How can you support First Nations’ communities this year?

 

Glen Helen – West Macdonnell Ranges NT on Western Arrernte Country. 

 

Community member Dale, skilled volunteer Deb, Community Development Officer Ruth, working together to enhance the presence of local Aboriginal artists in Canberra.

If you're looking at the year ahead and thinking about how you can support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities, you’ve come to the right place!

More and more, we’re seeing so many talented First Nations’ businesses, organisations, and programs being established to tackle local issues or sharing the beauty of their cultures and languages. Whether it’s through art, education programs, small businesses, food, dance, or cultural tours, it takes a lot of work to make these things happen. We know this because we’ve played a small part in a lot of community success journeys to achieving these outcomes through our community development work, while monitoring the outcomes.

If you’re looking to support First Nations’ communities, there are many ways you can do this.

Here’s how you can support:

Volunteer with us

Our volunteer program is a two-way experience. We’ve heard time and time again from our past and current volunteers about the connections and relationships they built with community members, the first-hand learning of the local Aboriginal cultures and stories, while also learning about the issues and challenges the community face. It’s a rewarding experience.

You’ll be guided by one of our experienced community development officers and a community representative throughout the project.

Make a donation

We are a First Nations’ led organisation. Donate today and you’ll be making an immediate difference to the lives of Aboriginal communities and organisations across urban, regional and remote Australia. Make a one-off payment or become a regular monthly giver. The choice is yours.

When you become a regular giver, you’ll become part of our community where you’ll receive updates on community projects.

Fundraise for us

Did you know that you can fundraise for us? If you’re a big supporter of self-determination in First Nations’ communities and support our unique approach to community development, you can set up a fundraising page and share with family and friends.

Support our research

Alongside our community development work, our team monitors and evaluates projects to ensure we’re meeting community needs.

We’re excited to have a few research projects coming up this year! Sign up to our newsletter and stay updated on what we’re doing in this space here.

Show your support online

We are amplifying community voices and stories through our social media platforms. We encourage you to share our content far and wide so others can hear about us too!

By supporting First Nations’ communities through Community First Development, you’ll be supporting stronger health and education outcomes, safer communities, stronger governance and economic outcomes, and so much more.

Get some insight into our community projects on our stories page here and case studies here.

We’ve got big plans for 2024 (our next article will give you a sneak peek) and we’re excited to welcome new supporters, volunteers, and partners to our community, as we continue to grow as an organisation.