Community Development Framework formally launched by Ms Pat Anderson AO
It is now official! Ms Pat Anderson AO officially launched our Community Development Framework, supported by a deadly panel who were able to yarn about the practical guide on our webinar.
The Community Development Framework is part of a continuous evolving journey for Community First Development, and for the First Nations’ communities we work alongside. It provides practical guidance on our partnership approach and provided much for the panel to discuss.
It was an insightful and engaging yarn with the panel that included three of our team members: MC – Stephanie Harvey, CEO; Renee Tomkinson, Eastern Regional Manager; and Doyen Radcliffe, Western Regional Manager. It also included two community representatives, Vicki Thom, Director, Mad Mob Aboriginal Corporation; and Devon Cuimara, Founder and CEO, Aboriginal Males Healing Centre. The sharing of their time, and knowledge of their communities, gave us an insight into the tireless work that our First Nations’ communities are committed to. The yarn with Devon and Vicki also highlighted the high-level caliber of our First Nations’ communities.
We were incredibly grateful to distinguished Alyawarre Elder, Pat Anderson, for attending the event and for her opening address to launch the guide. It meant so much to have her celebrate and acknowledge this significant occasion with us.
“Community First Development operates with ethical intentions and actions, and their approach is one that firmly places Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples at the centre and is truly grounded in social justice and self-determination. These are key factors in the organisation’s powerful relationships with communities and continued success.”
- Ms Pat Anderson AO
The framework has been carefully crafted to ensure that it is mob centric in its design, where self-determination underpins the framework as well as the practice. It has Country and people at the center.
The Framework is a living and dynamic document that values the strength of our existing partnerships and strategies with First Nations’ communities. This is the ‘right way’, where a flexible approach is required and measuring and evaluation is embedded throughout to gauge the impacts of the work undertaken and ensure that communities’ goals are achieved. In this way, First Nations’ voices are privileged and stand in their integrity. Their success is our success.
The Community Development Framework is an essential read for those interested in a grassroots approach to partnerships and genuine co-design. Community engagement and development done the ‘right way’ maintains a connection to Country and values First Nations’ traditions and knowledge. This, in turn, provides stronger governance, stronger economic outcomes, stronger culture, and stronger Country.
Media release here.