TY - JOUR
T1 - The influence of yarning circles
T2 - A cultural safety professional development program for midwives
AU - Fleming, Tania
AU - Creedy, Debra K.
AU - West, Roianne
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Australian College of Midwives
Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/3
Y1 - 2020/3
N2 - Background: A university educated, First Peoples health workforce is paramount to improving health outcomes for Australia's First Peoples. However, a significant gap exists between the academic success of First Peoples and non-Indigenous students. The facilitation of culturally safe learning and teaching environments by academics is essential to closing this gap. There is little research on midwifery academics’ understanding of Cultural Safety and the translation of this understanding in learning and teaching. Objectives: To explore the influence of yarning circles within a professional development program to enhance midwifery academics’ awareness of Cultural Safety. Methods: A six-month staff development program which consisted of two workshops and a series of yarning circles was offered to all midwifery academics. Eight participants agreed to be interviewed after completion of the program. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, read and re-read, and analysed using a six staged thematic analysis process. Results: Six key themes centred on participants’ Sense of Belonging, Sense of Safety, Sense Knowing, Sense of Support, Sense of Difference, and Sense of Challenge were identified. These concepts were supportive of participants’ developing awareness of Cultural Safety. Conclusion: Yarning circles can encourage midwifery academics’ awareness of Cultural Safety. Awareness is the first step towards becoming culturally safe. Yarning provided a safe and supportive space for challenging discussions and reflective learning about racism, white privilege, and difference. Midwifery academics described steps they could take to promote Cultural Safety in the classroom.
AB - Background: A university educated, First Peoples health workforce is paramount to improving health outcomes for Australia's First Peoples. However, a significant gap exists between the academic success of First Peoples and non-Indigenous students. The facilitation of culturally safe learning and teaching environments by academics is essential to closing this gap. There is little research on midwifery academics’ understanding of Cultural Safety and the translation of this understanding in learning and teaching. Objectives: To explore the influence of yarning circles within a professional development program to enhance midwifery academics’ awareness of Cultural Safety. Methods: A six-month staff development program which consisted of two workshops and a series of yarning circles was offered to all midwifery academics. Eight participants agreed to be interviewed after completion of the program. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, read and re-read, and analysed using a six staged thematic analysis process. Results: Six key themes centred on participants’ Sense of Belonging, Sense of Safety, Sense Knowing, Sense of Support, Sense of Difference, and Sense of Challenge were identified. These concepts were supportive of participants’ developing awareness of Cultural Safety. Conclusion: Yarning circles can encourage midwifery academics’ awareness of Cultural Safety. Awareness is the first step towards becoming culturally safe. Yarning provided a safe and supportive space for challenging discussions and reflective learning about racism, white privilege, and difference. Midwifery academics described steps they could take to promote Cultural Safety in the classroom.
KW - Cultural safety
KW - First peoples
KW - Interviews
KW - Learning and teaching
KW - Midwifery academics
KW - Yarning circles
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85064837789&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.wombi.2019.03.016
DO - 10.1016/j.wombi.2019.03.016
M3 - Article
C2 - 31053464
AN - SCOPUS:85064837789
VL - 33
SP - 175
EP - 185
JO - Women and Birth
JF - Women and Birth
SN - 1871-5192
IS - 2
ER -