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Skilling up a new wave of Indigenous facilitators
Course Participants Back row L-R: Liz Lewry, Veronica Williams (Facilitator), Sandi Taylor, Lynette Dewis, Joanne Houghton. Front row L-R: Natalie Chapman, Aunty Evelyn Levi-Lowah, Lenora Thaker (Facilitator). Image: Troy Davis Photography
by Lenora Thaker 17 September 2013
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articipants from the Cairns region took part in the first Indigenous Facilitator Training Workshop designed to inform, challenge their way of thinking and provide dynamic, culturally relevant learning activities that pushed them right out of their comfort zones. Course developers and facilitators Lenora Thaker and Veronica Williams who have
trained internationally and facilitated in Indigenous communities across Australia, believe that cutting edge training such as this is needed now more than ever so that our mobs can be engaged in skilled facilitated processes capable of taking groups anywhere from low functioning or dysfunctional to high performing decision making groups with a common purpose. Lenora Thaker, a former instructional designer with TAFE Qld
and community advocate said that “for too long Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been expected to lead Indigenous groups, work with opposing interest groups and transform communities, without the benefit and back-up of even basic skilled facilitator training. However we’re not just interested in providing basic training, we’re also wanting to grow a community of facilitators who can help empower groups to work through
their issues, generate ideas, set priorities and engage in their future.” The Cairns course, Stronger Better Groups - the first of three workshops in the series, was held last month and attracted participants from community, nonprofit and government sectors. The next course is being held 8-9 October, central coast, NSW. For more information contact Lenora on 0408774342, Veronica on 0438881137 or email lenorat@ bigpond.com.
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