The theme of National Reconciliation Week 2021 is More than a word: Reconciliation takes action and the University of Southern Queensland is taking action.
Dr Raelene Ward, an Aboriginal Kunja woman, and Associate Professor Celmara Pocock, have successfully facilitated collaborations between very different faculties in the name of equality, opportunity and highlighting the voices of First Nations People.
Senior nursing lecturer and expert in Indigenous suicide and social and emotional wellbeing, Dr Ward said a strong emphasis on developing working relationships with non-Indigenous researchers and in partnership with First Nations People, has ensured that research is meaningful and has impact for First Nations People. An example of this collaboration exists between the School of Nursing and Midwifery and the Centre for Heritage and Culture with the development a new position, First Nations Engagement Officer, to lead and inform the USQ-led Southern Queensland and Northern New South Wales Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub regarding First Nations perspectives on drought.
“Through taking a collaborative approach to what was already underway through our university Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), it’s allowed for meaningful conversations around the significance of including Indigenous perspectives at all levels of research and the workplace,” Dr Ward said.
The Director of USQ’s Centre for Heritage and Culture Associate Professor Celmara Pocock said the theme of National Reconciliation Week speaks to what a lot of research participants in her and Dr Ward’s projects have been reporting. “In a research sense, action means giving back to the community in a meaningful way, and following ethical guidelines to ensure that Indigenous perspectives and values are included in a relevant and appropriate way. This should extend to all areas of academia and research – not just to those individuals or disciplines who traditionally work or research Indigenous issues,” Associate Professor Pocock said.
National Reconciliation Week 2021 begins 27 May and runs until 3 June.
Readers also enjoyed our story about Hall of Fame Reopens
