National Reconciliation Week celebrations were in full swing at TAFE Western’s Lithgow campus on Wednesday.
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Staff and students gathered for a barbeque lunch, simultaneously marking the occasion with more than 20 other campuses across the region.
TAFE NSW Director of Aboriginal Education and Equity Provision Rod Towney said the festivities also celebrated the organisation’s commitment to improving educational and employment opportunities for Aboriginal people.
“National Reconciliation Week this year commemorates two significant milestones – the 50th anniversary of the successful 1967 Aboriginal citizenship referendum and the 25th anniversary of the High Court Mabo decision,” Mr Towney said.
“As an organisation, TAFE NSW continues to take giant strides both internally and externally in terms of reconciliation.
The highlight of the afternoon was Lithgow student Jayson Horne presenting his Aboriginal artwork to TAFE Western.
The artwork was received by Aboriginal community consultant Lisa Crawford and will be displayed in the Lithgow campus library.
Ms Crawford, who is based in Bathurst, emphasised the connections TAFE has developed with the Aboriginal community.
"We have over 7000 Aboriginal students enrolled and quite a lot of Aboriginal staff employed at TAFE as well," she said.
"[National Reconciliation Week] is an opportunity for us to come together and showcase and highlight the Aboriginal education that TAFE does provide."
“It also brings a lot of our staff together… and also opens up TAFE facilities for the community to come in, have a look around and build those relationships between community elders and staff as well.”
