WELF 7029 Indigenous Australia: History, Knowledge and Professional Practice

Credit Points 10

Legacy Code 102744

Coordinator Neil Hall Opens in new window

Description Working with Indigenous communities is an important field of practice for social and human service workers in statutory as well as community contexts. This subject introduces students to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, including pre-contact, colonisation and contemporary developments. Specific attention will be paid to engaging communities - including practice principles, strategies and skills. This subject will emphasise the importance of culturally responsive practices requiring students to have an understanding of their own values and cultures. Critical self-reflection and positioning are vital skills for cultural responsiveness, and will be developed in this subject.

School Social Sciences

Discipline Social Work

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 4 10cp

Check your fees via the Fees page.

Level Postgraduate Coursework Level 7 subject

Restrictions

Students must be enrolled in programs 1792 Master of Social Work (Qualifying), 1920 Master of Sustainable Tourism and Heritage, 1923 Master of Global Security and Justice, 1936 Master of Sustainable Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management, 4595 Master of Art Therapy or 8083 Bachelor of Research Studies/Master of Research at Western Sydney University.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

  1. Identify and discuss specific ways of doing, being and knowing from Indigenous perspectives.
  2. Articulate Indigenous worldviews for use in professional practices.
  3. Examine the impacts of history and policy upon the lived experiences of Indigenous peoples.
  4. Detail key concepts of wellbeing as determined by Indigenous peoples.
  5. Critically analyse professionals' role as agents of social change.

Subject Content

Indigenous history in Australia
Indigenous identities and contemporalities
Policies- past and present
Cultural Safety
Indigenous people and their concepts of well-being
Working with and for Indigenous people
Indigenous social work practices
Reflecting on your role

Assessment

The following table summarises the standard assessment tasks for this subject. Please note this is a guide only. Assessment tasks are regularly updated, where there is a difference your Learning Guide takes precedence.

Type Length Percent Threshold Individual/Group Task
Quiz 30 minutes 15 N Individual
Poster 1,000 words 35 N Individual
Essay 2,000 words 50 N Individual

Prescribed Texts

  • Bennett, B., Green, S. (eds.) (2019). Our voices: Aboriginal social work (2nd ed.). Melbourne, Australia: Palgrave Macmillan

Teaching Periods

Autumn (2024)

Online

Online

Subject Contact Neil Hall Opens in new window

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Parramatta City - Macquarie St

On-site

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