Using the toolkit

This toolkit sets a clear benchmark for practice in engaging and collaborating with Aboriginal children and young people. 

For some organisations and agencies this will be a useful step-by-step guide in developing an approach to engagement with Aboriginal communities and their children and young people. For others who are already working on the ground with Aboriginal communities, this will be a useful guide to reviewing and refreshing practices to ensure they are consistent with best practice throughout all stages of planning, implementation and review of projects and programs.

Section 1 - Understanding participation provides background information on what real participation looks like and why it is important.

Section 2 - Getting your organisation ready contains evidence-based information and research that can be used to gain the organisational or agency-wide commitment required to undertake meaningful engagement with Aboriginal children and young people.

Section 3 - Understanding Aboriginal cultural contexts outlines key concepts relating to Aboriginal history and culture. These are particularly important for organisations and agencies to be aware of and understand prior to undertaking participation activities with Aboriginal children and young people and their communities.

Section 4 - The engagement process contains detailed and practical steps outlining the processes involved in undertaking meaningful consultation and engagement with Aboriginal children and young people for a specific project or target community.

The first four sections of the toolkit contain:

• background information that applies an Aboriginal lens to the participation of children and young people
• templates and resources to download
• links to resources and reference material (these appear as orange text)
• examples of relevant practice.

Section 5 - Case studies contains elements of the toolkit in practice.

If you would like further information or assistance using the toolkit, please contact our office.

Go to Section 1 - Understanding participation