Championing First Nations Voices to Set the Standard for a Culturally Competent Australia

Home to the world’s oldest continuous civilisation, many Australian’s want to demonstrate their commitment to celebrating and valuing our First Nations cultures. One way to demonstrate this is through an Acknowledgement of Country. Colonisation’s impact on First Nations Peoples is resounding and continuing. Borders, names, pronunciations, and spellings are nuanced, and in some instances, contested by Traditional Custodians. For individuals that want to meaningfully engage with the practice, sourcing trustworthy information is difficult. Oftentimes resulting in inaction. The Challenge — How can we develop a resource that’s designed for nuance, and is inclusive to a diverse range of cultural authorities?

Created with Community, TAFE NSW, NSW Government, and EY Future Friendly, The Connect with Country Tool is a proof of concept embedded with a strategic blueprint that facilitates ongoing consultation. Allowing Traditional Owners and Custodians to own the information shared about their Country, community and culture. The Tool supports the public to meaningfully engage with the practice of Acknowledging Country and encourages transformational relationships. Starting with NSW we defined a long-term vision and roadmap to scale the solution to champion First Nations voices to set the standard for a culturally competent Australia.

The Tool provides value for all. For contributors it creates opportunities that drive First Nations economic and social outcomes. For community, Country-specific content is owned by the Traditional Owners and Custodians. For the public, the Tool provides the foundational knowledge to safely and respectfully offer a meaningful Acknowledgement of Country, further their learning, connect and engage. “The Tool walks alongside users, equipping them with insights for respectful engagement with Aboriginal communities. It merges traditional yarning and storytelling with modern technology, fostering authentic connections to Aboriginal Culture.” — Jason Darney, Wiradjuri, Executive Director TAFE NSW and Chair of Aboriginal Strategic Leadership Group

The Tool supports Reconciliation Australia’s vision for “Australians to work together to improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; and the living cultures, stories and histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are embedded and celebrated by all Australians as part of our national story.” For Traditional Owners and Custodians, the Tool is underpinned by a flexible digital experience, principles, and a roadmap to be scaled in consultation with community. Key enablers include: a CMS that highlights the steps required to approve and publish content; technology that enables easy additions or amendments to features from a single codebase; additional First Nations-led resources and organisations; and embedded feedback mechanisms that ensure consistent consultation. The public is aided to be better equipped to understand the impacts of colonisation, nuance of the practice, and protocols and procedures. Key enablers include: a navigation experience that supports guided learning; geo-location powered search engine that helps identify who to acknowledge; clear signposting that highlights nuance and provides clarity of information; examples of how to offer an Acknowledgement of Country in any context; and recommendations on how to further learn and engage with Country, community and culture safely and respectfully.