Empowered Communities: Indigenous led change

30 April 2014

Wunan Executive Director & Chairman Ian Trust is collaborating with Indigenous Leaders from seven other regions across Australia to reset the agenda and challenge the status quo of Indigenous social and economic disadvantage under a new policy direction called Empowered Communities. Together they are creating a unified voice to lead the design and implementation of a new mechanism to interface with the Australian Government. It is their vision that an equal partnership will be formed between Indigenous people and the Government, one that will empower Indigenous people to take responsibility for their future. It is envisaged that the leaders will lead the reform in consultation with their community to redefine social policy and ensure that future investment is regionally focused and reflects community priorities and aspirations.

Empowered Communities has strong support and involvement from Commonwealth and State governments. At the local level, an engagement process is underway to bring other Aboriginal organizations and community groups to the table and establish a common ground of responsibility and commitment to Indigenous led change. While a number of practical solutions are already being pursued, Transitional Housing and Living Change for example, Empowered Communities will overlay a structural dimension that will ensure these and other aligned programs continue to receive the required support.

Empowered communities is about Indigenous led change; through which communities may better engage in the modern economy while retaining and strengthening their cultural values, and so improve the lives of their people.

Topic: Wunan