Our allied health students had the chance to attend the Welcome to Country and Official Opening at the Diggers & Dealers Forum in Kalgoorlie recently, as part of their orientation and induction with the UDRH. A quick visit, but one packed with insight.
Understanding Welcome to Country protocols is an important part of working respectfully in regional areas. For our students, attending the ceremony was a meaningful step in building cultural awareness from the start of their placement.
Their visit to the Diggers and Dealers Forum also provided a unique starting point for reflection. Later, in their “What is Rural?” session, students were encouraged to examine their assumptions about rural communities – including ideas around isolation, access, and industry. The forum experience sparked valuable discussion on how mining shapes the social and economic fabric of Kalgoorlie, and how that, in turn, influences health and wellbeing.
Experiences like this help students understand the bigger picture of rural healthcare, and the unique contexts of the communities they’re working in.
