Binang Goonj: Bridging Cultures in Aboriginal Health

In 1991, a team of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people were drawn together to design a distance education package to familiarise non-Aboriginal health workers, including doctors and nurses, with the distinctive needs and aspirations of Aboriginal people living in rural Australia. The project was funded by the then Commonwealth Department of Community Services and Health, though its Rural Health Support Education and Training (RHSET) Program. We began the process by inviting health care professionals and Aboriginal community people to participate in a survey to identify the most important issues and concerns in Aboriginal health. On the basis of this information, available literature and our own research/experiences, we produced the teaching material which is still in use at the University of New England. We were also encouraged to publish this material in book form in order to share it with a wider audience. The first edition of 'Binan Goonj' was published in 1992, updated in 1994, and reprinted in 1995 and 1998. Another RHSET grant in 1993/1994 provided the team with the opportunity to develop face-to-face cross-cultural training workshops. These workshops have reached individuals and organisations throughout Australia over the past 10 years and have done much to enhance understanding of the social and emotional well-being of Aboriginal peoples across Australia.