6.1 Indigenous Partnership principles
NCVFS  Alliance partners acknowledge and respect the following principles when working in partnership with Indigenous families, organisations and communities. The Alliance together with BDAC and NJERNDA will further develop detailed processes for consultation, information sharing and culturally sensitive practice regarding Indigenous families and children
1. Traditional Custodians of the Land
NCVFS  Alliance partners acknowledge and respect Aboriginal people as traditional owners and caretakers of this land. In the course of working together NCVFS Alliance partners will seek to appropriately engage and consult with Aboriginal peoples
2. Diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities
NCVFS  Alliance partners acknowledge and respect the reality of a modern and highly diverse urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community that has evolved and which is constantly changing and adapting with the many influences placed upon the individual from both mainstream and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community values. Diversity includes cultures, traditional and contemporary ways, lifestyles, geographic location and status. In the course of working together we will seek to promote processes and outcomes that respect diversity.
3. The Significance of Family and Kinship Links
NCVFS Alliance partners acknowledge that kinship or family relationships are important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The notion of familyincludes non-Indigenous partners and extended family members.
4. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Status
NCVFS  Alliance partners accept an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person as any person of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, who identifies with, and is accepted by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community that she or he is associated with.
5. Aboriginal Concept of Health
NCVFS Alliance partners acknowledge and respect the following holistic definition of health:
Health does not simply mean the physical well-being of the individual, but refers to the social, emotional and cultural well-being of the whole community. For Aboriginal people this is seen in terms of the whole of life view incorporating the cyclical concepts of life/death and the relationship to the land. Healthcare services should strive to achieve the state where every individual is able to achieve their full potential as a human being of their community.'
Maintaining and strengthening human dignity to support a person's capacity to participate fully in the community is a core value underpinning our work together.
6. Self Determination and Community Control
NCVFS Alliance partners acknowledge and respect the right to self determination of individuals and their families and community control and, in doing so aim to provide real choice for Aboriginal people in the Loddon Campaspe  community regarding access to services.
7. Impact of Dispossession and Government Policies
NCVFS  Alliance partners recognize the impact of dispossession through past government policies, and acknowledge the unsatisfactory status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and well-being today. Alliance partners will be sensitive to issues of dispossession within Aboriginal families and communities and will be mindful of the impact of trauma and displacement that has resulted from dispossession.
8. Complementing Services
NCVFS  Alliance partners acknowledge the need for mainstream services to complement, not replace, Aboriginal controlled services.
9. Collaboration and Trust
NCVFS  Alliance partners recognise that the building of meaningful partnerships and relationships underpinned by trust and respect is a process - one that is not simply granted, but takes time and a commitment by all parties to come to the table. Collaboration is being able to listen, be heard and participate equally in discussions and decision making processes.
10. Respect and Open Communication
NCVFS  Alliance partners will be respectful and actively encouraging of the participation of Indigenous community members and leaders and Aboriginal Elders working in partnership with us. This respect will be modelled in processes and communication by ensuring that all participants have the opportunity to be involved and informed of planned or current activities.
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