Corrective Services has announced that Aboriginal languages will be taught at all prisons throughout Western Australia.
Minister for Corrective Services, Francis Logan launched the Aboriginal Languages in Custody program at the Boronia Pre-release Centre for Women.
Up to 30 Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal prisoners there will be taught Noongar, the official language of the Indigenous people of the south-west of Western Australia.
The classes will be held over two, five-week programs.
Mr Logan said the program would be created and delivered by the Perth-based Noongar Boodjar Language Cultural Aboriginal Corporation and would include basic conversational Aboriginal words and phrases.
“The program will be rolled out to Hakea Prison, Bunbury Regional Prison and the rest of the State’s jails in four stages from late 2020 to the first quarter of 2021,” Mr Logan said.
“Languages taught will depend on the regional location of the prison. Programs will be delivered in partnership with each prison site and the local community, and be culturally endorsed by Aboriginal language centres.”
He noted that Corrective Services already provided 15 hours a week of Noongar language classes at Bandyup Women’s Prison, Casuarina Prison and Wooroloo Prison Farm.
“The new languages program follows the initiative to make records of the skin groups of Aboriginal prisoners in the prison database to help with more appropriate placement of prisoners,” Mr Logan said.
“Research shows that teaching Aboriginal languages leads to positive personal and community development outcomes, including good health and wellbeing, self-respect, empowerment, cultural identity, self-satisfaction and belonging.”
