Cultural Understanding and Safety Training
Ballam Park Primary School prides itself on fostering a strong sense of belonging within the school community, and the history of the land is an important part of the school’s identity. Because of this, it is important for all members of the school community to learn more about the connection to Country.
Through developing strong relationships with the local Aboriginal Community and its Elders, Ballam Park Primary School started a journey to support all members of the school community to learn about the rich contributions of Australia’s First Nations Peoples.
The school undertook Cultural Understanding and Safety Training (CUST) in Term 1, 2020, led by Koorie Engagement Support Officers (KESO) Alan Johnson.
CUST is an important way for the school staff to gather and engage in an authentic opportunity to learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge, histories, culture and experience through local Aboriginal story telling. The training provided the school with an opportunity to collectively review their existing whole-school approaches to Koorie cultural inclusion and to really think about how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives are embedded within curriculum content.
We want to elevate the engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, cultural content and knowledge across all aspects of the school.
An Indigenous garden is the next step at Ballam Park Primary School.