Starting your journey to working with First Nations

We are in a time of change in the way governments work with First Nations communities – with the release of the Productivity Commission’s first report of its three-yearly review of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and its Priority Reforms and debate around the Voice and Treaty.

All public servants need to develop new skills, mindsets and capabilities to work effectively with First Nations peoples and communities and this free online session will serve as an introduction to these issues for public servants.

Through our highly successful First Peoples to All Peoples conference in Meanjin Brisbane earlier this year, ANZSOG is aware of the high demand for information and upskilling in this area.

ANZSOG is offering this introductory session to help public leaders begin to understand where we as a nation are starting from when it comes to First Nations policy, why previous efforts to Close the Gap have failed and how public servants at all levels can contribute to meaningful change. It is presented by Geoff Richardson, chief executive of First Nations Development Services, and Professor Catherine Althaus, who are also leaders of ANZSOG’s Working with First Nations: Delivering on the Priority Reforms program being taught in November – which offers a deeper exploration of these issues.

The session will be online and will have some opportunities for interaction between speakers and participants.

Upon completion of the session participants will have begun their journey of understanding and will:

• Have a basic understanding of the importance to all public servants of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and its Priority Reforms:
  • Formal Partnerships and Shared Decision-Making
  • Building the Community-Controlled Sector
  • Transforming Government Organisations
  • Shared Access to Data and Information at the Regional Level
• Have an understanding of recent developments and debates in Indigenous policy and how they will affect the work of government
• Be more aware of the capabilities required to work with First Nations including cultural responsiveness, engagement, co-design and co-production
• Have an understanding of the perspectives and cultures of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and how they can contribute to contemporary society.
• Know why it is important to build genuine partnerships, with shared decision-making, between governments and First Nations people, organisations, and communities

This session is aimed at Senior Executives, middle level officers and other cohorts such as: policy, procurement, human resources, and program delivery officers. It offers an introduction to a range of complex issues, and will help participants begin their journey towards greater understanding of new ways of working with First Nations and the importance of the National Agreement and the Priority Reforms.

Participants are encouraged to continue their journey and establish a practical knowledge base by enrolling in ANZSOG’s Working with First Nations: Delivering on the Priority Reforms program where this session’s content will be covered in more depth and involve a range of guest presenters and case studies.

Date: Monday August 21 2023 (1-2pm AEST)

Duration: 1 hour

Location: Online

Cost: Free

To enquire about this course, please contact ANZSOG’s Program Delivery team with the program name as the subject line to e.education@anzsog.edu.au or call us on +61 3 8344 1984.