Global Issues
First Australians Programs
Australia has a long history of making decisions for First Australian communities, rather than upholding their right to decide for themselves.
This history has had deep and long-lasting effects on First Australians, as well as Australia as a whole.
There are glaring inequalities between the general population and those who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. These inequalities include, but are not exclusive to, lower life expectancies, poorer health, higher infant and maternal mortality rates, financial hardship and ongoing psychological trauma from the dispossession of their land and policies that resulted in the Stolen Generation.
Janice is a traditional dancer who tells stories through movements handed down over generations. Photo: Richard Wainwright/Caritas Australia
Fast Facts
50+ years
We have been working alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and communities since 1972.
6 programs
We currently support 6 programs through 6 First Australian-led partners in Australia.
Led by First Australians
We support programs in Australia that are designed and led by First Australians.
Working with First Australians
Baabayn Aboriginal Corporation in Western Sydney is a space where culture, connection and support intertwine. For many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Baabayn is a place to strengthen or rekindle their ties to culture, Country, and each other.
Baabayn (which means ‘Ancestral Woman’ in Gumbaynggirr language) provides a welcoming environment for First Australian families and individuals to help them heal from the past, and nurture their sense of confidence and pride in the future.
Whether it’s chatting over a cuppa, children learning in the homework club, or Elders guiding others, Baabayn shows how healing happens through relationships and culture. As well as this, Baabayn connects people with government services, other centres, and education providers like TAFE, offering culturally appropriate support in navigating these systems, all in one place. It fills a crucial gap in connecting with services that haven’t often been designed with First Australians’ needs and perspectives at their centre.
