NAIDOC Week provides an opportunity to learn more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, but businesses can take steps to educate themselves in many ways throughout the year.

NAIDOC originally stood for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee, which organised activities during NAIDOC Week each year, but now the acronym stands for the week itself.

Auspire – or Australia Day Council of WA – hosts several events during NAIDOC week, which celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Australia’s First Nations people.

They also run cultural awareness training sessions throughout the year, including at CCIWA.

These equip businesses with some of the tools they need to better understand Aboriginal culture.

Auspire defines Aboriginal cultural awareness as “knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal People’s histories, values, belief systems, experiences and lifestyles”.

This can be achieved through learning about the impacts of colonisation and how it continues to play a role in the lives of First Nations Australians.

For business, having an awareness of these issues can lead to tangible change through shifts in attitudes and behaviours at a personal and professional level.

The Aboriginal Business Directory WA, run by CCIWA’s Industry Capability Network, is a free service connects WA business and Government with Aboriginal companies.

To find out more about how you can foster cultural awareness in your workplace, visit Auspire’s website.

To attend cultural awareness training sessions through CCIWA visit our events page.