Education & Training
Grounded in Culture - Guided by Evidence
ABSTARR’s Education & Training pillar supports individuals and organisations to build genuine cultural safety, strengthen relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and embed practices that create safer, culturally responsive workplaces.
More than cultural awareness, our courses challenge learners to examine racism, whiteness and institutional power while re-imagining systems through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sovereignty, knowledges and community-led solutions.
Grounded in adult-learning principles, our courses move participants from awareness to action — from charity to sovereignty — from reflection to transformation, supporting long-term confidence and professional growth. We give learners skills, confidence and practical solutions!
Flagship Course – Cultural Safety and Self Determination
Our Cultural Safety & Self-Determination (CS&SD) course was developed by Professor Gregory Phillips out of a lifetime of professional, community experience and his PhD. This course brings our evidence-based pedagogy into engaging and accessible learning environments. Grounded in decolonisation, it supports teams and individuals to explore racism, whiteness, and institutional power through an Aboriginal sovereignty lens.
Learn your way – in-person, online or hybrid (see below).
Course 1 - Cultural Safety & Self-Determination (Facilitated )
BESPOKE | IN-PERSON OR ONLINE
This is a bespoke offering, so we tailor the content to meet your specific needs, and is one of our premium learning programs.
- Delivered live by experienced Aboriginal facilitators, creating a powerful, dialogue-rich environment
- Delivered either in-person or online (Teams or Zoom)
- 2 x four-hour sessions:
- Part A – The Problem – 6 modules – 4 hours
1. Introduction to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledge
2. Cultural Safety – Definition
3. Applying Cultural Safety
4. The Learner Journey
5. Racism and its Impact
6. Whiteness - Part B – The Solution – 4 modules – 4 hours
7. On Whose Terms?
8. Self-Determination
9. Decolonisation
10. Strategic Workplace Solutions
- Part A – The Problem – 6 modules – 4 hours
- 20 people (maximum) per group, but you can book multiple groups.
Course 2 - Cultural Safety & Self-Determination (Self-directed online modules)
FLEXIBLE | MODULAR | SELF-PACED
This format is suited to larger groups and/or busy workplaces in a self-directed online format.
Course 2a - Introduction to Aboriginal Knowledges and Cultural Safety
This introductory level course is suitable for team members in workplaces who do not know where to start in working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Modules:
1. Introduction to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledges
2. Cultural Safety – Definition
3. Applying Cultural Safety
- 3 x 20-minute online modules
- Self-paced learning
Coming soon!
Course 2b - Cultural Safety & Racism
This clarifying level course is suitable for workers who want to understand some of the barriers and enablers in their workplaces.
Modules:
4. The Learner Journey
5. Racism and its Impacts
6. Whiteness
- 3 x 20-minute modules
- Self-paced learning
- This course is only available if you have completed ‘Introduction to Aboriginal Knowledges and Cultural Safety’ (2a)
Coming soon!
Course 2c - Self-Determination & Decolonisation
This practical level course is suitable for workers who want to build their skills and confidence in cultural safety and self-determination, and focus on strategic workplace solutions.
Modules:
7. On Whose Terms?
8. Self-Determination
9. Decolonisation
10. Strategic Workplace Solutions
- 4 x 20-minute modules
- Self-paced learning
- This course is only available if you have completed ‘Introduction to Aboriginal Knowledges and Cultural Safety’ (2a) and ‘Cultural safety and Racism’ (2b)
Course 3 - Cultural Safety in Health Professional Accreditation
WORLD FIRST | HYBRID
ABSTARR has partnered with the Health Professional Accreditation Collaborative Forum (HPACF) to develop a world-first training program for assessors of health professional accreditation standards in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Cultural Safety.
Learning Journey:
- Pre-evaluation
- 6 x 40 minute online self-directed modules
- Facilitated moderated discussion
- Post-evaluation
- Registration is via your health accreditation authority
Early in your cultural safety journey?
For those learners who really know nothing about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, we recommend you enrol in our partner organisation BlackCard’s foundational course ‘Introduction to Aboriginal Terms of Reference’, which covers cultural awareness and capability. These are helpful foundational skills for ABSTARR’s courses. To learn more, head over to the BlackCard website.