Don’t be a commitment-phobe. Take the jump and become a partner in making a difference in Aboriginal communities, writes Callaghan Cultural Consultancy CEO and CCWT presenter Paul Callaghan:
The current state of Aboriginal Australia is a sobering one. The statistics for employment, income, health, incarceration and education are poor and showing little signs of improving.
In fact, there is every chance things will get worse given that in NSW alone, we have a current Aboriginal population of approximately 210,000 that is expected to grow by 66 per cent in the next 15 years.
For things to improve, we need forward thinking, socially conscious organisations willing to partner with Aboriginal communities through relationships underpinned by mutual understanding and respect. We need you!
Collaboration and partnering arrangements between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal agencies has many rewards and is actively encouraged by many funding bodies.
Many organisations often mistakenly believe Aboriginal service delivery to be a socially responsible strategy that incurs a cost to the organisational bottom line. The reality is that a business strategy targeting Aboriginal clients can be tremendously fulfilling socially in addition to an opportunity to create an important source of sustainable revenue.
To do this, it is important that organisations understand Aboriginal contexts, are culturally safe and are culturally competent. Creating organisational Aboriginal cultural competence takes substantial commitment and time. Partnering with Aboriginal organisations and agencies can support this process in addition to creating synergy and dynamics that cannot be generated within a single organisation.
CCWT’s Working in Partnership with Aboriginal Agencies course will provide you with cultural insights, data and understanding that will enable you to identify the benefits of partnering with Aboriginal organisations and agencies and how to go about it.
Through undertaking this course, participants will be able to:
- Maximise the quality of service delivery to Aboriginal people
- Support increased wellbeing in Aboriginal communities
- Increase business sustainability
- Build networks that support an integrated model of client care.
Go on, be brave and say……. “I do!”
Paul will be presenting the Working in Partnership with Aboriginal Agencies at CCWT’s Sydney office on May 23.