The Brotherhood of St. Laurence (BSL) Disability Services team acknowledge the Wurundjeri People and Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners of the unceded Country we work on. We extend that respect by acknowledging the wider Kulin and the many other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People who contribute to the culture of community. We understand that our pathway forward is a collaborative effort, led by the wisdom, determination and resistance of the First Nations community.
Working with First Nations communities
Our teams are guided by the First Nations communities we serve to reduce barriers in accessing, understanding, and engaging with our services and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
To ensure we are meeting the needs of community, we:
- Collaborate with local Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs), and establish community and stakeholder relationships with organisations, services, and networks that serve the First Nations community.
- Maintain a long-term colocation with the Aboriginal Disability Liaison Officer (ADLO) at the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) to meet and share information with community members in a culturally safe and connected space.
The Disability Services team are supported by the First Nations Engagement Lead – to support the cultural responsiveness of our teams, and the Senior First Nations Community Capacity Building Lead – to build on the core capabilities that already exist in community.
Our delivery and relationships are further guided by BSL’s First Nations Advisory Group and BSL’s Reconciliation Action Plan. Read more about our Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan.
We build upon the knowledge of our teams, embed First Nations perspectives, and strive for a culturally responsive service by:
- Completing mandatory Building Aboriginal Cultural Competency training, delivered by the Koorie Heritage Trust.
- Platforming and participating in community connection for key dates in the First Nations calendar, including but not limited to: National Reconciliation Week, NAIDOC Week, and National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day.
- Engaging with First Nations Governance structures that exist within BSL.
- Working with the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation and Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation to formally name rooms across our office sites in Woiwurrung or Boonwurrung language.
- Following local cultural protocol and Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council guidance.
Our areas of work
We work within the Local Government Areas across North-East Melbourne, Hume Merri-bek, Brimbank Melton, Western Melbourne and the Bayside Peninsula. Our team also work alongside the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service at their Fitzroy and Preston site as part of a colocation.
To learn more about our First Nations engagement work, you can explore My Everyday Life, and the video series Nugal Murrup Buladu.
For any other queries or more information on First Nations Community Engagement or the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) colocation, please contact firstnations.disability@bsl.org.au