| Graduate Profile: Jason Barrow |
2008 Certificate IV Jason is a Noongar man with extensive family ties throughout the south-west of Western Australia. Upon graduating year 12 in the class of 1991 with Dux in Aeronautics, Jason gained entry into Murdoch University where he studied towards a BSc in Environmental Science. Whilst studying, Jason gained many varied experiences in a vast array of different working environments from various trades to customer service roles before deciding to put his studies on hold and refocus his aspirations. In 1998 Jason regained a thirst for knowledge enrolling and studying towards a Certificate III in Heritage and Cultural Tourism at the West College of TAFE. Whilst undertaking these studies Jason gained an employment opportunity with the Department of Conservation and Land Management in WA (formally Dept of CALM, now the Dept of Environment and Conservation or DEC) within the Yanchep National Park. Not long after joining CALM Jason was also offered a traineeship with the Department, Certificate III in Land Care which he completed in 2000. It was from here that Jason’s professional working career began as he was appointed as an Aboriginal Heritage Officer overseeing the development and implementation of an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage program into Yanchep NP. In mid 2001, Jason was appointed the Education Coordinator for Yanchep NP in and further developed many environmental and Aboriginal cultural interpretive activities for a range of audiences from school children through to international tourists. During this time Jason developed an extensive background and first hand working knowledge of the principles and practices of Aboriginal Cultural and Environmental Tourism practices at work in the protection and conservation of our natural estates in WA. During his time with the Dept of CALM Jason over-saw and managed several major natural resource destinations including Yanchep National Park and Penguin Island to the south of Perth in the Shoal Water Islands Marine Park. In mid 2005, Jason was recruited from the Dept of CALM to join the Kulunga Research Network at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. Jason‘s role within Kulunga is as the Coordinator of the Indigenous Capacity Building Grant (ICBG) and was responsible for forging and maintaining the close supportive links and where necessary advocating on behalf of the Indigenous Team Investigators (TIs) during the life of the ICBG. Given the wide spread of locations covered by the TIs, Jason was also able to assist the Kulunga team with various projects whilst maintaining ties with each of the TIs in a face to face fashion. In early 2007, Jason became the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research ‘link person’ with the Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health. This position will allow Jason to utilise his networking and facilitation skills to maintain the relationship between to the two centres. Late in 2007 as the Kulunga team was continuing to expand, Jason was offered & accepted a Senior Research Officer position within the Kulunga team which will see him lead the Alcoa – TICHR/Kulunga partnership called “From the Ground Up: Working With Communities in the South West”. In conjunction with this Jason is also looking to develop a training arm of the Kulunga Research Network. Jason is a valued and respected member of his community and has established and fostered many ongoing relationships in both a professional and social capacity. |