Working towards First Nations justice

The St Vincent de Paul Society NSW has been working diligently to ensure we continue to reach and achieve our shared aspirations for impact in the First Nations space. We have been able to translate the principles of reconciliation into tangible actions. We have continued to demonstrate a genuine commitment to embedding reconciliation into the fabric of our workplace culture, in alignment, not only to our aspirations and goals in our upcoming refreshed Reconciliation Action Plan, but also to our broader mission and strategy. We are creating space for genuine connection, understanding and collaboration between First Nations people and communities and non-First Nations members of our workforce. 

In the past few months, we have completed and launched the refresh of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Awareness training, now titled “Djurali”, which means ‘to learn and grow’ in the Dharug language. This new and improved program hopes to increase knowledge and foster safe spaces for our First Nations brothers and sisters.  

We have also successfully received an exemption from the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board which allows us to designate, advertise and recruit up to ten positions per year for a total of five years, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our pursuance of our goal to increase workforce participation rates.  

Working alongside community Elders, we were able to host an emotive and captivating panel discussion at the beginning of Reconciliation Week. Our distinguished guests, Uncle Kelvin Brown and Uncle Raymon Dennison yarned alongside staff members Paiige Williams (Case Worker – Vinnies Services) and Samantha McGuire (Manager, First Nations Engagement) on this year’s theme “Now more than ever” and more deeply, our reconciliation journey. We yarned about coming together to walk a shared path towards reconciliation, and Paiige beautifully said “Reconciliation needs to be in our hearts, not just our words.”  

Roughly one in four people we assist identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. We continue to advocate and strive for better outcomes to support the First Nations community, in a culturally safe way, by engaging directly with community members. The Society strives to meet the needs of our First Nations brothers and sisters and we will continue to tailor our resources to empower the community. We appreciate the ongoing commitment of our members to continue to walk alongside the community and strive for the causes raised in the Uluru Statement from the Heart. 

In the words of Uncle Kelvin Brown, Tribal Elder of the Gamilaraay Nation:

A space for connection and culture 

First Nations artists supported by the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW had the opportunity to showcase their work and culture as part of a First Nations Art Exhibition held at the Ozanam Learning Centre. 

Artists featured in the exhibition developed their work at the OLC First Nations Hub, a space for people to connect, create and share in the longest living culture together. 

“It's a good place where they can feel really good about themselves… showcase what they've created and tell a bit of their story – where they've come from and their journey to where they are now – as artists and First Nations people,” explains Merindah Hardy, who runs weekly art classes as part of the First Nations Hub. 

The exhibition included a range of canvases and emu eggs for sale – with all funds going to artists – along with a live painting from one of the artists supported by the First Nations Hub. 

Programs such as the First Nations Hub are part of the Society’s commitment to inclusion and delivering actions in accordance with our Reconciliation Action Plan.