Staff from The University of Western Australia’s School of Allied Health recently visited the WA Centre for Rural Health (WACRH) in Geraldton.
Precipitated by structural changes at UWA, WACRH have moved administratively from the School of Population and Global Health to the School of Allied Health.
The purpose of the SAH visit to WACRH was to build relationships across campus-based and rurally located staff, to learn and discuss embedding cultural learning in academic and vocational training and to plan for future opportunities for student rural placements.
WACRH Director Professor Sandra Thompson says, ‘We are enjoying working with and developing further our relationships with colleagues across SAH.’
‘Some SAH staff already visited WACRH in the Pilbara earlier this year. They were pretty impressed by the passion of WACRH staff and the potential to do more in service delivery and to build a capable health workforce’
‘This visit to our Geraldton site in the Midwest allowed us to introduce more staff to WACRH, to overview of our rural placement student programs, and introduce staff to the different sites that the students work in, including Mullewa, Yalgoo, and Mount Magnet.’
The program delivered for their participation over the four days included On Country Learning provided by WACRH’s Aboriginal staff Lenny Papertalk, Marika Oakley, Charmaine Green, and Wanda Flanagan.
Visiting sites of cultural significance at Ellendale Pool, Gunnado Farm, Mullewa, Yalgoo and an overnight stay in Mount Magnet gave a great overview of WACRH staff work together to deliver programs that are respectful and valuable for small rural communities.
School of Allied Health Dean Professor Rhonda Clifford said ‘What a fabulous opportunity! We have all learned so much, met so many interesting people, seen so many amazing things – and got to know our WACRH colleagues.’
‘It was also very meaningful to be hosted by our wonderful colleagues Charmaine, Lenny, Marika and Wanda, who shared many stories about their beautiful country and culture.’