Aboriginal Corporation holds cultural awareness training
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Esperance Nyungar Aboriginal Corporation held cultural awareness training for local organisations and businesses.
The training on June 5 saw a strong turnout from groups across the community including the Esperance Courthouse, Centrecare, the Shire of Esperance, Girls Academy, Esperance Crisis Accommodation Centre and the Cannery Arts Centre.
Aboriginal Corporation services manager Sandie Gillard said the corporation had received many requests for oppornitnues to learn more about the local Nyungar community and to develop a better working relationship.
"A lot of organisations requested an opportunity to know a lot more about the local Nyungar community and to develop respect to work with them better," she said.
"That includes being aware that the Aboriginal culture is a culture in itself and it has its own rules.
"You can't communicate with any culture properly unless you have respect."
Mrs Gillard said the training was an informal way to develop cultural awareness and said the corporation would develop specialised training for teachers, police and other groups.
Speakers at the awareness training included corporation director Lynette Whitby, cultural officer Lurlene Graham and elder Johnny Graham.
Girls Academy manager Anna Bonney was joined by three Esperance Residential College students who spoke about the experiences of Indigenous youth.