Cultural Awareness Induction Program
With the support of our cultural advisers, GMS 2 is pleased to offer a one-of-a-kind Indigenous Cultural Awareness Induction program.
The GMS 2 Cultural Awareness Induction is designed to help Australians develop their individual knowledge and understanding of Indigenous Cultures and heritage.
For those who wish to encourage staff and contractors to obtain a better understanding of cultural heritage, the GMS2 Cultural Awareness Induction provides a pivotal stepping stone towards full cultural awareness courses. Irrespective of staffing numbers, the Induction is designed to benefit individuals and organisations, including:
- Private or Public Companies
- Schools
- Sporting and Social Clubs
- Government Agencies
- Non-government organisations
In-house, all our GMS 2 service agents and personnel are required to undertake a Cultural Awareness Induction as a core component of their training. Many of those who have completed the induction have given positive feedback, commenting on the ease of use and how the induction material has provided clarity for many of the misconceptions about Indigenous cultures within the greater community.
Why did we create the Cultural Awareness Induction?
GMS 2 is an Indigenous company that tenders for Federal, State and Local Government work Australia-wide and overseas. GMS 2 provides an extensive array of facilities and asset management services into remote, isolate and offshore regions where other companies struggle to deliver.
To deliver our services, we believe that all our staff and service personnel need an awareness and a certain level of preparation for the cultural sensitivities of the regions we work in. Our business model is based around delivering services through over 8,500 small to medium businesses, employing over 20,000 staff – so a long, complex induction was out of the question.
As a result, the GMS Cultural Induction is a simple yet recognisable tool that helps each individual employee into a basic understanding of Indigenous cultures and heritage.
The online Cultural Induction has been developed in partnership with our Cultural Advisors:
- Associate Professor Eve Fesl (OAM, CM, PhD)
- Mario Mabo (Grandson to Eddie Mabo)
- Wade Mann (Elder, Darumbal People)
Being a nationwide company, we have intentionally made the content applicable nationally, regardless of the region that the inductee is working in.
For organisations that work in specific regions, we are also able to customise the Induction in conjunction with your Traditional Owner groups. This engagement means your content will be specifically relevant to your local area, with additional social license benefits.
Many employees, contractors and businesses across Australia have never completed any training to equip them for working in Indigenous communities. By completing the GMS 2 Cultural Awareness induction, they will receive a better understanding of the deep culture and heritage contained within our Indigenous communities, as well as developing a respect and understanding for the difference between cultures.
Cost
The Induction is completely affordable, with course fees as low as $25 for a single inductee. In terms of time cost, the Induction takes no more than 30 minutes to complete from any secure device.
A percentage of every dollar from the Induction fees will be given back to the Indigenous community.
GMS 2 can provide tailored costings for your organisation to access and utilise the induction model for a 12-month period. All inductions will require renewal every 12 months as the content will be updated, managed and reviewed by our Cultural Advisory Team, so that participants’ knowledge of Indigenous culture expands every year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can this Induction be tailored to suit the Traditional Owner of the land in a specific region?
Yes, GMS 2 can work with you to develop the following specific Induction content:
- A Welcome to Country video from a Traditional Owner/Elder
- Important Information about the local Traditional Owners of the land/country
- The totem of the Traditional Owners and what it means to them
- What the Traditional Owners expect from the visitors who are working on their land/country
What topics does the GMS 2 Cultural Awareness Induction cover?
- Why cultural awareness is important
- Welcome to Country
- Tribal Country
- Acknowledgement of Country
- Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flags and meanings
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
- Country / Land
- Elders / Respect
- Eddie Mabo
- Art
- Music, Songs, Dance and ceremonies
- Tracking Skills
- Message Stick
- Story Telling
- Kinship
- Bush food and Medicine
- Tools and Weapons
- Important dates and historically significant dates
- NAIDOC Week
- Sorry Day and the Stolen Generations
- Torres Strait Islander Culture
- Reconciliation
How does the Induction work?
The Induction is a simple step by step information and questionnaire-style induction.
The online Induction will take between 25- 30 minutes to complete, and the participant will receive a printable GMS 2 Cultural Awareness Induction card to keep with them. The card will act as a gesture of respect and acknowledgement to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
How long is the Induction current for?
The Cultural Awareness Induction is valid for 1 year. GMS 2 will expand on the content yearly to ensure the information is updated and is accurate.
Who has helped to develop the Induction?
The GMS2 Cultural awareness induction has been through an extensive review process and has been endorsed by GMS 2 cultural advisors, including:
- Associate Professor Eve Fesl (OAM, CM, PhD)
- Mario Mabo (Grandson to Eddie Mabo)
- Wade Mann (Elder, Darumbal People)