Our Way Workshop

The Our Way Workshop is designed and delivered by Aldo Macale, an Aboriginal man, who resides in Halls Creek, Western Australia. This respectful approach utilises local cultural knowledge and a connection to country to support participants becoming strong Aboriginal men and improving family and community safety. It blends a mix of education, attitudinal change activities and building identities aligned with cultural traditions, while they participate in hunting, fishing and camping on country.

Aldo Macale is of Aboriginal descent of the Jaru/Gija tribe from the East Kimberley region. Aldo and his partner have 5 children and he is passionate about building strong families and dedicates both his personal and professional time helping men who have used family violence towards women.

Aldo also works as the coordinator of the family domestic and sexual violence pilot program at Yuri Yangi. He promotes community awareness, supports family safety and engages Aboriginal men who use family violence. He is also the coach of the Billiluna Football Club and through this role he has a local influence and aims to bring peace to families through his connection to this community.

Aldo's understanding of Aboriginal culture and practices, the health issues and other social issues which affect Indigenous people both locally, regionally and nationally have informed the design and delivery of the Our Way program. The program achieves outcomes by connecting the men to country, reconnecting them to men's culture and their responsibility to respect their partner, family and community.

One of the tools Aldo uses that supports the men in developing insight and responsibility for their behaviours, is Preston's Path. See below for a sample of this visual mapping tool that has been effectively applied with Aboriginal men who have used family violence towards their female partners.

Aldo can be contacted by email on aldomacale42@gmail.com

Preston's Path

Preston's Path is a respectful and culturally relevant tool for Aboriginal men to acknowledge their abusive actions and design tailor-made safety plans. It uses country and nature symbols such as water, trees, tracks, animals, paths, camping and roads.

Guided by the facilitator, the men are able to identify their past abusive acts and impact on others, their thinking prior and the attitudes that support abuse and violence. Importantly, the men can take greater levels of responsibility, project better attitudes and decision-making for future moments of family safety, and connect to how this will affect family members with their sustained change of ways.

The men report that they are able to visually recall the Preston's Path activity during crucial moments and can make choices aligned to family safety.

Preston's Path is an innovation designed by Mel King. Mel can be contacted via email emmking.mk@gmail.com. Her innovation for Aboriginal men using country symbols originated from the Eric-go-round, which has more urban symbols.

Our Way Pictures