The Certificate IV Stolen Generations Family research and case management that I recently had the privilege to partake in was a highly valuable and insightful opportunity to further my understanding of the long-term generational impacts of colonisation and failed past government policies.
I was able to creatively collaborate and learn alongside Linkup peers from Nunkuwarrin Yunti and other deadly Mob from across Australia also working with and supporting Stolen Generations Survivors.
The content was highly relevant to my day-to-day work as a case worker and provided lots of opportunities for discussion and sharing of experiences in the field, around the challenges in doing family history research, trauma informed perspectives, problem solving and positive experiences and outcomes that can be attributed to good research.
The facilitators this year were all so unique in their teaching styles, lived experiences and diversity of backgrounds that it made for fun times, lots of laughs and many different perspectives on the various topic discussed and learned about.
I loved the challenge of the course, having to think outside the box and learn from other Linkup workers about what they do differently to us. I have gained so much knowledge about research processes/pathways and data bases and have further developed my understanding around how deeply historical factors are linked to client wellbeing and quality of lived experiences.
I have a background in social work, but I believe this certificate trumps all of the previous studies I have completed in relation to working with and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. I would encourage anyone who has the opportunity to partake in this course to do so, as it has been invaluable to my caseworker role and is positively unique in its design and how it was presented and taught to students. Thanks!
