Co-designing with First Nations Australians
As Australia faces increasing environmental challenges, integrating First Nations’ traditional ecological knowledge with modern conservation practices is crucial. This project demonstrates our ability to facilitate meaningful collaboration between government agencies and First Nations communities, leading to more effective and culturally appropriate environmental protection strategies.
Stakeholder mapping
We worked closely with our First Nations Supply Nation partner to identify key stakeholders across Australia’s Top End.
Pre-workshop engagement
Preliminary consultations were conducted with community leaders and representatives to gather insights and shape co-design sessions.
Multi-day workshop in Darwin
We designed and facilitated a 3-day intensive workshop that brought together over 50 participants, including Indigenous Rangers, traditional owners, government officials, and environmental experts.
Traditional knowledge integration
We used innovative facilitation techniques during the co-design workshop to explore incorporating traditional ecological knowledge into existing environmental protection strategies.
Cross-cultural communication
Cross-cultural communication exercises were embedded throughout the workshop to improve understanding between government agencies and First Nations representatives.
Deliverables
Our team produced several key outputs:
- A report on the outcomes of co-design, including First Nations perspectives on environmental protection
- A co-designed framework for integrating traditional ecological knowledge into government environmental policies
- A set of collaboratively developed recommendations for improving recruitment and retention of First Nations individuals
- Strategies for enhancing youth engagement in environmental protection initiatives, as identified during the workshop
- Action plans for implementing key initiatives identified during the co-design sessions
Outcomes
The co-design sessions and our overall work delivered significant benefits:
- Enhanced understanding among government officials of First Nations’ perspectives on environmental management, fostered through direct engagement
- Increased commitment from both government and First Nations representatives to collaborate on environmental protection initiatives
- Development of culturally appropriate performance metrics for programs, co-designed during sessions
- Establishment of ongoing communication channels between government agencies and First Nations communities
- Identification of innovative approaches to integrate traditional knowledge into conservation strategies
Uniting Perspectives: Environmental Protection Co-designed with First Nations Peoples
Our stakeholder engagement expertise facilitated meaningful collaboration between diverse groups. This partnership approach established foundations for culturally responsive environmental strategies that honour First Nations peoples’ unique knowledge and connection to the Country.
Meet our team
Adrian Baker
Senior Consultant
Adrian is a highly skilled IT professional with 20 years of experience in the Energy, Police and Defence industries. His technical understanding and strong interpersonal skills ensure that high-quality results are always met. Adrian has been in various Test Management positions, including Test, Environment and Release Manager, BI Test Lead, Data Modeler, Senior Test Analyst, and Business Analyst.
Ed Fenech
Senior Consultant
Ed is an accomplished and polished product management professional. His practical and pragmatic approach adds value to leading the delivery of highly complex and sensitive projects. As a Scrum Master, he is an expert in translating strategy to concise tactical outputs, ensuring that delivery partners are aligned, and projects are delivered on time and within budget. He has managed the rollout of a data intelligence system from conception to business as usual for the Victorian government. Other projects include transforming service delivery models, data management systems and interactive online portals, eCommerce platforms, conducting system audits, coordinating training and system support.
John Burton
Principal Consultant
John is an expert in developing and implementing change strategies. He is also an internal and external stakeholder engagement, governance, and business development expert. Working across Commonwealth, State, and Local Government levels, John has held a wide range of senior government roles and specialist assignments in health care, public transport, customer service/contact centres, social policy, not-for-profit governance, and financial management sectors.