Abstract:
Despite policies related to the inclusion of First Peoples' knowledges and content across Australian higher education, the incorporation of these perspectives is minimal within many disciplines, including the arts and media. In many cases the inclusion of First Peoples' curriculum content is presented in a tokenistic and abstract manner, removed from the lived experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. This presentation discusses the establishment of a new service-learning initiative with students from multiple disciplines, which formed part of a national project titled: "Enhancing Indigenous Content in Performing Arts Curricula Through Service Learning with Indigenous Communities". We summarise how the project developed intercultural understanding, deepened participants' appreciation of Aboriginal culture, and also supported Aboriginal communities through arts and media activities that had reciprocal benefit. We then outline the project's framework and key findings, highlighting the experiences of the students, lecturers and community members involved in the project. In so doing we aim to highlight the challenges and opportunities along with the strategies that enabled the initiative to become a reality.