Considerations regarding Getting On Board Do we understand our - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Considerations regarding ‘Getting On Board’ Do we understand our passengers and our impacts on them? https://www.reddit.com/r/HeavySeas/comments/8s1f9y/massive_wave_just_covered_the_ship/ Tania Major Tania Major Consulting Pty Ltd For the “Onboarding Elected Members Forum” 4 March 2020

Acknowledgement of Turrbal Country Shutterstock.com - 41819422 Artist: Tania Major “Mixed Emotions”

Purpose of My Presence at this Forum (as requested by LGAQ) 1) To assist participants to better understand the personal diversity and history of elected Councillors and Mayors and gain insights on the issues that impact on their lives outside of Council; 2) To get participants thinking about how they treat and work with Councillors and elected officers. Do they provide good, complete and balanced information for Councillors to make their own decisions in a context understood by them? https://www.aim.com.au/blog/how-embed-purpose-your-organisation

My Approach to Today’s Presentation Part 1: Considering the life experience of Councillors from Aboriginal communities: language, education and health. Part 2: Considering the impact of colonialism, government policies, decision makers, and other agencies on Aboriginal communities: trust, jurisdiction, leadership and identity.

What is colonialism? Colonialism is defined as “control by one power over a dependent area or people.” It occurs when one nation subjugates another, conquering its population and exploiting it, often while forcing its own language and cultural values upon its people. Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/ culture/topics/reference/colonialism/ Colonialism is the policy of a country seeking to extend or retain its authority over other people or territories, generally with the aim of economic dominance. Source: Wikipedia . https://medium.com/@goswami.piyush/neo-colonialism-our-elusive-search-for- freedom-in-21st-century-1810cb826847

Part 1: Considering the life experience of Councillors from Aboriginal communities. https://www.hopevale.qld.gov.au/council/your-council

Part 1: Considering the life experience of Councillors from Aboriginal communities. Language Australia is a nation rich in languages. It is a great strength. • It makes us a nation that has access to tools that allow us to think and speak outside our own box. • Knowing multiple languages allow us to understand the world around us better. • In Australia, we use one language institutionally, but we understand and respect many more. https://www.moovaz.com/australia-moving-guide/living-in-australia/

Part 1: Considering the life experience of Councillors from Aboriginal communities. Language: Speaking Multiple Languages Develops Intelligence The Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology published an article that stressed the benefits of bilingualism. Apart from the evident advantages of being able to communicate in more than one language, the article presents substantial data regarding the positive effects that being bilingual offers. The article suggests that: • Just as any other experience in life impacts our cognitive development, the intense and sustained experience of learning a new language and being bilingual will reshape our minds. • Speaking more than one language increases the executive functioning and the executive control system involved in these functions, across the lifespan. • Increasing the executive control system impacts on the ability to engage in a wide array of cognitive activities, specifically those requiring effortful attention and selection. Applying executive functioning is normally involved in situations where selection and conflict resolution are required. http://acadjuliavictoria.edu.ph/14-key-principles-brain-based-learning/ https://newyorkbehavioralhealth.com/Brain%20Development-Bilingual-Intelligence-Attention-Deficit%20Hyperactivity%20Disorder-ADHD Research References Bialystok, E. (2011). Reshaping the mind: The benefits of bilingualism. Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology, 65, 229-235. Bhattacharjee, Y. (2012). Why bilinguals are smarter. New York Times: Sunday Review. Obtained from: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/opinion/sunday/the-benefits-of-bilingualism.htm

Part 1: Considering the life experience of Councillors from Aboriginal communities. Language Many Aboriginal communities consist of clans that speak languages that are very different from one another. As a result, many Aboriginal people speak multiple languages: • The clan language spoken at home. • The languages of other clans in their community. • The language of Australian institutions, English. • A language called Creole or Pijin that takes vocabulary from English and uses that vocabulary in their clan’s language’s grammatical structure. Creoles/Pidgins are recognised by linguists as sophisticated and unique languages. • Sign language. Aboriginal languages have traditionally been oral languages. Image credit: David Foster The cultures, therefore, are oral cultures. https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/history-culture/2016/04/speaking-up- australian-aboriginal-languages/

Part 1: Considering the life experienceof Councillors from Aboriginal communities. Language Have you familiarised yourself with the clans and languages in the community you serve? http://collaboratensw.org/ This is perhaps the single most important endeavour you can undertake to understand the community and its dynamics.

Part 1: Considering the life experienceof Councillors from Aboriginal communities. Language: the Importance of Listening in Communication A central characteristic and value of Aboriginal communication is listening. https://thelivingcircle21.com.au/deep-listening-in-practice/ We are taught: • to listen in the language and the culture of the speaker; • to consider the speaker’s whole person and experience; • to consider the context of the dialogue; • to not respond immediately or to interrupt, but to allow the speaker to complete his/her thoughts; • to take time to reflect on the speaker’s words before answering or speaking. • to answer with respect and calmness. In Aboriginal communities, the skill of deep listening is essential to serving the community effectively.

Part 1: Considering the life experienceof Councillors from Aboriginal communities. Language Elected Aboriginal Local Government Councillors/Mayors must be able to represent and work with the languages of all the clans in their communities, as well as the language of Australian policy, educational, health, legal and political institutions. http://collaboratensw.org/ They are expected to be expert communicators across families, clans, cultures, languages and nation.

Part 1: Considering the life experienceof Councillors from Aboriginal communities. Language: Working with Aboriginal Communication Do you consider, in the communications you have or materials you create for Aboriginal Councillors, that English is most likely our second or third or fourth language? Providing opportunities to allow participants to discuss with one another the ideas being shared during communications, in meetings, meeting papers, and in workshops or presentations gives participants time to use their own language, contexts, and learning styles to discuss and clarify their understanding of the material. It engages them in the content. https://mkstudy.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Thursday-Island-workshop-participants-1.jpg

Part 1: Considering the life experienceof Councillors from Aboriginal communities. Language: Working with Aboriginal Communication Reflection point: when you speak to or are in dialogue with Aboriginal people, do you consider our approach to communication? Do you consider that the most respectful thing we Aboriginal people can give to you is to pause and reflect before replying to statements or questions? Do you consider that to us, you show us respect or not in the way you choose to respond to us? Photo: Otto Sims is a proud Warlpiri Man, who wants to see the date of Australia Day change. (ABC News: Emily Butcher). https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-26/what- do-remote-aboriginal-communities-think-of-australia-day/9363470 When engaging with Aboriginal people, listen with your whole self, consider the speaker’s context as s/he shares thoughts, reflect on the words spoken, and respond with respect.

Part 1: Considering the life experienceof Councillors from Aboriginal communities. Education As Aboriginal people, we traditionally live a life of learning. We are taught by our elders, our environment, our culture, and our languages. We learn in our natural environment and from stories which serve as multi-dimensional metaphors…ones where a child derives one https://www.supportingcarers.snaicc.org.au/connecting-to-culture/connection-to-elders/ understanding and, as we mature, from which we gain more complex, multi-dimensional insights. We learn multiple languages, cultures, laws and perspectives of how this incredible earth works. In the often harsh conditions of this beautiful continent, we are intelligent survivors and carers of country. We, the Aboriginal people of Australia, have been and continue to be sophisticated and passionate learners. Photo by Penny Tweedle. Aboriginal elder Billy Nalakandi with his children Rayhab Romeo and Susannah cool-off and play in Kubumi billabong Arnhem land. https://www.alamy.com/aboriginal-elder-billy- nalakandi-with-his-children-rayhab-romeo-and-image123565.html