ANTaR – 10 ways to better engage

Want to engage more with First Nations issues? Here’s how…

In the lead-up to NAIDOC Week this 7-14 July, Yarawu woman and ANTaR Board Director, Shannon Dodson, suggests 10 ways to positively and respectfully interact with First Nations issues, and in support of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters. We hope you find this a useful guide for getting more engaged!

“Many non-Indigenous people that I speak with feel helpless or unsure about how they can engage meaningfully and supportively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, issues and communities.

So I understand that it can be easy to slip into apathy, convinced that nothing you do will help, and scared to try, in case you end up doing the wrong thing.

To help you in this predicament, here is a starter list of avenues to get engaged and be supportive. There are always plenty of ways you can be involved, this it not the definitive list, but can point you in the right direction.

Shannan Dodson

READ THE FULL BLOG HERE

1. Read up
Read far and wide, keep your mind open and analyse different perspectives…

2. Travel with Welcome to Country by Marcia Langton
It’s basically a Lonely Planet for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia and lists deadly things you can do around the country.3. Find out about the mob in your local area
Google the area you live in or ask your local council to get clued up on who’s the local mob. This map is also a great resource...

4. Attend Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander events
There isn’t a one stop shop calendar of Indigenous events across the country, but this list is a good record of significant events that have happened for Indigenous people, and there are often events that happen to mark these dates…5. Watch NITV and follow IndigenousX…

6. Encourage your workplace and university to do cultural competency
If you google cultural competency or Indigenous cultural awareness in the place you live, there is usually a provider.

7. Contract with Indigenous suppliers
Encourage your work or university to use Supply Nation – a national directory of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses.

8. Support Reconciliation Action Plans
Encourage your work or university to do a Reconciliation Action Plan, which is a framework for how they can support reconciliation. But ensure they are meaningful, co-designed with Indigenous people and not just a box-ticking exercise.

9. Volunteer or donate to Indigenous organisations or causes…

10. Support organisations and peak bodies to fight for the rights of Indigenous people…

Shannan Dodson – ANTaR Board Member

And from the Team here at ANTaR, enjoy all that NAIDOC Week has to offer!

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