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AFL Sportsready paving the way for cultural awareness
Leon Egan (Yorta Yorta/Bangerang Gunditjmara) draws from personal experiences and his family history to give participants a brief insight into Australia’s history. Image supplied.
by Alexia Boland 23 September 2015
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FL SportsReady is stepping up its campaign to build a greater understanding and awareness of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, thanks to ongoing cultural and educational training. Presented to various audiences across the country including corporate partners, host employers, interested community members and the AFL, Program Manager, Leon Egan draws from personal experiences and his family history to give participants a brief insight
into Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, including our darkest chapters. The confronting and interactive program highlights the tragedy of the Stolen Generations and the devastation caused under the ‘Aborigines Protection Acts (18691930)’. It is believed around 1 in 10 Aboriginal children were removed from their families in the Stolen Generations up until the 1970’s, accounting for an estimated 10% of the Indigenous population over the age of 25. The powerful program has challenged the knowledge and beliefs of many already this year, in
hopes of encouraging all people to become leaders for positive change. The training sessions are all about building culturally inclusive workplaces. Mr Egan believes a greater understanding of Aboriginal culture allows employers to start their journey in creating a diverse workforce by understanding our history and potential employment barriers. Topics such as unemployment, justice and health are also placed under the spotlight, in addition to ‘closing the gap’ initiatives, the National Apology and Australia’s Indigenous history in the national curriculum.
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