).
Assessment strategy and rationale
ON CAMPUS:
This unit takes an authentic assessment approach which prioritises assessment processes consistent with Aboriginal ways of learning, such as collaborative, experiential and reflective learning.
The first assessment comprise two short answer questions to assess students’ knowledge of key concepts presented in the online activities from the first half of the unit, which will enable students to receive feedback to inform their preparation for the second assessment.
The second assessment is a group presentation where students are provided with the opportunity to learn collaboratively to demonstrate their understanding of the impact of colonisation and the activism and resistance by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, within a human rights framework. Students will present how this informs contemporary social work practices with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
In the final assessment, students will explore issues relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ social and emotional wellbeing. Students will be required to apply culturally responsive practice approaches to a case study in a field of social work practice and reflect on how it informs their own culturally responsive social work practice.
ACU ONLINE:
This unit takes an authentic assessment approach which prioritises assessment processes consistent with Aboriginal ways of learning, such as collaborative, experiential and reflective learning.
The first assessment comprise two short answer questions to assess students’ knowledge of key concepts presented in the online activities from the first half of the unit, which will enable students to receive feedback to inform their preparation for the second assessment.
The second assessment is a group presentation during the five-day intensive where students are provided with the opportunity to learn collaboratively to demonstrate their understanding of the impact of colonisation and the activism and resistance by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, within a human rights framework. Students will present how this informs contemporary social work practices with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
In the final assessment, students will explore issues relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ social and emotional wellbeing. Students will be required to apply culturally responsive practice approaches to a case study in a field of social work practice and reflect on how it informs their own culturally responsive social work practice.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Two short answer questions – students will demonstrate their understanding of key concepts presented in the online activities relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing and cultural responsiveness. 750 words per question = 1500 words | 30% | LO1 |
Group presentation Enables students to demonstrate their ability to learn collaboratively and to demonstrate their understanding of the impact of colonisation and the activism and resistance by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, within a human rights framework and the implications for social work practice. Presentation time: 10 minutes. Presentation script/notes = 500 words | 30% | LO2 |
Case Study & Critical Cultural Reflection Students will demonstrate their ability to apply culturally responsive practice approaches and knowledges to a case study in a field of practice with a focus on social and emotional wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. 2000 words. | 40% | LO3, LO4 |
Representative texts and references
Atkinson, J. (2002). Trauma trails, recreating song lines : The transgenerational effects of trauma in Indigenous Australia. North Melbourne: Spinifex Press
Bennett, B., & Green, S. (2019). Our Voices: Aboriginal social work (Second ed.). London: Red Globe Press
Bennett, B., Green, S., Gilbert, S., & Bessarab, D. (2013). (Eds). Our Voices: Aboriginal and Torres. South Yarra, Melbourne: Palgrave Macmillan
Briskman, L. (2014). Social work with Indigenous communities : A human rights approach (2nd ed.).
Dudgeon, P., Milroy, H., Walker, R. (Eds.) (2014) Working Together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Wellbeing Principles and Practice. (2nd ed). Commonwealth of Australia.
Muller, L., & Robertson, B. (2014). A theory for Indigenous Australian health and human service work : Connecting Indigenous knowledge and practice. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen and Unwin
Pascoe, B (2014) Dark Emu. Broome, WA: Magabala Books
Tascon, S. & Ife, J (2020) Disrupting Whiteness in Social work (First Edition). London: Routledge.
Waldegrave C., Tamasese T.K., Campbell W., Tuhaka F. (2018) Just Family Therapy. In: Lebow J., Chambers A., Breunlin D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy. Springer, Cham