In late 2022 CLCQ secured project funds from the Department of Justice and Attorney-General (DJAG) to develop a First Nations Strategic Framework for the CLC sector in Queensland focusing on initiatives to improve cultural safety within the CLC sector for First Nations peoples and support the recruitment and retention of First Nations peoples as part of the CLC workforce.
CLCQ identified a range of drivers for the development of a strategic framework, including:
- Ensuring that CLCQs future work for and with First Nations peoples reflects the needs and priorities of First Nations organisations and workers in our sector, and supports them to meet the needs of their clients and communities
- Addressing gaps in our understanding of what mainstream and specialist CLCs see as their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges in working with and for First Nations peoples
- Elevating and centering First Nations voices in the sector and foregrounding First Nations peoples as experts in their own story
- Identifying initiatives to more effectively support First Nations workers in the CLC sector
- Developing mechanisms to support accountability for outcomes and benefits for First Nations clients, families and communities
- Analyzing the effectiveness /impact of the cultural safety standard of the accreditation scheme
- Identifying and supporting opportunities for collaboration and networking in the sector
Key aims of the Framework include to guide ongoing action to help CLCs in Queensland to meet reporting obligations and the requirements of accreditation, and to support meaningful relationships within CLCs and their communities.
Appreciation
Community Legal Centres Queensland would like to pay special thanks to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who so generously offered their insights, time, energy, expertise and grace to the consultations that took place over two years.
Centring First Nations voices and expertise is paramount across our entire work program, particularly our First Nations work. We are incredibly grateful and express our deep appreciation to our First Nations stakeholders who helped guide us in developing this Framework.