Jawun: 2017 Learnings and Insights

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Over 17 years, Jawun has seen its Indigenous
partners embrace change on a growing scale. From
focusing on single issues within the scope of single
organisations or communities, Indigenous leaders and
organisations are now pursuing bold movements of
change. At the same time, the national debate around
Indigenous affairs has gone from being narrowly
focused to encompassing multiple dimensions.
The paradigm shift reflects a groundswell of
empowerment occurring at different levels.
Individual empowerment is someone’s ability to
draw on skills, connections and confidence to take
responsibility for themselves and their family, and
pursue opportunities for a better future. This report
has heard how, for a mother like Megan Wilkin
from Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council,
empowerment is being able to access education for
her children that accommodates culture as well as
academic performance. For professionals like Kevin
Kropinyeri from Wild Eats or Allan de Plater from
Tribal Warrior Aboriginal Corporation, it is the ability
to make a living while also contributing to country
and creating opportunities for the next generation.
I know my kids are safe and looked after,
in a school that wants to make change for
our people. It’s bringing culture back, and
it’s made me proud. I have confidence
now, and feel like I’m finding myself again.
—MEGAN WILKIN, DARKINJUNG LOCAL ABORIGINAL
LAND COUNCIL
Empowerment of community leaders involves an
acknowledgement that Indigenous leadership is
complex, with organisational, familial, residential,
age and gender dimensions Activating community
leaders with the capacity to make crucial decisions,
and the confidence to drive change, helps
communities reclaim their right to take responsibility
for their own futures This report has seen how
a new generation of Indigenous change-makers is
being empowered to embark on leadership journeys
ignited by pressing community issues like substance
abuse, violence and unemployment.
I’ve grown up with a lot of things I wouldn’t
wish anyone to see, or be a part of, but
I think that’s just made me stronger, and
given me all these things I want to achieve.
It’s not the government’s business to tell
kids to go to school, it’s our business. We
need to step up and be doing that, because
the people we’re serving are our families.
—RARRTJIWUY MELANIE HERDMAN, ACTING CEO,
MIWATJ HEALTH
Collective empowerment is the strength of a
network of leaders to collaborate and organise in
a way that turns visions for community progress
into reality. This report has shown how Indigenous
leaders have connected across regions and across
different sectors of national society, to implement
and scale ideas for change. Applying old values of
connectedness to new networks, they forge powerful
alliances with other regions and with corporate
sectors like banking, construction and services.
As leaders we are collaborating and
creating ties across multiple allies. If this
is happening, then we are tapping into
deep cultural wisdom. As Aboriginal
nations we have always understood the
strength of collaboration and the power
of taking everyone on the journey—you
only have to look to our songlines to
understand this.
—ANDREA MASON, CEO, NPY WOMEN’S COUNCIL
Empowered Communities is providing Indigenous
leaders across the country with a new platform
for collaboration and government engagement,
facilitating a common language around the structural
changes required to achieve and sustain Indigenous
empowerment at scale.
Through the traditional Ngarrindjeri
practice of weaving, lakun, Ngarrindjeri
believe that stitch by stitch, circle
by circle, all things are connected.
Empowered Communities is the next step
in Ngarrindjeri continuing to practise
our traditional cultural practice of being
connected. Let us as First People of
this land connect for the benefit of our
people, our communities and our future.
—CLYDE RIGNEY JUNIOR, CEO, NGARRINDJERI
REGIONAL AUTHORITY
While the work is far from over, the momentum of
Indigenous empowerment is growing.
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