# ABORIGINAL CULTURAL AWARENESS TRAINING

Culturally Safe • Supportive • Engaging • Inclusive

## WINGARU BUTABUTA

### Thinking Together

**Wingaru is a Dharug word meaning 'to think' and Butabuta a Dunghutti**  
**word meaning 'together'.**  
  
Wingaru Butabuta is a cultural awareness training program designed to  
support organisations seeking to improve their cultural capacity through a  
shared understanding and sensitivity to the issues Aboriginal People  
experience, both today and in the past. Cultural awareness training seeks  
to recognise, appreciate, understand and accept cultural differences in  
the workplace. It is designed to strengthen organisations, their teams and  
the services they offer.

### Benefits of Cultural Awareness Training

Shared understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and the issues they face.

Increased cultural sensitivity among staff.

Improved workplace culture and relationships.

Better servicing of Aboriginal clients and customers.

The fostering of improved communications internally and externally.

An increased capacity to work better and more efficiently with others.

## Our Services

Our experienced team offers the following services:

- Cultural Awareness Training  
- Consultation on culturally appropriate education resources  
- Creation of culturally appropriate educational content  
- The creation of culturally inclusive programs for your organisation  
- Reconciliation Action Plan development  
- Onsite consultation for schools, early childhood organisations and  
out-of-school-hours care providers  
- Mentoring and coaching  
- Flexible training that can be delivered online or face-to-face

## Our Mob: Meet Our Facilitators

The Wingaru ButaButa program was developed by experienced educators Tricia  
Wallace and Cynthia Younie. Between them, Tricia and Cynthia have been  
delivering cultural awareness training for almost three decades.

### Patricia Wallace née Webb

Patricia Wallace is a Dharug woman who grew up in the Blue Mountains of  
NSW. Having spent her childhood playing in 'The Gully', a place of  
seminal importance to local Aboriginal people, and being taught stories  
and culture by her father and aunts, Tricia has always had a strong  
connection to her culture.

Tricia's mother passed on a love of education to her daughter. She  
encouraged Tricia to become as educated as possible and to use her  
education to share culture and knowledge, because it is only through  
sharing knowledge that we can educate each other.

Tricia has over 30 years of experience delivering services and programs  
to Aboriginal communities, and over 15 years' experience delivering  
cultural awareness training to both government and non-government  
organisations.

Tricia's qualifications include Bachelor of Education majoring in  
Aboriginal Studies; Diploma in Community Servicing; Diploma in  
Aboriginal Mentoring, and Certificate III in Workplace Training and  
Assessment.

### Cynthia O'Brien-Younie

Cynthia O'Brien-Younie is a Dunghutti woman from the Mid North Coast of  
NSW. Cynthia is one of 12 children and grew up in a large family, which  
fostered a deep pride in both her culture and identity.

Cynthia is passionate about sharing her culture and knowledge to support  
the development of a shared understanding among Aboriginal and  
non-Aboriginal people. She believes that through education comes  
understanding and through understanding comes acceptance.

Cynthia has over 38 years of experience across the private and public  
service supporting Aboriginal People and working with government to  
improve services for Indigenous communities.

Cynthia is a qualified facilitator with over 13 years' experience  
delivering cultural awareness training to both government and  
non-government organisations.Cynthia's qualifications include: Diploma  
in Aboriginal Mentoring; Diploma Aboriginal and Community Services;  
Certificate in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural  
Competence; and Certificate III in Workplace Training and Assessment.

### What Participants Say about our training…

“ The Wingaru cultural awareness training was very informative and eye-opening. It was also more in-depth than previous training we received.”  
  
— Kelly – Tempe OOSH

“Wonderful training. It was thought provoking, encouraged questions, and will impact positively in the corporation.”  
  
— Jacqui – Slalom Australia

“I would definitely recommend this training to others. I think every company in Australia should have this awareness.”  
  
— Cassandra – Liberty Domestic & Family Violence Specialist Services