Cultural Identity & Inclusion in OSHC   - Online Workshop

Facilitated by Lainey Walker

“Australia is a vibrant, multicultural country. We are home to the world’s oldest continuous cultures - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures - as well as people who identify with more than 270 ancestries. This cultural diversity is central to our national identity. It is important that young children in Australia today grow up with an appreciation and respect for the diversity of cultures, races and ethnicities that surround them” (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2016:4). Culture is widely accepted as a fundamental element of one’s identity. Culturally inclusive practices within Outside School Hours Care contribute to children’s sense of identity, wellbeing, and belonging. However, how do we define culture? What does “culture” encompass, and who has culture?

In order to support a strong sense of identity within OSHC children, we first must have a strong understanding of our own identities and cultural understandings.

This session explores:

• What do we define as culture, and who has culture?
• Individual identity work- What is your culture?
• Avoiding “othering”
• Frameworks and theoretical perspectives for cultural inclusion in OSHC
• Strategies and opportunities for cultural learning in OSHC

This session is suited to OSHC professionals at all career stages.