MEDIATION & CULTURAL INCIDENT RESPONSE

Co Culture offers mediation and wellbeing support services where ruptures have occurred in an organisation, related to issues of cultural safety, diversity, inclusion and equity. Co Culture founder Leah Avene is a highly skilled psychotherapist and cultural safety educator with years of experience implementing, training and leading cultural reform across large organisations. Leah brings lived experience, leadership experience, therapeutic facilitation and a unique understanding of the ways that external and internalised systems of oppression manifest in relationships and workplace environments. Leah’s skill at navigating these complexities is grounded in Indigenous approaches to relationality (va) and informed by critical theory, neuroscience and experience designing, developing and navigating organisational policies, procedures and processes.

PRACTICE & POLICY IMPLEMENTATION

Many organisations have Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies, Reconciliation Action Plans, Community outreach processes and aims for “cultural safety” but are unclear how to implement and embody these aims. This can put staff at odds with the organisation and often with each other where these vague commitments are misunderstood and implementation is under supported.

Co-Culture works with practitioners, organisations and communities offering a comprehensive development framework (Culturally Safe & Responsive Collaboration or CSRC) for anti-oppressive practice that is responsive to need, context and capacity. One-off anti-oppressive training sessions can educate staff and leaders, however, the post-training internal reset is a complex and difficult terrain for leaders and staff to navigate with care. Co Culture offers ongoing support that remains responsive to the changing dynamics within an organisation as inclusive and equitable change is embraced.

Ongoing implementation can look like

• Working with leaders to develop training materials and programs within the organisation

• Working with staff to develop policy and processes informed by the commitments of the organisation

• Working with staff to reset relationships with community, elders and other organisations

• Supporting group repair and resetting after cultural / communal / professional ruptures

• Designing and delivering training for staff (ideally co-delivering with organisation leaders)

• Developing professional development materials and internal frameworks for practice and leadership

• Developing well-being and professional practice frameworks for staff and leaders

• Supporting employees with one-to-one ongoing professional development sessions (see above FOR PRACTITIONERS)

• Group leadership supervision for organisations committed to training leaders through ongoing anti-oppressive practice development. This is offered as an alternative to one-day anti-oppressive practice or inclusion workshops, focusing instead on real-time problem-solving, personal and professional development and practice implementation.