Uphold connection to culture and enable truth telling to support healing

Aboriginal family, kinships and cultural connections, community relationships, and connection to Country are vital to the wellbeing, identity and strength of Aboriginal peoples. Culture is at the heart of our work with Aboriginal people, families and communities, guiding how we listen to and learn from Aboriginal voices and perspectives.

The rich cultural connection kept alive by Aboriginal people in NSW as traditional custodians forms the foundation of our shared history. To move forward together and shape a future where we all thrive, we must fully understand and acknowledge this history as part of truth-telling.

Connection to family and culture is a basic right. Across all our services, we seek to ensure that connection to family and culture is maintained and supported. Where this has been undermined or broken, we support opportunities for reconnection, recognising this as a vital part of healing and wellbeing.

As an organisation, we will enable truth-telling. The policies we implement, the services we deliver, and the way we deliver them have profound effects on the lives of Aboriginal people. We will listen deeply to diverse voices about the experiences of people we serve. We will support healing by learning from truth-telling and taking responsibility for acting on what we hear to bring meaningful and positive change.

To ensure that truth-telling is a safe process, we will seek to build trust through transparency, valuing Aboriginal leadership and knowledge, and applying culturally responsive approaches that address the holistic wellbeing of Aboriginal people, families and communities.