The UNSW Indigenous Wellbeing Centre Workshop collaboratively envisioned a culturally safe and inclusive space for holistic health and traditional healing, grounded in sovereignty, shared leadership, and community-driven design.
The UNSW Indigenous Wellbeing Centre Workshop was initiated under a directive from the Australian Medical Council to design a culturally safe, inclusive space that embodies a holistic approach to medicine, incorporating both traditional Indigenous practices and modern healthcare. The Indigenous Sovereign Group, established to lead the design, construction, and governance of this centre, partnered with workshop facilitators to ensure the project reflected community values and aspirations. The two-day workshop gathered 16-18 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants to collaboratively shape the centre’s vision and foundational framework.
Key objectives included exploring what a "safe and inclusive" centre looks like, learning from existing Indigenous health centres, and creating an engaging vision for the space. Participants aimed to determine design elements, governance structures, and culturally informed practices while fostering community buy-in and engagement. Naming the centre and creating pathways for long-term sustainability and cultural succession were central to the discussions.
The workshop employed a culturally centred approach, incorporating reflective activities like the "Red Thread" exercise, where participants mapped personal journeys, illustrating connections to their heritage and shared aspirations. Guided discussions focused on key themes, including governance, holistic health practices, and purposeful space design. Participants reviewed examples such as the UQ Poche Centre and Thunderbird Foundation to draw insights and best practices for building culturally safe and impactful spaces.
The outcomes included a conceptual vision for the centre as an "embassy" that embodies sovereignty and cultural empowerment. Participants defined design priorities such as family-safe areas, elder spaces, and healing gardens. A commitment to shared leadership, advocacy for policy change, and pathways for Indigenous students were integral to the plan. Outputs included a graphic scribe, a voxpop video capturing participant insights, and a summary report to guide the next stages of development, laying a strong foundation for future collaborations and implementations.
Artefacts created as outputs of each project
