Working with Community

Engaging with, and valuing, local knowledge and connections is the core principle for any work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. These resources provide guidance on working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including lived experience advocates, Community and organisations.

Fact sheet

Positive partnerships: Working alongside Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing

Dr Emma Carlin and Zaccariah Cox

Learn how you can collaborate with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations around Australia to improve the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.
Practitioners Podcast

Positive partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations

Zaccariah Cox and Dr Emma Carlin

Runtime

00:30:18

Released

27/11/23
Practitioners Podcast

Creating culturally authentic services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families

Ruth Tulloch

Runtime

00:28:14

Released

9/7/19
Fact sheet

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mainstream service experience – where are we now? How data has shaped our response

Emerging Minds

The highly statutory or crisis-driven nature of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mainstream service experience epitomises the lack of long-term genuine partnerships. Services that listen to First Nations communities and develop offerings that are welcoming, inclusive, and non-threatening will in return gain an understanding of the lived experiences of the families and communities they are designed to support.
Website

Working Well Guide: Reflections on providing suicide prevention projects in remote Aboriginal communities in Central Australia

Review of report, Mental Health Association of Central Australia A report compiled for the We Know Our Strengths Project, a partnership between Waltja Tjukangku Palapayi Aboriginal Corporation and the Life Promotion Program, Mental Health Association of Central Australia
Framework

National Framework for Health Services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Families

COAG Health Council

This National Framework for Health Services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Families (the Framework) articulates a vision, principles and approaches for the delivery of child and family health services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Fact sheet

Key considerations when working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lived experience advocates

Emerging Minds, Rosetta Milera, Neva Wilson and Josie-Anne Wilson

This factsheet outlines key considerations for engaging and working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lived experience advocates.
Fact sheet

Talking points for work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lived experience advocates

Emerging Minds, Rosetta Milera, Neva Wilson and Josie-Anne Wilson

This fact sheet outlines what to expect when working with Emerging Minds as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lived experience advocate.
Fact sheet

Working with Emerging Minds as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lived experience advocate

Emerging Minds, Rosetta Milera, Neva Wilson and Josie-Anne Wilson

This factsheet describes what it is like to work with Emerging Minds as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Lived Experience Advocate.
Issues paper

Engaging with Indigenous Australia: Exploring the conditions for effective relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities

Australian Government - Closing the Gap Clearinghouse

This paper examines what research shows about: the conditions that enable governments and others (non-government organisations and the private sector) to engage effectively with Indigenous communities; how these conditions can be enhanced for effective engagement between governments and Indigenous communities.
Research paper

Comprehensive support for Indigenous carers and young people

Jenny R. Higgins and Nikki Butler

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are almost five times more likely to be placed in out-of-home care compared with non-Indigenous children (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2007). Yet there is a serious shortage of culturally appropriate placements to accommodate them. Even with intensive recruitment efforts, professionals have been unable to recruit sufficient Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander carers to meet the demand.
Fact sheet

Frameworks for understanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander approaches to health

Emerging Minds

Non-Indigenous practitioners who embrace these elements are more likely to develop the knowledge they need to form genuine partnerships with Aboriginal children, families and communities.
Short article

From co-design to co-creation: Building responsive relationships and delivering outcomes with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations

Emma Taylor, Claire Marsh, Rosie Schellen and Melinda Goodyear

Emerging Minds develops a range of resources, tools and information for professionals working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, parents and families. As an organisation, we strive to ensure these resources are informed by First Nations peoples and grounded in the principles of self-determination. In practice, this means we work alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consultants and organisations in genuine, culturally secure partnerships. Together, we develop resources that build the capacity of all professionals and organisations who work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.
Fact sheet

The starting point: Investment in relationships

Emerging Minds

Relationships and connections are central to any engagement within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Practitioners Podcast

A story from Community

Rose Rigney and Clyde Rigney Sr

Runtime

00:43:28

Released

25/5/20
Practitioners Podcast

Using Elders’ wisdom to guide your practice

Millie Penny and Carol Michie

Runtime

00:35:03

Released

29/5/21
Practitioners Podcast

Weaving Indigenous wisdom into wellbeing

Professor Helen Milroy

Runtime

00:30:24

Released

15/4/24
Practice paper

Working and walking alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people: A practical guide for non-Indigenous workers

Judy Atkinson, Margaret Hayes and Caroline (Carlie) Atkinson

To fully understand the lives and circumstances of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, it is necessary to understand and accept the impacts of trauma across generations, without judgement, but with clear insight and intention to use your skills and capacities for healing.

Back to all resources

Working with Community

Positive partnerships: Working alongside Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing

Positive partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations

Creating culturally authentic services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mainstream service experience – where are we now? How data has shaped our response

Working Well Guide: Reflections on providing suicide prevention projects in remote Aboriginal communities in Central Australia

National Framework for Health Services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Families

Key considerations when working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lived experience advocates

Talking points for work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lived experience advocates

Working with Emerging Minds as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lived experience advocate

Engaging with Indigenous Australia: Exploring the conditions for effective relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities

Comprehensive support for Indigenous carers and young people

Frameworks for understanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander approaches to health

From co-design to co-creation: Building responsive relationships and delivering outcomes with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations

The starting point: Investment in relationships

A story from Community

Using Elders’ wisdom to guide your practice

Weaving Indigenous wisdom into wellbeing

Working and walking alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people: A practical guide for non-Indigenous workers

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