We understand that community ownership, support and leadership is critical to the realisation of community aspirations. We offer a holistic approach that recognises that no-one holds all the answers, and that complex challenges require multiple perspectives, innovation and adaptability with strong community guidance and leadership. We pride ourselves on listening well, taking time to get things right in partnership and making sure we create safe and strong spaces for meaningful dialogue and discussion.

Working in partnership, sharing skills and knowledge with others and learning from them are central to our approach. We support the work of First Nations communities and organisations to deliver on their own aspirations. We often support communities to identify approaches, services and programs that can respond to their priorities and goals. This includes identifying available resources and facilitating partnerships with potential funders, as well as with organisations that can deliver on the ground.

We focus on issues, strengths and solutions in local contexts and recognise that the unique history, culture and context of each community is an important factor in finding answers to complex problems. Our aim is to explore these elements in partnership, learning from communities to create programs (e.g. Young Mob, Martu Leadership Program) or to tailor and adapt evidence-based programs to local places and contexts (e.g. ECCD, Channels of Hope for Gender, Unlock Literacy).

We recognise the existing array of knowledge, skills and capacities within First Nations communities and organisations. We support these and collaborate in ways to enhance and grow them. We take the time to listen and learn from others to develop solutions that come from these strengths. Too often these have been ignored or glossed over by mainstream systems and Governments that fail to invest in longer-term processes that provide the foundations for these strengths to drive change.

Strong and respectful relationships and partnerships are fundamental to longer-term sustainable change. We know that local partners are the key to longer-term sustainability and we play a supportive role to their lead. Strong relationships are what enables us to work in strong collaborative ways and obtain community support and buy-in to the work we undertake together.

From our experiences working with communities and collaborating with First Nations Elders, leaders and academics, we have developed a practice framework that acknowledges and embeds the importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander spirituality through connection to language, land, law, kinship, and ceremony. This is reflected in our community engagement processes for all stages of our projects and attention to protocols, language and respect for community processes, events and decisions.

An important element of our work is supporting community priorities that children as well as adults are learning ‘both ways’. We support ‘mainstream’ learning alongside culture and language and build this into projects (e.g. bush playgroups, cultural camps for young people, development of resources in language, guidance from Elders etc.). The involvement of cultural authorities in our work ensures we work with the right people at the right time in the right way.

Our development expertise and technical knowledge are major assets that we bring to partnerships. This includes sector-based experience (e.g. ECCD, youth) as well as advocacy, grants, facilitating linkages to our own partners and networks, coordinating events and training, and so on.

We also recognise that there is a wealth of good news stories that do not get aired in the media and in reporting on programs. We are committed to amplifying the voice of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and communities. We place high importance on telling the story of our shared work to a variety of audiences.