Aboriginal organisations want to make their own decisions about their destiny but at the same time, they want to be respectfully challenged, and are very keen to explore how to do things differently. They have endless experience of poor consultation processes that deliver no outcomes, tokenistic interactions, and being consulted only at the end of someone else’s strategic or resource allocation process. In most situations we’ve worked in, Aboriginal leaders want to be the ones to set the agenda, drive that agenda forward, and have others sign on to their approach.
The strategic challenges for Aboriginal organisations are great but not defeating. There is a long history of persistence and resilience in the face of overwhelming complexity and resistance to change. The constantly shifting scenarios of government policy mean change is a given. We have worked with Aboriginal controlled organisations to understand the changing world around them and to identify where there are opportunities for them in that change. Once the strategic direction is clear, the additional challenge is how to bring along culture and community and make the most of the abundant “natural assets” in each community.
Because most Aboriginal organisations are community-controlled, creating alignment is a key task of an executive team. They need to find the best set of outcomes to satisfy community needs and aspirations, Board expectations, managers understanding of what can be achieved with available resources, and the demands of diverse stakeholders. Community is a powerful force and there are always complexities in navigating the diverse aspirations within. Helping family and community move forward while acknowledging and dealing with past trauma means that there always needs to be a balance between healing the past and creating the future. Leaders of Aboriginal organisations work to acknowledge and allow for a strategic agenda and a pace of change that is manageable for their organisation and their community.
One of the most positive tasks for leaders in these organisations is tapping into the strong pool of talent that exists within the community to make plans happen. We feel privileged to help the many strong formal and informal leaders to sharpen their thinking and ideas, make sure they have a strong evidence base and then produce actions that are realistic given that every issue being addressed has a level of complexity that demands extraordinary levels of insight, analysis and compassion.
Examples of Results
Regional-based Aboriginal Organisation
We have walked beside this organisation over three years to support its transformation to one of the strongest Aboriginal Controlled organisations in the sector. Over this time, the new CEO has built a strong executive team, and together they have been prepared to challenge, create or change every system, process and approach to ensure the community is engaged and receives the services they deserve and need. In the first year we worked on a complete organisation refresh, ensuring basic systems were in place and new ways of thinking and working were introduced. Three years later, we continue to support their growth through strategic and operational planning, conducting reviews, providing advice and support on a range of key business decisions. The results speak for themselves. More community members use the services, government confidence has returned (as measured by increased funding), and successful programs are being showcased on the international stage. While these results are impressive, there is so much more the organisation aspires to achieve, including creating sustainable Aboriginal business enterprises.
City-based Aboriginal Organisation
This large, Melbourne-based Aboriginal organisation provides diverse services to 50% of Victoria’s Aboriginal population. We started work with the Board and leadership team by analysing the changing location and demographics of their community as well as myriad other changes in the service sector. Of major concern is the number of non-Aboriginal organisations vying for Aboriginal program funding, creating pressure to review and rethink existing programs and ensure consistent delivery of outcomes. Strategically, the challenge continues to be how to create a manageable agenda when the number of clients continues to grow. We worked to support staff who are committed to ensuring the most vulnerable client and their families have access to the diversity of service they require, to find a way that also strengthens culture and self determination.
Koolin Balit
This significant, 10 year Victorian Government initiative is designed to close the gap in life expectancy for Aboriginal people living in Victoria. The goals are to reduce the differences in infant mortality, morbidity and low birth weights between the general population and Aboriginal people, and improve access to services and outcomes for Aboriginal people. In the Loddon Mallee Region, we supported the senior team at the Department of Health to enact a decision that five Aboriginal Controlled Organisations (LMARG) would determine where funds should be allocated for greatest affect. The process was an innovation for the State. Multiple workshops were facilitated to gain agreement on the five priority areas and the proportion of resources that should be allocated to each. Different Aboriginal organisations are taking the regional lead on priorities to ensure accountability and ownership is spread.
State-Wide Aboriginal Forum
We assisted in the design of, and led the facilitation team for, the 2008 State-wide Indigenous Forum. The event created a shared vision of success and strengthened partnerships between the Victorian Government and the Aboriginal community. Over 200 community and agency people attended the Forum to reflect on the progress made towards improving the lives of Indigenous Victorians and to refine the future work ahead. Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people publically acknowledged the Forum as a landmark event for addressing Indigenous issues in Victoria.
Aboriginal Prisoner Health
Aboriginal health is particularly vulnerable during trial and incarceration, while serving community based orders, and on release. We supported an urgent need to create more responsive and supportive health services to meet the offenders’ needs as they move through the criminal justice system. Robust discussion was facilitated to identify priority action areas with the goal of ensuring that Aboriginal people leave the system stronger and more culturally resilient than when they arrive.
Indigenous Private Rental Project
Sustained access to private housing is key to addressing many of the systemic issues that underlie disadvantage. This project worked to inform tenants, agents, property owners and Aboriginal housing providers about their rights and responsibilities to Aboriginal people. The work included addressing prejudice, stereotypes, insufficient housing stock as well as agencies not accommodating Aboriginal people and their culture. We identified the guiding principle that people should be able to choose a place that supports their lifestyle based on merit, track record and ability to pay, just as others do in the community. We then developed strategies to educate stakeholders and create resources to help Aboriginal people to become better tenants, particularly when they have had limited role models and experience in the private rental market.
Out of Home Care
Growth in the number of children in out of home care is increasing rapidly, particularly in Aboriginal communities. Organised by the Commission for Children and Young People, we worked with Aboriginal organisations from around the State to address the needs of finding and reconnecting children with family and culture, building life skills, dealing with trauma and developing cultural identity to create resilience in multi-home families.
Alcohol and Other Drugs (Aboriginal Regional Services)
In response to a new pool of infrastructure funding, we worked with this group of service providers to find a collective approach to implementing change that was sympathetic to the different ownership and governance models of each regional and local provider. Real challenges had to be overcome with the data systems and their availability to support timely decision making.